There’s an App for That – Part 2

This is Part 2 of a 4 Part series titled: “There’s an App for That”. (Part 1)

Part 2 – Use of Technology in Spiritual Growth

I want to tell you a little bit about how I got into blogging. I was sitting in my office in early December… I decided I needed to see what other churches were doing with their live production so I could have some ideas to enhance our own worship space. I did a Google search… I can’t remember the exact terms but I came across a blog that belonged to Tony Morgan. At the time, he was the “Chief Strategic Officer” at NewSpring Church in South Carolina. Through his blog I got connected to NewSpring’s web campus. A web campus is a place where one can go to worship online. There are only a few of them out there that allow you to interact with other people across the world who are “attending” one of their services via the interwebs. Lifechurch.tv is another one… I started watching some of their full-length church services online and got some ideas that we’re starting to incorporate here at Our Saviour’s as far as stage design goes. Because of my new community of church bloggers… I’ve actually grown deeper in my faith and been challenged more in the last 6 months than I have in my entire life. Because of the interwebs and the way it gives us instant gratification, I’ve learned things from these leaders that I might not have had the opportunity to learn otherwise. Their thoughts have honed my critical thinking skills and the connections I’ve made have allowed me to worship God in a whole new way.

For example, after following the blogs of some of the most far reaching church leaders across the country, I’ve been able to see how God works in their lives during the other 6 days of the week… Monday through Saturday. It has shown me that these leaders who are up on stage every Sunday leading thousands of people have real lives like you and I. They take their cars in for service and complain about the cost of a new muffler… they go to their kid’s baseball games… they even see R rated movies! It’s just nice to be reminded that they are human too… and they make mistakes just like me. Technology helps continue the conversation from Sunday worship services throughout the rest of the week.

I think I’m honestly a better Christian because of all the positive encouragement I’ve received from people I’ve never met. My Twitter friends or “Twiends” as I like to call them… are just a different kind of community for me. It’s important to note that they will never replace the relationships I have with the people I surround myself with. My community of faith right here at Our Saviour’s is much more important to me than my “Twiends”. But their comments, tweets and insights have given me and many others encouragement. A good number of them also work in churches so we have this sort of online camaraderie.

Look for Part 3 tomorrow!

[Image by: Will Lion]