Redeeming Technology

Mark Batterson over at evotional.com has shared the seven keys to kicking it up a notch that he presented a at a church planting conference recently. Here they are:

1) Create Culture
2) Cast Vision
3) Redeem Technology
4) Study Culture
5) Do Ministry out of Imagination
6) Be Yourself
7) Enjoy the Journey

I really like number three- redeeming technology. I think redeeming technology is so crucial for the church today. The church is charged with sharing the greatest message ever told- the good news of Jesus Christ. It makes sense that we would avail ourselves of every tool at our disposal to share that good news. This includes technology. Using technology to present the age old message of Jesus crucified, dead and risen is redeeming technology. It is like the cliche goes "the message stays the same, how we present the message changes." If we truly want to make and empower radical followers of Jesus Christ we must do so in a way that will connect with those we are trying to reach. I think Paul did that with the Athenian philosophers in Acts. Leonard Sweet once said something to the effect that in our churches we ask children to come for 45 minutes to an hour of Sunday school and we expect to hold their attention and capture their hearts with the greatest story ever told by using flannel graph characters when these kids know how to navigate the Internet and use interactive Cd-Roms by the time they are five. Hmm?

We always must remember why technology is used in the church. It is not because it is cool, or because the megachurch across the country is using it. We use technology in order to draw people closer to God so that they can experience the love of Christ in their hearts, be changed on the inside and go out to serve Christ. That is what redeeming technology is about.