Comments on: Five Things We the Church Need Know About Technological Change (3 of 5): There is a Powerful Idea Embedded in Every Technology http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/ Technology is Fast, but Redemption is Slow Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:35:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Placebo Relationships « The Pugnacious Irishman http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-213 Placebo Relationships « The Pugnacious Irishman Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:03:45 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-213 [...] Therein lies the danger.  As the people of God, this needs to be on the forefront of our minds as we venture into the world created by new social technologies.  Remember, there’s always a tradeoff, and worldview ideas are embedded in each technology. [...] [...] Therein lies the danger.  As the people of God, this needs to be on the forefront of our minds as we venture into the world created by new social technologies.  Remember, there’s always a tradeoff, and worldview ideas are embedded in each technology. [...]

]]> By: busby seo test http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-168 busby seo test Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:04:33 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-168 great!!interesting!!thanks for the information great!!interesting!!thanks for the information

]]> By: Rich Bordner http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-167 Rich Bordner Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:23:06 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-167 Because I'm a teacher and I work with youth, I've blogged on this subject quite a bit lately. Here is a link to some of those posts. I hope they can add to this already excellent discussion in a significant way: http://pugnaciousirishman.wordpress.com/tag/technology/ Because I’m a teacher and I work with youth, I’ve blogged on this subject quite a bit lately. Here is a link to some of those posts. I hope they can add to this already excellent discussion in a significant way:

http://pugnaciousirishman.wordpress.com/tag/technology/

]]> By: Rich Bordner http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-166 Rich Bordner Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:46:41 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-166 Wow...great post. I gave this a thumbs up on Stumbleupon. More people in the church need to be exposed to this thinking. Wow…great post. I gave this a thumbs up on Stumbleupon. More people in the church need to be exposed to this thinking.

]]> By: John Dyer http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-165 John Dyer Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:41:20 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-165 @Lex, Great question. I'll try to just give a few examples: Postman give the example of how King Solomon was praised in his day for knowing 3000 proverbs. In a world before writing was common, memorization and oral recitation were valued with many Jews in Jesus' day memorized the entire Pentateuch. Now that writing has become more common and everyone has a printed Bible, we have more access to the Scriptures than at any other time in history. Yet almost no one knows more than a few verses by heart. We don't seem nearly as adept at "meditating on it day and night." A more modern example would be how the video camera tends to be performance oriented. We usually pose to look our best for photographs and the same often happens with video cameras. For example, Richard Dortch, who was involved in the Bakker scandal of the 1980s said: ‘A television camera can change a preacher quicker than anything else. Those who sit on the sidelines can notice the changes in people once they get in front of a camera. It turns a good man into a potentate. It is so easy to get swept away by popularity: Everybody loves you, cars are waiting for you, and you go to the head of the line. That is the devastation of the camera. It has made us less than God has wanted us to become.’ @Lex,
Great question. I’ll try to just give a few examples:

Postman give the example of how King Solomon was praised in his day for knowing 3000 proverbs. In a world before writing was common, memorization and oral recitation were valued with many Jews in Jesus’ day memorized the entire Pentateuch.

Now that writing has become more common and everyone has a printed Bible, we have more access to the Scriptures than at any other time in history. Yet almost no one knows more than a few verses by heart. We don’t seem nearly as adept at “meditating on it day and night.”

A more modern example would be how the video camera tends to be performance oriented. We usually pose to look our best for photographs and the same often happens with video cameras. For example, Richard Dortch, who was involved in the Bakker scandal of the 1980s said:

‘A television camera can change a preacher quicker than anything else. Those who sit on the sidelines can notice the changes in people once they get in front of a camera. It turns a good man into a potentate. It is so easy to get swept away by popularity: Everybody loves you, cars are waiting for you, and you go to the head of the line. That is the devastation of the camera. It has made us less than God has wanted us to become.’

]]> By: John Dyer http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-164 John Dyer Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:32:58 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-164 @Nick, it's great to hear from a brother in the UK. I agree that it's tough to walk the line between critiquing and yet not completely rejecting technology. Your insight is great. @Nick, it’s great to hear from a brother in the UK. I agree that it’s tough to walk the line between critiquing and yet not completely rejecting technology. Your insight is great.

