#2 in the eformation Series
Taking some time in the next days
to toss in some resources and observations
about the world of church, communication,
and this continually adapting digital age.
What may make that more palatable-
the visual images
from the gardens of my siblings.
You can ask my family
and they will ALL tell you-
the least likely person
they could think of to be involved in
ANY WAY
with social media,
or any digital technology, yup- ME.
Think that is part of the story
where God chooses the least equipped
for the job-
so that I can't claim the Glory.
for the job-
so that I can't claim the Glory.
Anything even a tiny bit successful-
is His doing.
is His doing.
I am simply not techno-smart
enough to take the credit.
On the other side of the equation was
a true look at my lacking skills,
as I was called to lead and be an encourager
to a larger group of comrade disciples
in the Kingdom.
I needed a mentor, coach,
and someone willing to work with me
at the beginning level.
A shout out to my friend, Nancy,
who has been all of those things.
I could not be the road block
that kept the door closed
for possible ways that the Holy Spirit
might be led to use me.
That led me to LOTS of reading,
LOTS of research, and
fearless questions.
One of the early fascinating stories
was how our church body- (Lutheran LCMS)
dealt with a lay movement
to use available technology
for the sake of the Gospel.
This was about the cultural upheaval,
angst, and fear of change
with the coming of radio communication.
"On October 2, 1930, the first broadcast of The Lutheran Hour® radio program was aired, with Dr. Walter A. Maier as speaker. The Lutheran Laymen's League, which had formed thirteen years earlier as a financial support organization for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, had a vision of spreading the Gospel message using the young technology of broadcast radio. For more than 80 years, the call of Christ has been carried around the world by radio waves to share the Good News."
Our denomination went through
the same growing pains- AGAIN,
with the coming of television.
It was a commonly voiced opinion
that combining the use of this new media
with the Gospel message
would mean the end of the "established" church.
Well, all sorts of shifts happened
when the church moved
into mass-mediated communication.
We became a one-direction broadcast
system for faith formation.
Citing encouragement from Martin Luther,
we became veterans at print media
sent out to be consumed by believers,
and hopefully also fall into the hands
of a non-believer or seeker.
Our church body rose near the top
to ride out the tide of this movement.
In fact, in 1957,
only 47% of religious broadcasts were paid.
(yup, they were free)
In 1978, 92% were paid broadcasts.
The tide was shifting already.
The tide was shifting already.
Then came interactive media.
Individuals now had the ability
to receive communication, and also respond.
And the church was at a loss, AGAIN.
Churches were still using computer technology
for desktop publishing, creating the bulletins,
and tracking the always changing membership files.
Leadership struggled.
A conversation?
Virtual relationships?
It's frivolous, too time consuming,
and we can't control the direction or outcomes.
And we were right back into the unease
that frazzled the church
in the early days of radio and television,
or maybe right back to the printing press.
or maybe right back to the printing press.
Bottom line?
I love my brick and mortar church.
I love to be present for worship
and Word and Sacrament ministry.
I love my in-real life community
of friends in faith.
I love to gather for Bible study
and faith formation activities.
And I don't want that to go away.
But, I have come to terms
with the realization that many of those
who don't know Jesus,
will never grace the doors of a church building.
As church, we have planned to be in relationship
with all of those people when they walk in the doors.
The statistics are brutal- they are not coming to us.
Discouraged folks often head to God's Word for Hope.
Looking at the master of Gospel communication,
we see that although Jesus spent time in the synagogue,
he was generally hanging out where the people were.
In the neighborhood.
Where they worked.
Where they gathered.
And that becomes the directional blueprint
in this age of
interactive media.
Hangout where the people are,
and they are online.
It is really not about the elimination
of one way to connect,
but the addition of opportunities for informational,
formational, and transformational interactions.
I don't have viable predictions for the future,
but I can attest to this "trust stance"
that connects me to a God
who DOES NOT CHANGE
and allows me to ride the wave
when communication formats change.
After all, He's got it.
statistics from Faith Formation 4.0- Julie Lytle
some of my reading resources
are gathered here:
are gathered here:
