Every new technology provides an opportunity for gospel advancement. With the Gutenberg press, the Scripture became more accessible. With the advent of the microphone and sound system, regular preachers without booming George Whitefield voices were able to speak the good news of Jesus to more people. With radio, Christians such as C.S. Lewis were able to place important messages about Christ into the culture of the day. With social media, messages are able to be quickly shared and spread.
But technology also presents us significant challenges.
Sean Parker, who was president of Facebook for a season, recently admitted that Facebook (and assuming other social media): “literally changes your relationship with society, with each other. It probably interferes with productivity in weird ways. God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains … It’s a social-validation feedback loop, exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you’re exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology.”
Clearly those who have introduced new technology to our world know there are some really damaging and destructive results in the technology they introduced. People learn, without realizing it, to live for likes and hearts. And phrases such as FOMO (fear of missing out) have been invented because teenagers see a continual highlight reel of places where they were not invited.
So, is technology good or bad? It depends who is using it and for what motivation. In Titus 1:15 the apostle Paul writes, “To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure…” Yes, I want to use technology in ministry but I also want to heed some cautions that wise men and women have articulated. Here are four thoughts that summarize where I am today on the issue.... Read More
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