]]> By: Charles http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-163 Charles Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:48:00 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-163 I think most technology has one embedded message in common, among the others: life or work will be easier. It's helpful if we're trying to make a necessary and effective ministry more efficient. But a lot of times we get some new technology, and do things because we can, not because we should. Then, because we weren't committed to the spirit of project, we we waste time and effort doing it poorly, instead of putting the energy and planning in that might make it succeed. I think most technology has one embedded message in common, among the others: life or work will be easier. It’s helpful if we’re trying to make a necessary and effective ministry more efficient.

But a lot of times we get some new technology, and do things because we can, not because we should. Then, because we weren’t committed to the spirit of project, we we waste time and effort doing it poorly, instead of putting the energy and planning in that might make it succeed.

]]> By: Eric D http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-162 Eric D Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:40:42 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-162 John, You make a good point with your example of King David. Without the resources available to him, he couldn't have done a census at all. Like you say, "most technology has the embedded message of “speed” which says, “don’t think about technology – just try to keep up!” The same could be said of just about any thing ministers covet because they believe it will help their ministry succeed. How many times do I have to hear, "if only we had this new building for our church, we could do more ministry and." As if a building is going to woe the lost to come through the church doors. I guess the same could be said for websites and the like. John,

You make a good point with your example of King David. Without the resources available to him, he couldn’t have done a census at all. Like you say, “most technology has the embedded message of “speed” which says, “don’t think about technology – just try to keep up!” The same could be said of just about any thing ministers covet because they believe it will help their ministry succeed.
How many times do I have to hear, “if only we had this new building for our church, we could do more ministry and.” As if a building is going to woe the lost to come through the church doors. I guess the same could be said for websites and the like.

]]> By: Lex http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-161 Lex Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:10:57 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-161 So (just because I'm curious and I'm trying to bring the point home for myself) what are some technologies that you think we've brought into the church that may have powerful ideas embedded in them (for or contrary to the gospel)? I'm trying to think about it on my end and I'm not coming up with much. Overhead screens, for example. Does that encourage the idea that weekend services are one more entertainment venue, or does it encourage the idea that the Church should be relevant to it's culture? So (just because I’m curious and I’m trying to bring the point home for myself) what are some technologies that you think we’ve brought into the church that may have powerful ideas embedded in them (for or contrary to the gospel)?

I’m trying to think about it on my end and I’m not coming up with much. Overhead screens, for example. Does that encourage the idea that weekend services are one more entertainment venue, or does it encourage the idea that the Church should be relevant to it’s culture?

]]> By: nick charalambous http://donteatthefruit.com/2008/12/five-things-we-the-church-need-know-about-technological-change-3-of-5-there-is-a-powerful-idea-embedded-in-every-technology/#comment-160 nick charalambous Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:14:51 +0000 http://c6010349-c927-433d-add7-c555f7e51772#comment-160 It's refreshing to hear a critical approach toward technology and the church/evangelism, which doesn't at the same time discount its benefits. For me there's a couple of reasons to be wary: 1)technology puts a tremendous temptation in front of people to focus on the ingenuity of man, not the God who made him and gave him the ingenuity. And 2) technology always presents the opportunity to increase noise in our lives. What gives me hope is that the more man-centered our world gets, the more God-hungry we become ... and as Christ followers, we have the power and the wisdom to use the tools by which Satan enslaves to set those very same captives free. It’s refreshing to hear a critical approach toward technology and the church/evangelism, which doesn’t at the same time discount its benefits. For me there’s a couple of reasons to be wary: 1)technology puts a tremendous temptation in front of people to focus on the ingenuity of man, not the God who made him and gave him the ingenuity. And 2) technology always presents the opportunity to increase noise in our lives. What gives me hope is that the more man-centered our world gets, the more God-hungry we become … and as Christ followers, we have the power and the wisdom to use the tools by which Satan enslaves to set those very same captives free.

]]>