Lagging Behind a Little

   I am what you might call…well… technologically handicapped. And until the past couple of years I was a “technophobe.” But since I was “gently” persuaded to have a Blackberry as my phone for church, I have come around quite a bit. I still don’t know a lot about how to work all the technology out there, but the possibilities sure are amazing and my mind really does get to brainstorming on what we could do in church with all of this new fangled stuff! I mean, let’s look at all the advantages. I can use programs to track a church budget, use voice recognition software to take notes for me in meetings, and of course, stay current on all the trends in church and church growth. Yes, it has become very apparent to me that smartphones, iPads, and just technology in general have grown in their usefulness for churches.

So, here is my question. Is that exciting or scary for you? How would you feel if, on Sunday morning, instead of being handed a paper bulletin you were handed an electronic tablet with the order of worship on it? How would you react if you saw a pastor reading scripture from an iPad or smartphone (we do it all the time in ministers meetings by the way). How about a minister leading a wedding or a funeral from an iPad or other tablet device? How you answer those questions will help you determine your comfort level with the proliferation of technology in our society. And while I don’t expect the above scenarios to happen here at VBCC anytime soon, they do make the point that churches need to figure out the role of technology in their purpose and vision. Some churches have already embraced this to the fullest extent; others have stood steadfastly against the encroachment of technology. I would say VBCC is somewhere in the middle.

What we’ll need to decide, as we move forward, is how we can best use technology to share the good news. In some cases, it’s a no-brainer. For example, a church without a great website is on its way to the grave. Great websites that grab the attention of the viewer are crucial for reaching new people and connecting with the community. We do have a decent website for our church, but my hope is that we will continue to make it better as we think about how we can use it effectively.  

Other uses of technology in the church are not nearly as universally agreed upon. The presence of audio-visual technology in the sanctuary? The ability to pay your pledge online? Churches are divided over whether or not technology should be incorporated in these ways, and each church must figure out for itself how technology fits into its overall structure and purpose. That’s what I’m continuing to learn here at VBCC, and I hope and pray that you are willing to explore and learn with me.

In his theory on the diffusion of innovations, professor Everett Rogers describes five different groups of people based on their willingness to adopt new developments. The first people to jump on board are the Innovators, followed by Early Adopters, Early Majority and Late Majority. The last group to adopt new things is the Laggards. These are the folks who are skeptical of microwaves and whose phones all have cords attached to them (maybe even some have rotary dials). I encourage you to look up this theory on the internet (there’s that technology again) and explore it some and see where you fit in. And my hope is that in the process, you will be able to ask yourself why you feel the way you do. Knowing why you feel positive or negative about technology, especially the use of it in the church, will help the church to discuss this honestly and figure out how VBCC can best use technology to help share the Gospel and grow our church.

So where does the church fall in relation to technology? Honestly, all too often the church has been Laggards, which has put us woefully behind the culture in our ability to communicate and connect with people. But I don’t think it’s good stewardship for us to be Innovators of new technology that may be very expensive and not useful. We should probably fall somewhere in between.

I am coming to love technology and am excited about the different ways it can be used in the church, but I’m also sensitive to the fact that not everyone is as comfortable with it as I am coming to be. So my promise to you is that we will continue this conversation so that we can figure this out together as we move forward. You’re not going to show up one Sunday and have robots leading the service! (although some may say they have one preaching every Sunday already....sorry, I wanted to beat a couple of you to it!)

If we are going to stay relevant in our culture, technology will have to be an important tool to help us do that. But our technology should serve us, not the other way around. I look forward to exploring how we can adopt new advancements while staying true to the timeless message of the gospel. And just so you know, this article was not written on my smartphone! ☺

Trying to get up to speed myself,

Jason