As I prepare to deliver my testimony this upcoming Saturday to a group of high school athletes, my mind can not help but ask how do I reach this generation. The material that I have in my presentation is awesome and makes sense in my mind, but once again how do I present this so that they learn the message.
These questions lead me to the most utilized source in today's generation, technology. I began to ponder different ways to use technology in delivering my message. Today's youth uses so many social media tools, and communication gadgets that it seemed that it would be easy to access a feasible tool to put my ideas and thoughts together.However, this was a lot harder than I thought it to be. I know for me that much of my learning came in groups where the pastor or bible study leader preached the message to me. In learning more of universal design and e-learning, I feel that this generation would really benefit from using a mixture of different learning tools.
Here is a interview by Tom Ferguson who speaks on how technology plays a great role in Religion; http://www.technewsworld.com/story/33078.html?wlc=1284952818
In writing this blog I wonder how many of you guys use the internet to seek or " Google" your foundational faith source. If not, do you think spiritual growth is an area of your life that can really be sought via technological sources?
This is an interesting question, Ray. After reading through the interview, I will admit I was surprised that religious sites were at number 2 as well (the number 1 was expected). Coincidentally, I was joking around with one of my friends today. She goes to church every sunday, so I always make a big deal if she misses a day. Today, she told me she did not go to church but she watched her youth pastor online. I know many churches do stream the service online, though I have never personally watched one. A person's spiritual growth is relative. It all depends on the individual and where they are in their life. There is no right or wrong way to spiritually grow, therefore if someone uses a site or other online resource on their journey to spiritual development, more power to them. Studying/reading an actual King James version of the Bible is no better or worse than reading it online. I was in church over the summer with my grandmother and I had out my blackberry. She almost had a fit assuming I wasn't paying attention and doing something on my phone, but she was pleasantly surprised to see that in actuality I had a Bible application and was still following along on my phone as everyone else was reading from their Bibles. Technology really is the future. Just because it is a innovative and non-traditional method of study, it does not make it any less viable.
ReplyDeleteRay, you raise a very interesting question! As someone who grew up in the tradition of southern baptist denomonation, it's hard for me to envision the day when churches that ascribe to this denomonation will embrace technology on a grand scale. As the theologian eluded to in the interview, religion is so rooted in the idea of communities where people engage/come together for that weekly celebration, also known as "church". On the other hand, I think it's pretty evident that non-denominational/mega churches and evangelists have embraced technology in their ministries. Prime examples are Joyce Meyer, Billy Graham, or Pastor Courtney MacBeth (of Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk, VA). All of these individuals have become brands in their own right through the use of social media. However, the original form of [social] media they used were tape and CD ministries. Now these have turned into online videos, web sites, TV ministries, pod casts, etc.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that social/digital media has a place in organized religion, and it will soon become more prevalent. If for no other reason than the fact that generations are getting older and organized religions - Catholics, Protestants, Episcopalians, Muslims - will look to younger generations to fill the pews of churches and mosques. The same will be true of those that pastor houses of worship; eventually new and younger pastors/leaders will emerge, and they will be from younger generations that are very comfortable with cutting edge technology. Also, I believe that while religion may remain organized, the younger generations will seek non-organized/spiritual outlets instead of formal houses of worship. At the present, the latter tend to be the establishments that more willingly embrace and utilize digital/social media.
Ray, this is a great post, and one I have never thought about. However, it makes perfect sense. My mother-in-law passed away this past January, but when she was alive and very sick, she loved watching Dr. Schuller (Crystal Cathedral)every Saturday night or Sunday morning. I can see how religious technology could work for someone who is sick, taking care of elderly parents, working away from home or just wanting an "extra dose," in addition to attending church. Also, I agree with Tisha in that I don't think Southern Baptists would approve of technology in lieu of "face time." In addition, you and Tisha are right. The pastors realize that in order to reach the younger generations today, they have to tap into technology and media. Very thought-provoking post. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI believe that technology can definitely enhance one's religious experience. Personally, technology is one of the primary ways in which I engage in religious activities. I am always watching sermons or services online, researching passages in the Bible using google, and looking up things on youtube. The possibilities are endless! As I am watching preachers online, often times they may be using their iphones to look up the Bible online or their ipads to keep track of their notes. Often times in my church we are shown video clips, the sermons are on PowerPoint, and we even receive emails the week before with the sermon outline. Technology is revolutionizing all walks of life and religion is just one of the many aspects that has jumped on board.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to note however, that most of the churches I am affiliated with or watch online are a bit more liberal. With that being said, I believe that the extent to which technology will be used in formal religious settings depends on the religion, their traditions as wells as their denomination (if applicable). I would definately not expect to see a preacher using an ipad or phone in substitute for a Bible in a southern baptist church. Likewise, I would not expect this in a mosque or orthodox synagogue. I do believe that technology can play an important role in religion and most definitely has.
