Church + Technology = Barna Study

September 13, 2005 by Brad Abare

Barna released his report today about the extent to which churches are using technology. From a church’s website and e-mail blasts to its use of a projector and video clips, some of the highlights of the survey include:

Nearly six out of every ten Protestant churches (57%) now have a website. That is up from just one-third of all Protestant churches in 2000, an increase of 68%.
Among the churches most likely to have a website today are those located in the western states (62%), large churches (84%), and churches whose congregation is primarily white (62%).
More than six out of every ten Protestant churches (62%) presently use a large-screen projection system in their communications. That is up 59% since 2000, when just 39% used this technology.
A majority of churches sends e-mail blasts to their congregations. Such technology was relatively inaccessible to churches at the start of the millennium, but 56% now rely on the process for reaching their people.
Six out of ten Protestant churches (61%) integrate video content into their worship services. That is double the proportion of Protestant churches that did so just five years ago. Incorporating live drama into worship services is also typical these days, with 62% of churches using such presentations in those settings.

George Barna unsurprisingly concludes that “during the next half of this decade we expect increased broadband access, podcasting, and ubiquitous adoption of handheld mobile computing devices by consumers to further alter the way churches conduct ministry.”

Michael Rew
September 13, 2005

Wow! Now I can watch television at more churches than ever! Soon, I may be able to videoconference to the church of my choice, rather than be limited to broadcasts on local and cable television! New cell groups can pop up in my neighborhood, simulcasting the senior pastor’s weekly message! And before long, there may be a new kind of home church! Every member, utilizing audio/video technology over broadband Internet from the comfort of home, can fellowship with one another without the bother of shaking hands, laying on of hands, or hugging other members! Yes, this reminds me of the old MediaOne commercial’s pitch: “This is broadband. This is the way.”

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Ron
September 13, 2005

Now that 6 out of 10 church’s have a website, how long do you thing it will be before 1 in 10 has a good one?
Sorry just feeling a little cynical right now. Of course not as cynical as Michael.

Greg Vennerholm
September 13, 2005

If new technology is what it takes to reach a new audience, fine by me. (The Apostle Paul would likely have been a blogger.) It’ll never replace the act of coming into a worship service, realizing true fellowship in a personal manner, or even the gift of serving the body of Christ, but again, if it helps just one more person become more familiar with the Good News (via wireless chat in their neighborhood) then fire up the routers.
Our church has long been in this mix, though there’s much room for improvement. But at the end of the day, it’s the lost folks that matter most, and whatever we can do to reach them is what we’ll do.

Anthony D. Coppedge
September 13, 2005

Wow, Michael. I’ll take a slightly different tack: the increase in usage of technology isn’t an either/or proposition. It’s not either reach out through technology or reach out personally. Instead, it’s both/and.
Beyond the “support” mentality Barna’s resarch example exemplify’s, I prefer to help churches think of technology as suppport AND enhancement. It’s just a tool, but a powerful one in this culture – especially when leveraged correctly.

Anthony
September 13, 2005

Technology is just a tool to help us more efficiently reach out and connect with people for the purpose of introducing them to Jesus Christ — kinda like Jesus used Peter’s boat (technology) when he wanted to preach to the crowd at the seashore — One thing that we need to be watchful of is to make sure that we integrate all of our diverse tech toys so that we get a laser focused benefit. We must make sure that each church department does not do its own thing with its own thing and no ONE thing gets done well.

An Indian missionary I met wanted a speaker system and computer for his field ministry in India. He related at length how his ministry had led so many people to Christ. His testimonies were so amazing, I wondered why he wanted the added expense and hardship of lugging technology around in the harsh conditions of India. I learned later from another missionary how the streets of India have temples on every corner with loudspeakers blasting demonic messages. (I used to eat at an Indian restaurant that had a similar system inside the front door, although the volume was kept very low.) Even so, I still would ask: Why would we want our own loudspeakers on our own buildings, blasting Gospel messages with the same method used by all the other temples? Wouldn’t some peace and quiet be more inviting?
Yes, Jesus used a boat to preach to the masses. He also walked on water. He did not need the boat, but He spoke in parables on the boat, and He revealed what the parables meant to His disciples in private, and only His disciples saw Him walk on water.
My skepticism of technology can be illustrated by some of the greatest technology of Greco-Roman times, the Forum on Areopagus and the theatre in Ephesus, which hosted two of the most disappointing events in Acts (Acts ch. 17, ch. 19).
Of course, it might be funny if, on a hot summer’s day or a cold winter’s night, a digitized sign in front of a Baptist church displayed the current temperature of the air outside and then the constant temperature (measured in degrees Kelvin, if there is any measurement) of hell and the Lake of Fire.

