New technologies: Promise and Peril for Ministry

The latest issue of Christianity Today has a brief article that I added helpful fuel to fire of discussion about new technologies and ministry. See my other posts on this topic, if you’d like to enter the conversation:

The article – which, ironically, is not available online yet – is in “The Village Green” section (pp. 62-63) and offers commentary by three different ministry leaders in the technology area on what they see as “which technologies hold the most promise – and the most peril – for use in church ministries.” Here’s a quick summary.

Brad Abare, founder of the Center for Church Communication, writes about smart phones.

Promise: smart phones can resource and supplement our journey with God (e.g., access to multiple Bible translations, enabling connections around the globe, connections within worship services for interaction with the congregation).
Peril: smart phones could be eroding our understanding of the soul (e.g, increasing busyness, cultivating inattentiveness, becoming a “tool of our tools” from Thoreau)

Mark Kellner, author of God on the Internet and author of a technology column for the Washington Times, evaluates the relative dearth of use of online video in churches.

Promise: online video has huge potential for both outreach – sharing our message in visual and compelling ways – as well as for “inreach” – social networking and telling stories
Peril: we may be behind the curve in the religious use of online video, failing to use it as effectively as other religions: Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, scientologists, etc.

John Dyer, web development director at Dallas Theology Seminary, steps back to emphasize the need for talking about technology as providing focus for the best use of technology.

Promise: “when it comes to technology in the church, I believe that the technology that has the most promise in the church is not the latest thing that comes off the assembly line. Rather, it is the technology – any technology – that church leaders openly discuss with other leader and with their congregations.”
Peril: If we do not critically discuss the technologies we use, we either ignore new technologies or naively use them with potential ill effects upon our congregations

Thanks for CT for providing an opportunity for these gentlemen to share some thoughts on this important topic.