I've been trying to hold off, but for no longer. This weekend I signed up for Twitter, the latest trend in online social networking.

I've been a Facebooker for years now, and have often availed myself of the 'Status Update' feature, enabling my 'friends' to know what's happening in my life to the smallest and often most-trivial degree.

However, the limitation with Facebook is that it's for your friends only. It is true that I have accepted friends who I wouldn't know if they poked me in the eye, but still my deepest thoughts (and embarrassing high school photos) have been restricted to the chosen few.

With Twitter, my micro-blogs of a maximum 140 characters are posted for any netcitizen to see. I've put them on [url=http://www.jodiemcneill.com]http://www.jodiemcneill.com[/url] for anyone to read. You could also visit [url=http://www.twitter.com/jodiemcneill]http://www.twitter.com/jodiemcneill[/url] and see them for yourself.

Micro blogging works well for me. The enforced limitation of 140 characters, and the informal punctuation of SMS helps put my predisposure to perfectionism at bay. I've often let my personal blog gather dust (13 months of dust, until this weekend's spring clean). But the ease of updating my micro-blog makes the gap between thought and 'send' even smaller.

Another benefit of Twitter is that you can send your micro-blogs via SMS. This is not particularly important for me, as my BlackBerry Bold is powerful enough to remotely control the Space Shuttle. But for most people with garden-variety mobiles, this enables you to let the world know what's happening, without an internet connection.

But, what's the benefit of micro-blogging in this way?

Firstly, it enables followers to get immediate responses. It's sort of like texting anyone/everyone who wants to follow you (the Twitter equivalent of becoming a Facebook 'friend'). They can connect with you in real-time, and follow what you're doing. And the best thing is that you don't need to 'approve' friend requests. The world follows you, whether you like it or not.

This immediate posting is particularly useful if followers know you're doing something special, such as attending GAFCON or brushing your teeth.

This week I'm spending three days 'on team' with the Outdoor Ministers at Deer Park. I'm planning to send regular updates to Twitter during the day (unless one of the teachers confiscates my mobile). This will give an up-to-the-minute description of three days in the life of someone on the frontline at Youthworks Camping.

In fact, to help you see what I've been up to, here's a summary of my most recent Twittering:

A second benefit of micro-blogging is that it is concise. The ability to summarise life into 140 characters is something we have developed due to our reliance on SMS. This new literary form enables us to capture and broadcast these messages to the world.

The good news for my Facebook friends is that you can get some funky Apps that will synchronise Facebook and Twitter. I've chosen to use TwitterBerry as my mobile tool, which updates my Twitter page. Then the 'Twitter' App in Facebook automatically updates Facebook.

Is this a complete waste of time, or are there benefits to our Christian life and ministry?