4 MYTHS ABOUT USING TECHNOLOGY IN THE CHURCH

BY DJ CHAUNG

   

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The Church has used technology throughout history: papyrus, printing press, piano, organ, lighting, microphones, guitars, drums, and video projectors. And with the advent of the Internet, we have newer technologies like websites, social networking via Facebook, and texting on cell phones.

How do we steward technology well? We start by dispelling four common myths about using online technologies in the church.

1. "If you build it, they will come."
Not necessarily. The "it" could be a website, a blog, a discussion board, a podcast, a Twitter feed, or a Facebook fan page. Your digital presence will not automatically be viewed by lots of people just by its mere existence. People choose what they will pay attention to based on relevance (to their situation), value (that enhances their life), and trust (derived from the reputation of the content provider or a trusted friend who points them that way). Your online presence will need to be mentioned often using traditional media as well as word of mouth.

2. "It doesn't cost anything."
True, some online tools don't cost anything to use, but using technology can cost you is more than money. There's the recurring cost of energy to produce fresh and relevant content. There's also the time involved in connecting with your online community, engaging in conversations and responding to questions. There's the potential cost of even free online tools and Web apps that don't fit the orientation of your church and confuse your audience.

3. "Only the younger generation uses social networking."
One study reported that 64 percent of Twitter's and 61 percent of Facebook's users are age 35 or older. The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project found that 38 percent of adults 65 and older are online. To better steward technology, you will want to meet people where they already connect online, and you will want to provide training for using online tools that best serve your existing community.

4. "Technology could replace real-life relationships."
Technology does not have to replace real-life relationships. You can use technology in a way that enriches real-life relationships, to stay connected between the church's face-to-face gatherings. Online tools do two things: expose and enable. Technology can expose a person's tendencies, whether that's isolation or addictiveness; technology can also enable a person to communicate with more people in more ways without being constrained by time and space.

By dispelling these myths, we can learn to better steward technology together, to share what's working, what didn't work, and discuss what we're thinking so we can make informed technology decisions in the future.

It's never too late to start incorporating technology as part of your church's ministry. But, the longer you wait, the more opportunities are lost in connecting with people whose lives are technology-infused.

D.J. Chuang is network developer at Worship Leader magazine, a web strategist for Leadership Network, and a former pastor. This article is condensed from Worship Leader. DJ will be speaking on "Stewarding Technology in the Service of Worship" at the National Worship Leader Pre-conference seminars (June in Albuquerque, New Mexico; July in Kansas City, Kansas; and October in Lancaster, Pennsylvania). For information click here. (www.nationalworshipleaderconference.com). To read more from Worship Leader Magazine, or to subscribe click here (www.worshipleader.com).

Copyright © 2010 by the author or Christianity Today International/Leadership Journal.
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GETTING YOUR STORY OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY

by Dr Steve Dunn

In our last issue we challenged you to rethink your church advertising.  Every church has a story to tell of what is up to in their church, and we need to get the story out into the community. Here are some suggestions.

1. Contact the News Director of your local television station. Ask them what kind of stories appeal to them and ways that you can alert them to a good story. (Clue: Human interest stories, unique forms of community service, “home town heroes” are high on their list.) Have the same conversation with the news director of the radio station and the features editor of the Newspaper.

2. An attractive and well-maintained web site is one of the best ways. But here’s the big rule. Design your web site with the unchurched in mind. Another big one: Keep the information current and always take down the things that are in the past.

3. Set up a Facebook Page. Have multiple administrators so that you can post a status more frequently. (Minimum: 5 posts per week.) Use it as an informative tool or one of encouragement. Leave your hard-sell evangelism off this media. Contain linkbacks to website as new items are added. Pictures are great. Promote the Facebook page in your bulletin, etc.

4. Random Acts of Kindness are always a great way connect with the community.

MISSIONAL LEADERS NEEDED

BY DR STEVE DUNN

Thirty years ago, a pastor named Frank Tillapaugh wrote a powerful and compelling book called Unleashing the Church. It was subtitled “Getting the People Out of the Fortress and Into Ministry.”  He was one of the first to address the issue of churches that had become more organizational than the organic Body of Christ.  Tillapaugh saw the church as seeking to live behind fortress-like walls that kept protected from the world and its problems, that attempted to give Christians a safe place to stay out of the battle.

 

Tillapaugh also recognized that the leaders of these “fortresses” were more concerned with maintenance than mission.  In fact, their “preservation” or “maintaining” mindset insured the church having an inward focus, by seeing that as the focus as something to be preserved and protected.  Their whole modus operandii was to preserve and protect by controlling as much as possible, eliminating any risk, resistng any change.

Yet when the Holy Spirit leads the church, He calls and sends.  The Spirit unleashes God’s power and sends the Church out into the world.  For the Holy Spirit empowers a mission that reflects the Great Commission.  “Go and make” were Jesus words.

This is why a church that seeks to impact our world and to help be transformed by working of God–must give up that old maintenance mentality that builds fortresses rather than launching  out to reach people who needs Jesus/

 A maintenance leader builds fortresses.

 A missional leader takes the church out to fulfill the Great Commssion.

In our world today the church MUST have missional leaders.

 © 2015 by Stephen L Dunn
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