Reflections on Christian New Media Conference 2011

Last Saturday, I attended the Christian New Media conference (#cnmac11) in London.  This was the second CNMAC.  The aim of the #cnmac11 conference is to inspire, equip and to connect Christians interested in or involved in new media.

The opening session helped provide a biblical and theological framework for the day  with Professor David Wilkinson and Doctor Peter Phillips from CODEC speaking on “Created to Create.”

During the day there were numerous break-out sessions on offer under four tracks: Theology, Social, Church, Charity and Business and Technique. The topics covered were wide ranging and there really was something for everyone.  It was hard to choose which session to go!

The theology track dealt with what it means to be a “digital creative” or #digicreatives. I went to the first session in this track in which Dr Peter Phillips from CODEC explored a “speculative theology” of creativity in relation to digital space.

After a welcome coffee break and a chance to catch up with some friends, it was time for the second break-out session.  I went to a very useful session on “Building a mobile app.”  It was interesting to look at mobile apps from a business and marketing perspective rather than from a purely technical one.

After lunch, the afternoon opened with a main session looking at impact social media had on emerging world events during 2011: the “Arab spring,” the UK riots and the demise of the “News of the World.”

"How Social Media changed the world"

There were two further break-out sessions in the afternoon with a well needed coffee break in between.  I went to two sessions on technique – one looking at video on a “low” budget and the other on podcasting.  I am thinking of ways of using video more in our church.  The podcasting session was very disappointing as it was too focussed on a single solution for podcasting church sermons rather than podcasting in general.

The final session of the day was the keynote address from Dr Patrick Dixon a futurist. According to Dr Dixon the “future is emotion.”  The biggest change agent is not technology but how we emotionally connect to events and people.

In all it was great conference, well organised and excellently hosted by Vicky Beeching.  I was inspired by the conference and made connections with some great people too.  Looking forward to doing it all again at #cnmac12!

Postscript

This post would be incomplete without mentioning the post conference tweet-up at the Crown Tavern. About 20 or so of us met up for drinks and chat after the conference.  It was a great opportunity to meet new people and I had some great conversations though I didn’t get a chance to personally chat to everyone there.