(Guest Writer - Jonathan Moss, NC) Whether you choose to believe it or not, the world around us is growing rapidly. The sheer amount of information that is flowing around the world is growing at an exponential rate. Even the most insulated among us are swept away every day with a tidal wave of binary code and radio waves.
It’s creepy and cool at the same time, but what does this have to do with the church? Thanks for asking.
I am in the process of reading the book UnChristian, which describes the ways that technology connects us. The authors write, “Technologies connect young people [16-to-29 year olds] to information and each other – and power their self-expression and creativity – in ways older adults do not fully appreciate.”
If information is moving so fast and the same technology that is used to accelerate information is shaping the values of young people, then where is the Church in the middle of all of this? Unfortunately, not front and center.
We, the Church, must be willing to go to the ends of the earth to reach out to people using various methods, especially the those young people who are a part of a younger generation. We have to make better use of social media.
That’s where all this technology and information comes together. Communication, openness, and the political power-word of the year, transparency, must play a huge role in the effectiveness of the Church in the 21st century. We must be willing to spread the Gospel to everyone as they are, and more importantly, where they are.
If we are really serious about reaching the world for Christ, then we must make use of the various avenues available to us. Only then will we reach people with the same Gospel that the apostles died for.
What kind of Social Media do you use? Can we really use social media to advance the Kingdom, or is it all a trend that is simply going to die off in a few years?
Wanna see more on this: Check out this YouTube video.
1 comment:
Fascinating post....poses some interesting questions for the Church.
While, in our personal (family) experience, we use very little technology. We don't have TV or cable. We don't have a call phone, while we do have a computer, it's primarily for work, with a fragmented blog entry here and there. I find that in this modern culture of technology that most American families are more disconnected from each other even though they are all the more "connected" digitally.
Most family interaction today seems to be either in passing or digital - and that is a victory for Hell in my opinion.
However, in the church - we have failed in this area miserably - and it's our own fault. The media in the early days was actually 'over-sighted' by the church. Some in Hollywood would actually present films to the church before releasing them to the public. The church at some point decided that film was too worldly and turned its blind ear and eye to it...
Fortunately today, there are some in the media and film industry that are realizing the lost market of good film...and there are many in the church that are rising to the call to take back the mountain of the creative arts.
Yes - the Church needs to take advantage of technology that enhances and aides the gospel - after all, God is The Creative One.
Interesting post JM.
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