What Do Technology and Social Media Look Like When Used as Tools within the Church?

The following excerpt was written by Kris Beckert on October 21, 2020 as part of a blog entry for the Missio Alliance entitled The Church’s Social Dilemma. In it she refers to the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma and the issues of technology and Social Media on our lives.

She identifies 4 areas that the church can be aware of when using technology and Social Media as tools to reach an increasingly online world…

It Leads Somewhere in Real Life

A tool helps you get somewhere — it isn’t the “somewhere.” The way we use social media and online platforms as a tool leads someone toward a face-to-face encounter, next step in their discipleship, or action — not to another view, read, or scroll. What are you counting every week? What is your goal? Are you posting things that are meant to be consumed or intentionally lead somewhere, offline? Are you connecting digitally to avoid connecting IRL — in real life?

It’s a Supplement, not a Substitute

Gone are the days of handing someone a Bible — you just help them download an app. When a tool, technology is useful and can put people in touch and things at our fingertips that can help our growth in Christ. But while many would agree “the church is not the building,” would we also agree “the church is not the platform?” Just as COVID exiled us from our buildings, if we were exiled from social media and digital platforms, would we still be able to do ministry and share the love of Christ? One of the facades of a digital presence is to appear connected but be more isolated than ever. Do we know our neighbors and have real relationships with people in our vicinity, our schools, community services, and businesses? Or have Facebook events and broadcasts actually cut us off from our neighbors?

It Helps us Draw Boundaries

Social media and technology beckon our attention 24/7. During the film credits, numerous individuals give tips on how to keep it in the toolbox, including turning off notifications, deleting apps, and not giving kids smartphones until high school. We can help our congregations and neighbors by creating waves of positive influence in these areas. We can include fasting from social media as part of the fasts of the church calendar and church life. What are some creative ways your church could help families and individuals keep technology in the toolbox?

It Challenges Where we Think Real Life is

Scripture teaches us how human beings have always been in search of transcendence. Instead of looking toward the gifts created by our own hands as a way of pointing us toward our Creator, we get stuck in our fascination with the creation. And immersing ourselves in that “thing” leads to corruption of the “thing,” using the creation for that which it was never intended to do. Where is your real life? Where is your children’s real lives? Where is your church’s real life? And what is it you may be trying to escape from?

Some thought provoking questions that I’m sure we can all grapple with over the coming weeks

Blessings 🙂 

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Being the Hands and Feet

Over the past few weeks or so I have picked up a book that has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite a while.

I initially read it about 5 years ago, but it is proving quite pertinent in these days; as churches grapple with the sudden surge of digital use and technological activity online, but also for our individual setting as Annette and I start reimagining what the Corps could look like post Covid.

Taking into account the amount of change that has in one way or another been thrust upon us as we navigate what church and Corps life looks like today and into the future – it will no doubt prove to be a useful resource for us all going forward, as well as the church universal.

The name of the book is “rewired” and explores ‘how using today’s technology can bring you back to deeper relationships, real conversations, and the age-old methods of sharing God’s love’, written by Brandon Cox.

On the back cover it says:

“If God’s desire to enlarge His family matters… If the church of the future matters… If the gospel still matters… We must embrace the changes that are happening in our world.“

If you haven’t read it, it is well worth a read 🙂

Within its pages are a number of pearls of wisdom that were not only relevant about 6 years ago when the book was written, but even more so today. An example of which follows; 

Jesus is one of the world’s best-known brands. More than half the world knows HIs story to one degree or another…. you too have a brand whether you realize it or not, and your brand reflects Jesus. The church also has a brand – a story people tell about it. In western culture the brand of Jesus is maintaining pretty well, but the brand of church is suffering. Since God desires to bring people to Jesus through the context of the church, this is a problem for our mission.

Artie Davis wrote in his book Craveable that when someone introduces themselves as a Christian, what goes through the mind of a person outside the kingdom is often something like this: “Before me stands a judgmental, mean, ignorant, and intolerant person. Why should I listen to anything they have to say?” People perceive that the church has lost its way in the light of public scandals, personal rejection, and spiritual abuse. Our brand is hurting.

It is not possible to concoct a story about the church that is better than what people actually experience in the real world, but it is possible to tell the right stories and to tell them well. Part of flooding the online space with God’s glory and with the gospel of Jesus is making sure the gospel is given a great deal of attention next to all the other stories being told. This has been our mission since the beginning, and we now have more tools than ever for getting it done.

Dare I say it that this is just as true in our local Corps and church settings – not just in the ‘online space’ as we try to dispel the bad news stories that people have heard, or experienced for themselves. 

Unfortunately this is often due to the bad examples of Christian behaviour which they have seen or heard for themselves which has unwittingly pushed them away from church and from growing in their knowledge of God. But that is another issue altogether 😦

Brandon goes on to write;

If the story people associate with the church as God’s people is to become a more positive one, it has to begin with our showing genuine love to one another and to the people living in the proximity to us. Right now I sense another potential great awakening for the church that is less about creeds and more about deeds. Church leaders are pressing forward with their congregations to show the gospel and to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those around us. This is all good, and social media gives us the opportunity to share this story well.

For us as The Salvation Army Wellington City our mission statement is: “to bring life and hope to the inner city of Wellington” – How are we going about this?

Are we being the hands and feet of Jesus? Or are we leaving it up to others to do? Are we being a good example of what it means to be Christ-like? Or are we opinionated, judgmental, mean, ignorant, and intolerant? Are we welcoming and inviting people to join us on the journey of faith? Or are we scaring them off before they even get an opportunity to meet with Jesus?

Only you can answer those questions for yourself – but we need to be aware that our actions and our words can have a devastating effect on the potential spiritual life of others.

We need to take on board the advise of Paul in Romans; “Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is.” Romans 14:13 (The Message)

And also when he was speaking to the church of Corinth saying that “we must destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God.” 2 Corinthians 10:5a (New Living Translation)

So, may we each go into the coming week with that thought percolating in our minds and our heart as we interact with others – for we don’t want to be driving a wedge between them and God through our words and or actions – we want to be bringing life and hope to all those that we come across.

Blessings ’til next time 🙂

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Does Jesus Condone Smartphones in the Church?

The following article was originally posted on the ‘Digital Discipleship: Developing a faithful, biblical response to digital technology’ blog on July 5,2012. The site has been created from a desire to help students think more about the way that they use technology.

The author (Dave) is passionate about the use of technology in education, and helping students to develop a biblical understanding of digital technology. Dave is currently teaching at Covenant Christian School and goes on to say that: 

“We wanted to take all of the good things that are being done with the concepts of digital citizenship and digital footprint and expand on them from a biblical perspective.”

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“There’s no place for technology in Church. These new smartphones are just too much of a distraction. How do I know whether people are listening to me and engaged in the bible, or checking their emails, or even worse… tweeting! I’ll not have it in my church.”

Is there a place for the smartphone in Church?

You can understand this perspective. And it is probably a fair one! But there are two sides to any story as this recent post by the 360 Church in Berkeley, USA recently points out.

There are just as many arguments in favour of digital technology in church, as there are arguments against it. But let’s not forget that there have always been (new) technologies in church. From the overhead projector for song words, to the printed Bible itself, each of these were new at some point in time.

I’ll leave the article to speak for itself, hopefully it will give you some cause for reflection. I think it is summed up well in this sentence from the article: “If you preach from an iPad, have a computer running things in the back of the room, or maintain an online presence for your church, do it not with the intention of impressing but do it if it truly demonstrates Jesus’ love.”

A good test for any use of technology in our lives as digital disciples.

>> Article: Does Jesus Condone Smartphones in Church?

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