In addition to the reality that evangelism and discipleship are what we, as Christians are to be about, this is also a good example of the approach I've always tried to have in church communications and want to be more of an emphasis going forward.

The tools we use to create our communications are always changing and will continue to evolve. I could have never imagined when I was astounded with the technical ability of the IBM Self-Correcting typewriter that I'd be communicating today creating images in Canva, doing podcasts and training videos on the web that reach the world.

I imagine those starting out with the technology we have today will look back, should they and this world last, and be amazed at what they will use in church communications five decades from now.

Tools are essential, but often a distraction

Though technology and the tools we use to communicate have continuously changed from the use of clay tablets to the Internet (though the pace has accelerated greatly), a human tendency continues to focus on the tools as THE most important ingredient to communication success. At one time it was radio that would reach the world, then television, then the Internet came along and gave birth to the myriad of technologies today.

A bulletin with color added was a big deal at one time; now churches worry that they aren't posting enough on all the latest social media channels. I read a blog this morning about some new chat system Apple is reportedly working on that will no doubt be a big deal to many if they do. And to others one more reason to feel like they aren't doing enough.

Each time a new tool appears we loudly proclaim THIS IS IT! Conquer this or that tool and the world will be reached for Jesus. Or at least we'll have a new tool to try.

Please don't misunderstand me--I love technology and new tools and think that they can and should ALL be used in every way possible to reach our world for Jesus and to help believers become more like Jesus. But at the same time, I cannot emphasize enough, as I wrote many years ago, in direct disagreement with Marshall McLuhan who famously declared that, "the medium is the message" that my firm belief is that the medium is not the message, the message is the message. [Read more...]