In the last discussion on technology, I concentrated on how we can abuse technology’s power, but let’s not overlook the good ways technology can be used: especially when the Holy Spirit is in control. Have you ever considered that the extent to which the internet covers the earth is mostly the extent to which God’s Word is accessible to people? Remember, out of the same mouth flows blessing as well as cursing. You can encourage the body of Christ via email, Facebook, AOL Instant Messenger, and yes, even with your iPhone. You can witness of God’s love to an unbeliever, or even promote your local body of believers so others can join you.

Because you are reading this post on our blog, you may be somewhat technologically savvy, but I want to illustrate the power of today’s technology for missions. My brother, Brannon McAllister, recently took a trip to the Balkans with our dear friends at Frontline Missions International to help shoot photography of missions work going on in Albania and Kosovo. You can see his work in the upcoming Dispatches from the Front, Part 2 in early 2010. Meanwhile, check out Part 1 of Dispatches From the Front.

While on his trip, Brannon was able to use the very popular website Twitter.com to post updates about the trip. He even posted a picture of a village in Albania that, as far as they knew, had never heard the gospel. I was also able to talk to my brother through an internet video chat from Kosovo.

In case you missed it, that means the internet is in Kosovo. . . which means the message of the Gospel is available there too! Let’s be thankful to the Maker of heaven and earth for the internet. He is sovereign over the rapid advance of technology in the past 25 years, and He is using the internet to further his kingdom. Christians throughout history have been “early adopters” of new means of communication. The next words we think of after “Gutenberg” are “printing press” and “Bible.” Christian preachers were some of the first to use radio, and (unfortunately for some) television. Why should the internet be any different? We make the best use of technology that we know how. We want to reach the ends of the earth, both physical and virtual, with the good news of the gospel.

The goal of reaching “the ends of the earth” is not limited to reaching the most remote places on earth, but also those places that are unreached by sheer numbers. Some evangelical authors such as Timothy J. Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan argue that we should concentrate our evangelistic efforts on cities because

1. there is a higher concentration of people;
2. culture emanates from cities to the surrounding areas, and
3. this is the pattern of the early church.

In the Internet Age, this concept of the urban concentration of evangelism has a digital component. Not only are there higher concentrations of people in cities, but there are increasingly higher concentrations of people online. In general, culture is often made in cities, and it is increasingly distributed online. Grace Church is a small city of believers that is bringing a new kind of culture to the city of Alexandria. We want to distribute the good news to Alexandria, and to the ends of the earth.

How can you use technology to reach people with the gospel? Think about it, and we will be talking about practical ways to do that coming up here on the blog.

Fallen Tongue + Immense Power = Trouble

One of our members describes Grace Church of Alexandria as one of the most “wired” churches he knows of. This may be true. The average Grace Church member is a Mac user, who is using an iPhone to check their Gmail account. Is that a good thing? Is the technology in our lives just background noise in a world that needs more clarity and less confusion? I struggle with this as a computer technician. My job for a while was to know the latest technology for my clients, and support them when it broke.

Throughout history, Christians have struggled with technological advances, and you will see many well meaning Christians speak out against radio, television and the Internet: as if these were the problem. Of course our real problem is our sin nature, and ultimately us.

James 3:8-10 – “But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” (ESV)

In the time of James, the tongue was the primary form of communication. Today, I would think our communication usually runs through some kind of technology first before it arrives at the intended audience. The tongue was to James what email and Facebook are to some of us. Take a look at your communication over the next week, and count the opportunities you have to sin with the Internet. James is trying to tell us that the medium is not the problem, because it can be good or bad, depending on who controls it.

Technology tends to amplify our problem with communication. As with most things, greater power means greater responsibility is needed. We can email people quickly without thinking. Have you ever clicked “Send” and regretted it? We get on Facebook, Twitter, and email and communicate too much. Ecclesiastes 5:2-3 says “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.” (ESV)

Note: I’ll be posting more on technology & church planting over the next few weeks.