New Technology Study

Yesterday an interesting study was published in the Seattle Times about technology.

Some of the findings included:

Families are spending less time together; down 30 percent since 2006 from 26 hours a month to 18 hours in 2009.

Facebook usage has gone from 100 million users in August of 2008 to 200 million users in 2009.

Televisions have gotten cheaper so families have more of them in several rooms of their home. This means that families don't have to congregate in one room to watch them anymore.

Higher income families are more deeply affected by technology than lower income families because they have a much greater range of technological toys!

These results are staggering.

In just three short years, we have seen a massive shift in behavior patterns that are changing the way that we communicate and relate to one another.

This shift in behavior/communication is also calling the Church to think carefully and strategically about how we will communicate.

Will we forsake technology all together, deciding it is detrimental and so avoid it?

Or will we discover some creative uses for all the new ways of relating to build bridges to those who won't be reached any other way?

I think about Paul who says that "I must become all things to all people in order to reach them."

Let's decide to wrestle through this challenge and seek to understand where the best pathway exists for people to meet and follow Jesus.