ReplyDeleteAll of you have brought up similar thoughts to mine. It is interesting to think of religion from the technological aspect. I am not a frequent church goer, but I do believe in a higher being. Personally, I think attending church for a service, whether it's 3 times a week or just once, is something special and something many cherish. A ritual in which becomes routine. I agree with Connie that religion is all based on individual denominations and beliefs, so a general consensus is nearly impossible.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I don't think that using technology for spiritual purposes has negative consequences. In terms of promoting, the Internet is a great way to update community members, as well as allow them to pick out a sermon that might be of need to them at that moment in time. It makes for more convenience for the individual person. With the amount of reliability people put on using technology to find answers, I think positive growth is inevitable.
I use the internet a lot as a source to aid my spiritual growth. Like Brandon mentioned about his friend and Connie, I’ve watched sermons and teachings online, as well and listened to Christian radio stations and talk shows. If I attend a service and need more clarity on the preached sermon, I often use an online resource to aid my thought process. I am also able to purchase apparel online that supports and promoted my faith. I find each method a great source for my growth. In order to grow spiritually, I believe it is important to incorporate the truths of my faith in my everyday living. Churches that utilize the internet and other advancements in technology do contribute to my personal growth process. This also reigns true because of my lifestyle. The reliance of technology at churches should be evaluated based on the demographic of the church members as well as individuals who they seek to assist. As stated in the interview, technology was a key turning point for religion many years ago and I believe it will continue to serve as an advancement tool.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with the others, Raymond, this is indeed an excellent post. No other topic illustrates my belief that the internet and technology should enhance our lives, not dominate them, better than religion and spirituality. As Tom Ferguson stated "Most spirituality is just people searching for meaning and then finding ways to express it." In this sense the internet offers endless possibilities. I have been a seeker all my life, reading endlessly on this topic. I will often be in a discussion and forget my sources. With the internet available I can now track down where information originated.
ReplyDeleteLast December I found myself defending a Christian to a pagan in one post and a pagan to a Christian in another on Facebook. I was surprised how little tolerance others were of someone with a different belief system. I thought it was a wonderful tool to learn to express my beliefs in a respectful way. I found myself writing and then deleting parts in order to make my point without hurting or insulting someone reading the post. This could be a valuable tool for teaching youth to express their own beliefs and to deal with feedback from others.
During that same month I visited my parent's church. I was surprised to see a Powerpoint presentation behind the minister. The service was lively and energized. While I think this all has a place, I also believe that nothing can replace our connection to God like mindful meditation, community service and the power of prayer.
Great post and one that makes you think. I am totally for technology within religion. I see it being used more for spiritual growth rather than taking the place of organized religion. Personally I think and enjoy the fellowship of other Christians. I would not want to give up getting together with others but I think it's a great way to reach those who for whatever reason can't get to church or who can't meet with fellow Christians.
ReplyDeleteI believe technology's use in religion can be and is a way to reach out and share God's love with those who might otherwise not be aware of God's forgiveness and how much he truly does love each one of us. Thanks Ray!
