It's a crazy world we live in these days. The days of the rotary phone, party lines, long distance, hand written letters, and other forms of "antiquated" communication are virtually over. Now we have e-mail, Facebook, Myspace, Ipads, Iphones, and Skype, to name a few. At times I long for the "good" old days, but the ability to immediately connect and communicate with almost anyone, anywhere, is pretty convenient. Not to mention, it's kind of fun.
For example, last Wednesday evening was the Country Music Awards show. I was home in the evening for the first time for several weeks so I decided to watch. It only took a few moments until one of the entertainers came out from behind the curtain wearing a "dress" that looked like she'd got a deal from a used carpet store. It was awful. Instinctively I grabbed my smart phone and checked facebook to see what people were saying. And pretty soon it turned into an evening of sideline commentary on facebook from yours truly, my brother, my cousin, and a bunch of friends. It was a hoot! More entertaining than the CMA show itself. Yep, it was crazy. Who'd a thunk it even 10 years ago?
Here is another example (a better one I might add). Today I had an opportunity to respond to questions from an evangelism class at the Perkins School of Theology on the Campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas via Skype. Dr. Steve Rankin contacted me, one of his students connected a computer to mine, and thanks to Skype, they were able to see and hear me on a big screen and I was able to see and hear them on the screen on my computer. How crazy is that? And how awesome?
Scripture reminds us that we are always to be ready to give an account for the hope that is within us. We are also reminded to preach the Word; being prepared in season and out of season..even if that season means the sharing of the good news via audio and video on a computer. And I wonder if the great commission of going into all the world includes the use of modern technology to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to others? I would say "yes".
I thoroughly enjoyed the hour I spent with the students as I responded to their questions regarding evangelism from the viewpoint of a pastor in a local church. And based upon their responses, I believe they enjoyed it as well. Yep, it's a new day but it's a good day!
Oops, gotta go. My facebook page is blinking at me.
3 comments:
Ummm....pretty sure I can remember a day back when you weren't so sure you wanted to join Facebook! Glad you did:)Gina
That's right: if we do not claim the new communication tools, the World system will (and has). We need to put Christ's message of welcome, forgiveness, and salvation, out by these means. Sometimes, the World will back off.
(Promised Land, Session 4: Confronting Evil; That The World May Know, by Ray Vander Laan)
As I read your blog post, a song started playing in my head: "Can You Hear Me Now", by Emmylou Harris & Malcom Burn. (The album is "stumble into grace"; is that cool, or what?) The final verse is a theological call to community action:
"But I'm sinkin' like a stone
To where in solitude this life I'll spend
In the coldest place I've ever known
I'm here just waitin' until the end
I send up my S.O.S.
A message in a bottle set out to sea
It just reads "Soul in distress"
But nobody ever got back to me"
That probably describes more people in our communities than we have yet reached. The song is right after "Time in Babylon" - an in-your-face song about the hopelessness and evil of defining success as "stuff". I have no way of knowing if the order is intentional, but if so, it is well done.
MMA fights did not get in the way of the AMA's.........I was watching for your comments there. WOWZA.
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