Today’s technologies can provide us many ways to more efficiently and effectively minister to our students. What looks like just the latest gadget could be tomorrow’s ministry tool. What today’s….
Wait, what’s that noise? Is that mine? Yeah, that’s my Simpsons-theme-song ring tone. Let me get that real quick…
“Yeah it turned mine green too!”
“Well gotta go. Bye-bye”
… Okay, where was I? Oh yeah, ministry tools! Like I was saying, technology can become an effective ministry tool on 2 fronts. First there is a respect factor. What student can’t help but be impressed with a Bluetooth-enabled ear piece that makes you look more and more like that cyborg from the newest sci-fi movie? And what parent can’t help but notice your commitment to their students, knowing that the always-worn ear piece stands as a symbol of availability, ready to be used at a second’s notice to lend a listening eat to a troubled teen. Plus your other staff members will sure to be…
That beep… Where’s that beep coming from?...
Someone just logged in and wants to instant message with me! Be right back…
…10 minutes…
… Man that Hillary, she just never stops typing about those shoes! For now though, back to the issue at hand. Aside from the subconscious signals new technologies and gadgets give off to those around you, new technologies also saves time and money, enabling more student ministry dollars to go towards mission work and allowing us to better and more efficiently manage the time the Lord has given us. Take visitors for example. We are all called to be good stewards and what better way than to replace time-consuming and inefficient house visits by instead following-up by adding them to your Facebook friends and by going online and ordering them a Star Bucks gift card to be mailed to their house. It’s cheaper than the gas it would take to drive, saves lots of time, and the kids will probably think you are more thoughtful for giving them the gift card than dropping by unannounced anyway, right?
Before I get to that let it be said that I am an efficiency addict. The self-deprecating side of me might be tempted to call it laziness since efficiency essentially makes some function in ministry easier and easier. Technology does not take productive, hard-workers and by virtue of making their jobs easier, make them essentially lazy people providing them with an abundance of free time. Rather, it takes lazy people (me) and makes them productive. It means that I can do more and more by exerting the same amount of energy. Unfortunately, the do-more-with-less-work never seems to materialize – when was the last time you were so efficient with your work day that you cut out at
Not necessarily. Take your phone out of your ear, unplug your Internet connection, turn off that ipod, and shutdown that Final Cut Pro clip you are editing because we are going to instead use the single most important technology of the last 1,000 years: the printed word! Make sure other technological distractions are obliterated because we are about to see what the Bible has to say on the subject of technology in terms of being more efficient in our ministry.
John’s gospel describes a very touching moment between Mary Magdalene and Jesus. What makes it interesting for us is Judas’ commentary on the interaction and Jesus’ subsequent response to Judas. In John 12 Mary begins to wash Jesus’ feet with a very expensive amount of perfume. When the disciples present observe this act of love, Judas makes a very valid point. He claimed the perfume was roughly worth about a year's wages for a common worker and wonders then why this perfume was not sold and the proceeds given to the poor.
Good question! The efficiency addict in me wonders the same thing as I read the narrative. What is a more efficient use of the perfume: Cleaning feet or giving a good meal to hundreds of hungry people? While the text teaches us that there was a selfish motive under the surface of Judas’ question, Jesus did not disagree with Judas on those grounds. Rather He said, “you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.” In other words, efficient use of the resources I have provided you is no substitute for genuine acts of love and affection toward those God has placed in your path. Genuine acts of love often times are terribly inefficient and often extremely low-tech.
Should we use technology to minister to our students? Absolutely. Should technology in any way take the place of or interfere with genuine, uninterrupted time and attention given to individual students in a way that speaks God’s love to them? Never. Using technology for any other reason than to enrich the relationships your students possess is distracting and harmful to your ministry.
Gotta go. There goes that Simpson’s theme music again…
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