When it comes to faith and religion, I am particular and a little different about things. I have grown up going to only one church. I feel very comfortable there and choose not to go anywhere else. However, seeing how I don't live at home anymore, I use technology as my outlet. Mostly I use radio broadcasts that I can pause, rewind, and reflect on. However, I can join chat rooms and participate in discussions or just read others'. The control technology gives me is extremely helpful and allows me to really digest and understand the message in the comfort of my own house. With faith I value privacy, and technology gives me privacy as well as exposing me to immense resources. I really agree with Janis in saying that, technology serves as a medium that enhances our lives, and does not dominate it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a really good thing you're doing, Ray, sharing your testimony with high school athletes. I'm not surprised religious websites generate so much traffic on the internet. I'm all for technology as long as it's being used to educate and bring people closer together. However, I'm also wary of the isolating effect technology can have. Which is more beneficial, watching a service online by yourself, or making the effort to get up on a Sunday morning and spend some time with the church community?
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! I'm going to go along Stephen's line of thought here. Like in all areas technology is a double edged sword. The list of benefits and possible detriments can go on and on; and are varied among groups and individuals. What I thought was interesting is Stephen and some other's mention of community...
ReplyDeleteI did my undergraduate work in cultural communications and this made me think of some things..
1)there are a lot of studies out there about cyber space communities...the codes and norms, acceptance and rejection. We read and discussed this a lot in my classes, but we never looked at faith based groups; I was working on a project concerning the use of technology and if effects on how baptist women perceive themselves and others (sorry trying to to stray to far but this is 'good stuff' as one of my profs would say!)
2) A number of you talked about feeling comfortable in your church, the importance of gathering there and there was a really interesting documentary made comparing two churches (it was somewhere further south than VA). It compared the sense of community, and religious identity created by the actually physical act of going to church; one was an evangelical church in an affluent area and the other was a Southern Baptist church in a less affluent area. Just one interesting point was the relationships created by the architecture and physical space of the churches...you loose this in tech based services, or it changes and I would like to see what effect that has on the one's religious identity
I believe the youth of today are becoming more attentive to the use of modern technology in presentations and learning tools. If someone were to present the gospel in the same way as they did 10 years ago (ex: by colored beads on a bracelet or simply by word of mouth/sharing of experiences), it does make one wonder about the effectiveness of the presentation.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though some people would still benefit no matter how the material was presented, but others might need the "updated technology" to really feel the information was relevant to them and their generation. Some may feel if the information is not presented in a technologically updated way, that it may seem "out of date" to them.
I do think technology is crucial in today's society, if just to "keep up" with the world around us. However, my biggest concern with "Googling" faith (no matter what faith that may be), is that the information is accurate. Sometimes, even with all of the technology out there, we must go back to the source (ex: the Bible) to get our information.
This is an interesting post that I've never really thought about using Google so much as a resource for faith building relationships. I guess there are multiple resources for the Bible and its many translations online. Mostly, I think I've connected, especially in college, with some of the churches that use a lot of technology throughout the services. Many comments have already mentioned the use of video, presentations and other multimedia bits to connect with the congregation and I really responded to these too as a person.
ReplyDeleteSome of the more traditional services tend to lack the technology resources for whatever reason and thus it seems the younger people as less attracted by that visual pop associated with some of the more popular churches.
To answer the question, I've not really so much used Google to build my faith as I've mostly found opinion pieces and even vitriol of any sort of topic rather than true academic and scholarly pieces to ponder.
One interesting site I heard on NPR last month was about search engines that censors the 'bad stuff' on the internet. It's called seekfind.org . This is an interesting site as it will filter much of the content. Type in a few terms and you'll see what I mean.
I meant to comment on this post a while ago, Awesome topic Ray! I actually took a semester long class in this subject. It was called "Belief & Disbelief in Society." It was a sociology class focused around how the advent of technology led to the decline of Religion. I find what Tom Ferguson has to say regarding Religion and Technology is misleading. I agree with Ferguson in that technology benefits religion through the ways that it may pass information along to others, or provide an alternate resource for seeking out this information. However where I find his argument misleading is that technology can possess a spiritual element or invoke spirituality. Spirituality, for me at least, is about putting faith in something that cannot be seen, tested, or proven. The fundamentals of technology are just those. Most, if not all, technology proves something scientifically in one way or another. I think that Ferguson's argument would have stood better with me if he hadn't have tried to show how religion and technology can create an essence of spirituality, for me that's just something I don't see as possible.
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