Technology & Spiritual Practice: The History of Church Communications

From Oral To Digital: How Communication Technologies Are Transforming The Church
The Technology & Spiritual Practice Series
By Paul Lamb

“ Groundswell is a social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions…”
- Charlene Li & Josh Bernoff, Groundswell, p. 9

The Open Source & Crowdsourced Church

Oral Church

The Word

Broadcast

Digital

The Bad News
The average American now spends more than 32 hours a week online at home.
Video games are highly addictive, with game addicts showing more than half of the same traits as those addicted to gambling.
46 percent of women and 30 percent of men would opt to forgo sex for two weeks instead of giving up access to the Internet for the same period.

The Good News
Unmediated global communications
Distance Learning
Political organizing
Mobile banking, mHealth, mAdvocacy
Technologies for the disabled
Live streaming & audio of church services
Teaching about faith
Fundraising (Twestival & Mobile)
Online confessional

The Fear
...No wonder we feel disconnected from God: we are rarely able to give Him our full attention in solitude and silence. Thoughtful reflection is constantly sabotaged by the intrusion of cell phones, pagers and e-mail messages. No wonder our human relationships are so unsatisfying as they get reduced to snippets of interrupted, disembodied phone conversation. What feels like convenience is actually robbing us of those things we value most. We are left with bits and pieces of everything rather than experiencing the full substance of anything."
-Ruth Haley Barton, Sacred Rhythms

Cultural Fears
We are becoming more distracted
We are choosing efficiency over quality time
We don’t understand technology
We are no longer in control
Our traditions will be lost
Our institutions will become irrelevant

Technology IS a Disruptor

Printing Press

Digital Disruptors

The New Reality
35% of adults in the US have a profile on a social networking site
Wikipedia has over 2 million articles posted to date
Facebook has 200 Million users globally
133 million blogs since 2002
Apple’s iTunes has sold more than 6 billion songs since 2003, and there are currently 30,000 iPhone Apps
Out of the 20 most downloaded podcast shows on iTunes during a given day, 2 have spiritual themes
Nearly one out of every four U.S. adults say they have listened to a religious podcast in the previous week
78% of Twitter users are older than 24, and most are women
Dalai Lama among the top 10 Celebrities on Twitter

The People Speak

The people Self-organize

The people connect directly

Religion becomes personalized

IPhone Apps

Wouldn’t Jesus want it this way?

Maybe not this

But maybe not this either? Central Church Local Church Pastor Church Staff Congregation Laity Community Outreach/Programs

A New Covenant? Global Outreach (Virtual Visit & Live Streaming) Always on Church (video, podcasts, twitter, blogs) Lending a Hand (Hostel/Couch) Helpers & Connectors (social networking) Peer to Peer Support & Lending Generational Leadership Groups Community Home Gatherings (Re-inventors & feedbacklooops) Physical Church (Community Hubs) PEOPLE

Examples of Successful Churches
Saddleback : live streaming, blog, video archive (with SM sharing tools), starter kit
The Journey : Podcasts, twitter, forums, very hip
The River : Blog, downloadable songs from service
Vintage Faith : Weekly email updates
Bridgeway Connect : Videos, social network , podcasts, Justlife TV

The Bottom Line
The revolution will not be televised, it will be digitized!
Technology is not going anywhere, so get used to it
Change is the new constant
It’s not about the technology, but about relationships
Look for opportunities (maybe to establish a new religion altogether?)
Be part of the discussion (Internet 2, etc.)

Because if you don’t

You may not survive…

Next in 3 Part Series
Technologies for Spiritual Practice : Tools & Approaches for Personal and Community Engagement
The Future of the Church : How Spiritual Communities Can Remain Relevant in A Rapidly Changing Technology Landscape.

Recommended Books
Groundswell
Millenium Matrix: Reclaiming the Past, Reframing the Future of the Church
Working Across Generations
Speed: Learning to Survive in a more-faster-now world
iMuslim: Rewiring the Muslim World

My Information Paul John Lamb Email: Paul@ManOnAMission.Biz Website: ManOnAMission.Biz Twitter: Plamb Cell: 510.815.6091

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Technology & Spiritual Practice: The History of Church Communications

by plamb on Jun 16, 2009

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Technology & Spiritual Practice: The History of Church Communications — Webinar Transcript