I use the term revolution somewhat intentionally. Of course it brings to mind the Arab Spring and many of the geopolitical revolutions that have occurred recently, spurred on - you could even argue that they were enabled by - mobile phones. But it goes beyond this. Over the past 10 years, mobiles have invaded life in every corner of the globe. Rich, poor, young, old, urban, rural, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, tribal... across the globe people everywhere are using mobile phones. Mobile phone subscriptions now number close to 7 billion, just about equal to the total world population. Actual mobile users number less than that - approaching 5 billion, I believe - but they really are everywhere. It is the most ubiquitous device in history. You've probably heard statistics such as, "More people have mobile phones than have toothbrushes." It really is staggering.

But it is not just that so many people now have mobile phones that is significant. It is how mobile phones are changing lives. Here in the U.S. it is difficult to appreciate how profound this is. For us, mobile phones, and more recently smartphones in particular, are a further extension of technology creep. We've grown up with so much technology - TVs, radio, computers, the internet, DVD players, GPS systems, MP3 players, eBook readers, cameras, camcorders, etc. - that mobiles are just an added convenience. But for much of the world they have been transformative. They have opened new worlds of opportunity for people - providing access for the very first time to the internet, to news & educational resources and entertainment and much more. They are connecting people through text messaging and social media. We had other technology to provide us with most of these things, but for billions of people around the world, mobiles are proving utterly transformative.

Most significantly for us, this little device is providing the Church, for the first time in history, the opportunity of putting the gospel in the hands, and before the eyes & ears, of virtually every person on the planet. The mobile phone is a true "game changer."

But... it is only a game changer if we choose to bring our mobiles with us when we head out on short-term trips. Point 2 - Don't leave home without them!

I am surprised that I still encounter many who suggest - or even mandate - that their short-term teams leave their mobiles behind when they head out. Yes, there are some reasons to consider this. For youth, in particular, but for adults also, a mobile device can be a distraction. Yes, paying for voice & data connections when roaming overseas can be expensive. And you may have other concerns. But I would argue that the benefits of taking your mobiles with you FAR outweigh these concerns. I hope some of the following points will help convince you. I want you to walk away today seeing our mobile phone as a strategic ministry tool that your teams can't afford to leave home without.

If you own a smartphone, you are probably accustomed to using it for all kinds of things - emails, stock updates, news, Facebook, games, watching videos, etc. But do you have Jesus on your mobile?

One of the most powerful ministry tools of our lifetimes - indeed, in the life of the Church - has been the Jesus film. I've seen be instrumental in drawing many to faith in Christ. The Jesus Film Team now has an app for iOS and Android devices called JesusFilmMedia. If you don't already have this app on your phone, get it now - I mean right now while I'm talking! It will put in your hands every translation of the Jesus film - more than 1,000 languages. You can view stream the entire film in any of these languages, but even better, you can download it for offline viewing. This means you don't need celllular service or Wi-Fi to play the video. Better yet, you can download 2-3 minute clips showing specific stories such as Jairus' daughter being brought back to life. These perfect for showing in the context of a conversation!

And... it is not just the Jesus film that you have access to. The app also gives you access to Magdalena, another feature-length film which many find even more powerful than the Jesus film. You also get My Last Day, a powerful 10-minute anime film, the Story of Jesus for Children, and much more. There is even a great little video showing you how you can use the app to share Jesus with others whether overseas or right here at home.

Before your team leaves, everyone who has an iOS or Android device should have this app installed and have downloaded the relevant videos in the language of the people you'll be serving. Take time to watch the films, too, so they'll be fresh in your mind.

There are other good resources, too. A couple of other apps to get are Bible.is and 5Fish. These apps provide access to audio Bibles and Bible stories. 5Fish has stories in over 6,000 languages! Both of these apps allow you to download audio files for offline listening.

Don't have a fancy smartphone?

You can get Jesus on a dumb phone, too! If your phone has a color screen, it can probably play videos, even if it has one of those tiny square screens. These phones play videos in a format called .3GP, and it is fairly simple to get the Jesus film - or any video - into this format and onto the phone. Here's how:

First, download the video you want. The Jsus film and related movies can be downloaded from www.JesusFilmMedia.org.

Next, download a free program - available for Mac or PC - called Any Video Converter. There are other programs you can use, too, but this one is fairly easy to use and is free. It can step you through the process of converting the file from its current format (.MP4 for the Jesus film) into .3GP format.

Using your computer, copy that file onto a microSD card, which you can then insert into your phone for playback. Of course, you can also copy over other things, too, like audio files - the Bible or perhaps some stories.

