Executive Summary: Mission ARVR Meet & Greet, September 29, 2020

Overview

On September 29, 2020, 15 innovators gathered to meet one another and learn about each other's projects. We also discussed the implications of the recent FB Connect event and the new Oculus II headset. The discussion notes and recording are below.

Recording

ARVR Resources Wiki

Partial Participant List & Notes

Clyde Taber, Co-Founder & Director of Visual Story Network.Facilitator of Mission ARVR Community on FB. VSN’s mission and vision is to help the message of Jesus go to the ends of the earth. Encourage followers of Jesus to to not be afraid of the technology we have access to today. We tend to be fearful of new things, and our calling is to say, "Don’t be afraid!"

DJ Soto, Founder and Pastor of VR Church, Completely in the metaverse, ministry is about planting churches all across the meta verse, Started in 2016. Interesting to see churches go online in some form or fashion during COVID and seeing a more positive turn towards VR Church

Mark: Lives outside Seattle, worked for FB for a few years and with Oculus, runs the US vision of Faith Tech, a ministry to help people gather and steward their gifts to build technology for kingdom purposes

Leo Strong: Director of non-profit VR Mission, utilizing VR geared to expand the kingdom, currently equipping “VR Missionaries” with business as mission mindset and share the good news using VR

AJ: New Dehli, India, work with Christian IT Company, distribution of biblical content into different languages, excited about what this technology can do in the church in India.

Aleatha: UX designer from the Woodlands TX, freelances now for a church helping with their technological advances. 

Kiernan: Early adopter to the Internet as early as 1988!

DJ Chuang: From Southern California, launching Visually Linked Bible that includes games with story of David and Goliath, mission to create and experience the Bible in VR. 

Nikki Hahn: New to VR, training churches in social media, training missionaries to use social media to make disciples, World Venture

Mike Peckham: Based in Orlando, FL, Digital strategies for the Jesus Film under area of global media creator, degree is in Film Design and Creation (jesusfilm.org/watch) Interested in VR church planting

Thomas Custer: Christian Media Institute at Bethany Lutheran College, Gospel Outreach with Media Conference beginning October 19, Exploring all sorts of technology for gospel outreach

Abby: Worked for Exxon with VR and churches for online streaming platforms, animation background with VR production, has a heart for storytelling and using technology to do so.

In Zoom: Kyla Calderon and Jeff Anderson.

Discussion: What are the implications from the Facebook announcement from last week?

Marc: VR is the oldest new technology, has been around forever but is coming to fruition now. Increase the specs but lower the price point. Getting more people engaged and involved and lowering the barriers for that. Gets more community happening. Heart behind coming into the VR space with Facebook having a community and expediting relationships. Excited to see other’s perspectives.

Leo: Biggest point in the time being is the accessibility, barrier to entry dropping lower and there specs being raised. Oculus FB Connect event felt like Steve Jobs at the expose of the Macintosh computer to the world. Others becoming a part of it through the social integration into the realm of this technology. The fear of the novelty is being lowered within community. Feels this is a key traction moment. 

DJ Soto: Oculus Quest 2 announcement is a huge step forward. The power of the device itself is a win. First time the tide is turning in our Mission ARVR events...this is the first time in 4 years we’ve had more participants in VR than Zoom. The launch of Oculus Quest 2 will be a big step. 

DJ Chuang: The turning point of the VR adoption to the masses. Thrilled with the leap forward and excellent timing for the Visually Linked Bible launch.

Closing Remarks: 

Clyde: Encouraged by hearing everyone’s stories and seeing their avatars. Let’s go and be where the people are: in the digital spaces. Let be’s there to bring the light, love, and grace of Jesus.

DJ Soto: Closing Prayer

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