Meet Meetup
So maybe I’m the delinquent here. Has EVERYONE else already heard of Meetup.com? It is the neatest new discovery on my travels through the web. In case the one other person on this planet who hasn’t heard of this nifty service just so happens to find this post, let me fill you in on what its all about.
Let’s say you’re new to the area, and you want to meet some people – but the people you work with are all losers or snobs, and you aren’t sure how you managed to have so time to be in clubs/ activities way back in your High School days. Enter Meetup. You have an interest in pugs, or antiquated lawn gnomes, and you search for these topics locally. Meetup hooks you up with those in your area also interested in your strange hobbies and let’s you join in on their events! Before long, you’re standing in a sea of old lawn gnomes and new friends.
I’ve already used this tool as a way to find others who are interested in sustainable architecture and farmer’s markets in my area. Tons of fun!
Check out this video below:
Wouldn’t this be a neat way to naturally and relationally connect with other Christians in your area who are searching out God down similar pathways? Those in more organic-styled church networks are finding it difficult to coordinate times for everyone to get together, but this opens the door, AND it communicates to others in your area about your gatherings. I like this because it allows just about anyone in the Meetup group to organize an event, and let everyone else know about it. It takes the attention off the “leaders” pulling off all the events, and allows Joe to invite everyone over for burgers or Lucy to call all the women to pray over her new-born child.
Are there some down sides to this? Maybe. Should we be so concerned with meeting people who have similar interests? Is it really SO hard to find friends these days that we look people up on the internet to check them out before meeting with them? What ever happened to baking cookies and knocking on our neighbor’s door?
Any other thoughts?