Even dumb phones are really smart!

Bluetooth is a technology that allows two electronic devices to connect with one another and share data. In the U.S., most of us are only familiar with Bluetooth headsets - those funny gadgets you sometimes see stuck in people's ears when it looks like they're talking to themselves.

But bluetooth is also a great tool for transferring data from one person to another. It allows you to beam a small file - up to 50MB or so in size - from one phone to another. In many countries, Bluetooth is used daily to share things like photos, music and video clips. The image on the screen reminds me of a story from a friend in North Africa. He was up in the mountains, in a fairly remote area, when he came across a shepherd boy who was only around 12 years old. After greeting each other, the boy said, "Hey, do you want to see the video I made?" He then pulled out his phone to show the video. "Do you want me to Bluetooth you a copy?" he asked next. I think that speaks not only to the popularity of videos, but of how mobile-savvy the world is. Here was an uneducated young shepherd living a quiet, pastoral life in a remote area with no real signs of technology anywhere, yet he knew how to create a video on his feature phone AND how to share it with others using Bluetooth.

There are lots of resources on the web to teach you how to do this, and depending on where you are going, your local friends will be able to teach you themselves! The important thing is simply to know that you can do this. So be prepared to offer to share some of the resources that I just spoke about. The only caveat is that Bluetooth does not work well on iOS devices (iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches). However, between most other smartphones and dumb phones, bluetooth sharing generally works well.

MicroSD cards are small memory cards that can be used for storing all kinds of data on mobile devices, including music, photos, and videos. They are inexpensive, widely available, and can be used in nearly every non-iPhone in the world, including the vast majority of older "dumb" phones. This makes them a great tool for sharing larger files with people. In fact, you can easily store & distribute the equivalent of an entire theological library - eBooks, documents, audio, and even videos - on one of these fingertip-sized cards.

Due to their size, microSD cards are also easy to conceal, which can be helpful in some circumstances.

In my experience, people in the developing world are quite accustomed to using such cards. They know exactly where to install them in their phones and how to access the files stored on them.

The best card to get for sharing in the field is 2GB. This size is getting harder to find in the West, where most cards you'll find in stores are 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB, but it is more compatible with lower-end phones. On a recent trip, I stored the following on 2GB cards that I distributed - and only used HALF of the card's capacity:

* Jesus Film in MP4 format (full movie)
* Magdalena film in MP4 format (full movie)
* Jesus Film for Children in MP4 format (full movie)
* My Last Day in MP4 format (short film)
* All of the above in low-resolution .3gp format
* Collection of audio stories

I've found that a good source for getting these cheaply in bulk is eBay. I can often find them for $3 or less, but getting them does require some lead time so plan in advance. New cards are best, but don't worry if they are used. I've yet to get a card that has not worked.

So, what can short-term teams do with microSD cards?

Duplicate & distribute them!

You can fit more than 100 cards in a mini Altoids tin can (200 or more in a regular Altoids tin), which will keep the cards safe & easy to carry. You'll also have the best smelling microSD cards in the country!

What do you put on these microSD cards?

Before leaving for your trip, determine a handful of resources in the heart language of the people you are gong to be with that are likely to have an impact. It is best to check with local leaders to determine what resources are best, but here are some ideas:

* The Jesus film
* The Magdalena film
* My Last Day (a powerful 10-minute anime film)
* Audio stories from Global Recordings Network (GRN): www.globalrecordings.net
* Audio Bible portions from Bible.is - http://Bible.is

If you are teaching English, hygiene, or some other topic, you may wish to also include training materials - for example, a brief video on how to purify drinking water. how to properly brush teeth, etc.

Again, check with local leaders to determine the resources that are most contextualized for the people you'll be serving.

If multiple languages are spoken, consider including the chosen resources in those languages, or creating a set of microSD cards in each language. If you create multiple sets of cards, be sure to keep them in separate, labeled tins.

For videos, it is helpful to include them in two formats: .MP4 for mobiles with higher-resolution screens, and .3GP for use on feature phones (non-smartphones). If the videos you want to share are not in these formats, you can easily format them using a free tool like "Any Video Coverter", which is free for both Windows and Mac.

So how do you duplicate the cards?

Most microSD cards come with a SD card adapter. SD cards are slightly larger - the size used in most digital cameras. Most computers have a slot for SD cards. Simply insert the microSD card into the SD card adapter, then insert that into your computer. Copy the resources you've gathered from your computer onto the microSD card. Repeat the process until you've created the desired number of cards.

