Technology-Based Ministry

Came across this article today, which I found both inspiring and intimidating:


Overall it's a really good article, especially with explaining a lot of the upstream dependencies and downstream engagement needed to make a broadcast ministry really work beyond just producing and publishing stuff.

However, I was discomforted by its focus on broadcast/telecom technology specifically without more consideration of how it can be cross-supported by Christian-based interactive (like gaming) and manufacturing tech investments, which I think over time leads to the phenomenon mentioned of evangelism becoming more systemic/organizational and less relational, which I don't think is a good change to accept just for the sake of faster/easier progress because it will come at the expense of ministerial effectiveness and resiliency over time.

Because while it's great to be able to reach more people with the Gospel who may not have been easily reached before, I think being able to do things together with and for people is also an important and indispensable part of building them (and ourselves) up in Christ, and God Himself thought it was important to send Jesus in the flesh to communicate with us while living among us, so we're probably not going to accomplish a lot of miraculous results through more impersonal models no matter how amazing our technological tools get.

Not to be dismissive at all of those who are pursuing godly callings in broadcast ministry, but I think the church as a whole -- as well as society as a whole -- is prone to falling into a trap of disproportionately overinvesting in broadcast services while neglecting equally important but less attractive and more costly services to meet social and physical needs.
 
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