Has anyone else noticed that mainline denominations are dying? I have and it scares me, so I started doing some research and I found something disturbing. Most churches are years behind the technology age. By years behind I mean at least ten years if not more! As of the writing of this post it is 2013 so if the church is ten years behind then their websites look like they are from 1993….there wasn’t really the internet in 1993. In the mid nineties churches started getting into the digital world – but here’s the thing – that’s all they did.
Check out this infographic - courtesy of our friends over at churchmag. Did you notice this trend? Businesses use social media everyday to promote their product – why should the church not use social media to share Jesus? Don’t just see this as an opportunity to put more butts in the seats! See it for the tool that it is! It’s a way for us to share Jesus in new ways!
But, the internet is an evil thing! Look at all the bad stuff that happens on the internet! We shouldn’t associate ourselves with that!
“Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.” – Romans12:2, Common English Bible
Some older translations say “…be in the world but not of the world…” how are we going to reach those people who don’t know Christ if we are not found where they are? The simple answer is you can’t. It’s impossible.
Look at Martin Luther – did you know he used a typeset printing press to publish the first Bible written in the language of the people (for him and his people that was German)? The printing press is technology. The apostles and their contemporaries took oral tradition and wrote it down on papyrus. Ink and paper – that’s technology. Jesus took Jewish religious law and the sacrificial system and crucified it on the cross. The cross, although a gruesome example, is technology.
We don’t have anything to fear from technology. Do you believe “…God works all things together for good…” (CEB, Rom 8.28)? I do. And, if you believe Romans 8:28, then I would think you would also believe that God – can use – and will use – the internet for his glory!
Changing the way we think is revolutionary. That’s the base for all revolutions any way, right? A change in the way it has always been done isn’t an easy thing to do but it’s what God has called us to do. Jesus was revolutionary, the apostles were revolutionary, the church fathers – revolutionaries…
Let’s start that revolution – today.
More info? Check out this stuff...
From the Garden to the City (book by John Dyer)
Churchm.ag
donteatthefruit.com
hackingchristianity.net
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