"O thirsty love, wilt thou set Christ, the well of life, to thy head, and drink thy fill?" Samuel Rutherford
Next month I’m speaking at the Westminster Renew Conference about how to use technology in discipleship. As a part of my research, I want a little help from you. Take the poll below, then read on.
Would you add anything to that list? How do you use technology at your church? How do you utilize technology to build relationships or to connect with people?
{ 4 comments }
Do you use technology (websites, email, social networking sites, texting, blogging, etc.) to connect with people for discipleship? If so, how? What does it look like for the church to engage people across generations to make disciples?
Almost a year ago, the Barna Group conducted a survey to explore how technology drives the generation gap.
In their research they divided people into four main groups:
Their findings, in one sense, aren’t too surprising. The younger generations tend to use new technology more than older generations. However, some of their observations are very telling.
For example, while Americans of all ages use new technology in various ways, older generations view them as a convenience. It’s easier and quicker to send an email than a letter.
Younger generations, on the other hand, “rely on technology to facilitate their search for meaning and connection.” That’s important.
If we are to connect in meaningful ways with younger generations, we will either use their technology to make points of entry into their world or we will fail.
This certainly does not mean that discipleship will now take place behind computer screens or on the other end of a text message, but it does mean that if we fail to connect with younger people in those ways, then our efforts at discipling people will die along with older generations and older forms of connection.
Here’s a chart they give showing how different generations use technology:
So I ask again, do you use technology (websites, email, social networking sites, texting, blogging, etc.) to connect with people for discipleship? If so, how? What does it look like for the church to engage people across generations to make disciples?
If you haven’t already done so, click here to participate in the poll on technology use.
{ 2 comments }
In continuing the discussion about technology and discipleship, I want to consider the usefulness of BibleNavigator X, the new HCSB eReader for the XBox.
On his blog, Ed Stetzer wrote:
Why make the Bible available on a gaming system? The idea of making the Scripture readily available for the people in a language they understand and a format they can interact with has long been the desire of the church. In this case, the ability for small groups to easily gather around the TV to read a passage together opens the Bible to a more social experience. B&H has said that they hope youth ministers are open to using it, and have included bookmarks in it so teachers can jump right to the passages they’ve prepared.
I want to ask you these questions:
{ 7 comments }
