Why bother with technology?*
14 July 2008
This little talk is not an appeal to be like me or run and buy the latest apple iPhone. Nor is it an appeal to use as much technology as I do or any other member of the Crossroads staff. I have four brief points.
Firstly Technology is here to stay. It will keep changing and advancing. So we might as well go along with some of it to some degree. (This may mean learning how to use predictive text or it may mean mastering usage of the Crossroads document repository.
Secondly you should embrace technology before bagging. The typical example is the person who says “Online communication can never replace face to face contact” and yet has no experience with some form of video chat. Mikey is a good example he has embraced a number of things that serve to help him in ministry. He knows enough about the resources available and so is able to pick and choose which ones to serve him. He’s also selective in his critique.
Thirdly you can use technology without falling into many of the so called pitfalls. An example might be people who waste huge amounts of time on facebook. Often this is not the fault of the technology itself but rather the users lack of self control**.
Fourthly time spent using and adapting to technology is an investment in the future. For example if you spend a small amount of time doing something yourself frees up another person to do other more important things.
Finally a short anecdote. I remember talking to an old lady once who tried to convince me that ALL technology was bad and was to blame for ALL the worlds ills. I tried to politely point out that she relied on benefits of technology every day of her life. In her car as she drove, the television she watched, the music she listened to, and most importantly the doctors and hospitals she visited. Sheesh we don't want to become luddites people.
* As delivered at the Crossroads Ministry Lab on Sunday
**Just don't add applications people
tags christian, ministry tips, thinking
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I agree we CAN use technology, and it can be helpful in some instance. However, I don't get the connection that we necessarily SHOULD. While it may not be cool to be a bit of a luddite, it's generally not ungodly.
I use document sepository and it's got it's problems but it's fine.
It's the idea that it (and technology) is good/desirable in itself that seems rather silly. Sometimes I think we need to remember 'technology' is just a tool and you don't need to be a nerd to serve at Crossroads or be a christian. Good IT shouldn't even be noticed/thought about by those who use it.
Incidently, 'why bother with technology' should have the same answer as 'why bother with a pen and paper?' - to better glorify God
;P
the absolute of not adding applications to stop wasting time on facebook is too late for me. but then facebook was my procrasination tool late last year where I gave away not adding applications and added nearly all of them