One last consideration. Write-protecting microSD cards is not easy, so some people may be tempted to accept a memory card with the intention of deleting the contents and using it for other content (people everywhere love freebies!). Consider only giving microSD cards to those who express sincere interest in what is stored on the cards.

The power of visual media is difficult to overstate. Our brains are wired for visual imagery, and taking advantage of that with mobile phones is easy! We've already talked about how we can use videos to share about Jesus or to teach (reinforce) a skill like purifying water. Visual media can also be used very effectively to build relationships (which may, in turn, create more opportunities to share about Jesus).

Mobiles make this so easy because we can carry these photos & videos with us everywhere - ready to show anytime, anywhere the opportunity arises.

First, consider bringing photos & videos from home to show your new local friends. This is a great way to build relationships with people. Show them images of your friends & family. Show them an image of your small group and say, "These are some of my friends back home. They care about you!"

Be prepared by preparing a library of photos and/or videos that you'll want to share. Create a dedicated folder (gallery) on your mobile just for these files. This will help you quickly find just the media that you'd like to share. If you use an Android phone, you may want to check out a new app from Mission Aviation Fellowship called Estante. It allows you to create a library of media resources and makes it easy to share them. You can get Estante from the Google Play store.

A second way to make use of visual media is to take photos & videos during your trip that you can share with your new local friends while you are with them. Take a group "selfie" with one or more friends or shoot a quick video clip that you can leave with them. God can use these visual reminders in powerful ways to continue ministering to people after you're gone.

A few cautions in shooting photos & videos with locals:
* Try to learn from local partners what is and is not appropriate to take photos/videos of. Honor this.
* When possible & appropriate, get permission first. If shooting children, get permission of their parents first, if appropriate. This is a great way to show you honor & respect them.
* Shoot with the aim of dignifying/honoring the people and community.As we've seen, there are a variety of ways that mobiles can be used effectively to minister to those you are serving among. However, they can be used just as effectively in keeping you connected with the rest of your team - those back home who have sent you out and are praying for you and your ministry.

Visual media and social media are a powerful communications duo.

Your mobile phone is with you all the time (right?), making it a great tool for documenting - and sharing - what happens on your trip. Snap photos & video clips often. You'll enjoy having these for your own memories, but they'll also be a great way to share with others what happened - and even what IS happening - during your trip.

As part of your trip preparations, consider choosing one or more hash tags for tagging photos, videos and other content you'll post on social media. This can make it easy for people to find what relevant trip posts. For example, if Rolling Hills Covenant Church (RHCC) is sending a team to Egypt this year, they could use a hashtag like #RHCC14Egypt. Alternatively, you can create a dedicated social media account (or page in Facebook) that people can follow.

Wherever you choose share your updates - Instagram, Twitter/Vine, Facebook, YouTube, a blog, etc. - be sure to let family, friends, your church, etc. know how you'll be sharing so they can easily follow or find your updates.

Facebook is one obvious place to share updates that everyone is familiar with. Instagram is another great choice. It is one of the most popular networks right now for sharing photos. It also allows you to create simple videos up to 15 seconds long. Consider shooting a 15-second video update each day. For longer videos, consider either YouTube or Vimeo. How wonderful would it be for your church, Sunday School class, or small group to be able to show a quick video update at their weekend services?

Better yet, if you have a good connection - either Wi-Fi or cellular - consider doing a live broadcast from the field! Using a tool like Facetime (iOS) or Google Hangouts, you can enjoy live, 2-way communications. Another service called LiveStream allows you to broadcast live audio & video to anyone anywhere in the world who has a decent internet connection.

I would be remiss if I did not at least touch on the subject of security when it comes to mobile devices. Let's consider some of the basic issues and ways that we can mitigate the risks associated with them....

In closing, let me share a handful of websites & other resources that are good to know about.

You already know about the Mobile Ministry Forum. The MMF's website has some good resources, and more will be coming soon.

"Mobile Ministry Made Easy" is a great little eBook that covers some of what we've talked about today as well as some other topics. Simply Google the title to find a copy online.

Mobile Ministry 101 is a self-paced study for individuals or teams. It is a practical course designed to be used by anyone regardless of technical experience or knowledge about mobiles. The purpose is to equip people to get media onto their phones and microSD cards for sharing with others. It should be available from the MMF sometime this summer (July 2014).

MobileAdvance.org is a wonderful site full of news & resources about the use of mobiles for ministry.

Finally, there is a popular, 6-week online course offered by the MMF (info on the MMF website). This is great for those who want to better understand the myriad of ways mobiles can be used for ministry.