Michael Rew
September 14, 2005

An both/and use of technology can be seen in Genesis. There were two Lamechs. The first, a descendant of Cain, gave birth to Jubal, Jabal, and Tubal-Cain. Lamech also killed a man, the second recorded murder in Biblical history. Since Cain could not grow food because of the curse on him, he could not teach his sons how to grow food, and his sons could not teach his grandchildren, etc. So Jubal, Jabal, and Tubal-Cain had to find other ways to earn a living through metalsmithing, herding cattle, and music.
Metal tools and herding techniques no doubt helped the son of the second Lamech, Noah, build the ark. So technology helped save the human race. But keep in mind that the introduction of technology came on the cusp of the expansion of sin, and its ultimate use in that point in history was to save eight people from global destruction. So it is difficult for me to get too excited about new technology. The Internet, for example, was developed by the military, and it has become a major tool of pornographers and thieves. But it also spreads the Gospel at low expense. So…

Greg Vennerholm
September 14, 2005

Michael, you’re not suggesting that churches refrain from technology are you? I just want to make sure I didn’t miss your message… obviously there are countless good/bad examples of technology (weapons, drugs, war) and one couldn’t possibly draw the conclusion that all are bad (or all are good for that matter) but at the end of the day, I believe that motive is what make the difference. In your example of the Indian loudspeakers, yes, perhaps peace and quiet might be a welcome change, but I’m afraid the few who might avail themselves of it would pale in comparison to the opposition’s audience. Just my opinion.
“I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”
1 Cor. 9:22b
Ironically, this entire discussion is taking place in a “new” technology… the world of blogs… funny, eh?
That’s how I interperet the use of technology…

Drew
September 14, 2005

Michael,
Your first comments have nothing to do with the Barna report highlights. Are you against using dramas and video to illustrate points in services? Are you against using a website and emails to keep people informed and connected?
New technology means better communicating and more connecting. Are you against telephones and email? It’s not face-to-face communicating but people are connecting a lot more because of them. That’s a good thing, right?

I am against the overuse of technology. If I were against the use of emails and Web sites, then I would not have a Web site, and I would not email my friends and acquaintances new poems. But I don’t have a cellphone, an iPod, a handheld mobile computing device, a laptop, a Bose Wave radio, a Dolby surround sound home theater system, a large-screen or plasma-screen or hi-def television, TiVo, a Playstation, a PSP, an XBox, a Gameboy, WiFi, XM Radio, tweeters, woofers, subwoofers, equalizers, GPS, and various others kind of whizbang technology. When my older brother installed a DVD player on my computer, my DVD collection ballooned to fifteen DVDs seemingly overnight, through gifts or my own purchases, when I had been more or less content without a growing DVD library.
So…when I hear about the new Flash Web site with streaming audio/video sermons, I don’t get excited (since search engines index text, not Flash or audio and video). New sound systems don’t excite me because I like acoustical accompaniment with praise and worship music, not overly synthethized chords. I can’t tell you how many more slowdowns and errors seem to happen with the Powerpoint lyrics and Scriptures displayed on the wall compared to older overhead projectors. And I don’t go to church to watch TV. I go there to meet with God and with you. I’m not really interested in watching a video with people in it I’ll never meet when I only see you once or twice a week.

Mike Pelechaty
September 16, 2005

Technology has nothing to do with meeting God at Church. Technology is neutral – it can be used both in worship or not – that is a cultural issue. The CONCEPTS of the gospel do not change from generation to generation. Although the CONTAINER it is packaged in, does change.
Without christians involved in and influencing all sphere’s of life – the Kingdom of God will never be demonstrated.

Chad Nauman
November 14, 2005

Well said, Michael. Being a technology guy (that is, in charge of technology for a church), I agree that when technology replaces goold “old-fashioned” fellowship and community, then we have gone too far. Technology should be a means to an end, not the end itself.
So often I have sat in worship planning meetings and been asked “What will we show for a video this week?” or “What cool thing can we do to please our audience?” Have we missed the point or should the questions instead be of the sort: “What will touch lives this week?” or “What can we do to get out the way so that people might experience God this week?”

Paul Clifford
May 1, 2006

Who is to say what “overuse” of technology is? I go to a church that Michael wouldn’t like from a technological point of view.
With that said, we’ve had over 1000 people receive Jesus our seven year history (over 300 this year alone). Is there a connection? I don’t know.
I do know that our prayer ministry (which often arranges 24 hour prayer coverage) has definately been influencial.
I also know that I trust the leaders appointed by God to decide how much tech we’ll use more than I trust myself. I know that I’m a part of a church that’s more like the Acts 2 church than any I’ve ever been a part of.
Do our website, 6 screens in the main room, 4 cameras, myriad computers, and new video venue distract from Jesus? I’d say there are 1000 people who were far from God (I even know a few former athiests) who you can ask in heaven.
Paul

Cait Needham
January 4, 2007

I never thought that technology would start such a discussion as this. I, for one, like the use of technology in the Church. Worship songs are easier to read when they are shown on the wall with the various programs available. If I’m sick and don’t feel well enough to go to church, I can always grab my laptop and pull up some streaming video and watch a sermon and still get fed the word of God. Technology enables us to com municate faster with each other and recently it came in handy when a member of my church passed away. We were able to ge the word out quickly and people began to pray for the family. So for my point of view I think technology is a good thing for the church. I believe that we need to strive not to overuse technology. Fellowshiping in person still has more impact than anything anyone can find on the Internet.

Edson Byamukama
June 13, 2008

Am a Ugandan male aged 25 years. The fact that am in Africa even scares me the more with this technology. Here in Africa i can confidently boost of the strong relational network we have over the western world. Am not happy at all on how that is dieing in Africa. Now i own a cell phone, my bank is networked country wide so i don’t need to go see ma grandmother or ma parents (just wire money and call them). My church is a traditional Anglican church with a website, though not used to the full coz few of its congregation access internet unless they are in an internet cafe (which is expensive for a Ugandan) or steal office hrs like i have done.
Never the less, am always blessed to watch Joe Austin on TV with his encouraging sermons, listen to the Audio bible,read Micheal’s poems on his website etc.
For sure the rate at which tech is being embraced even by the church, am quite scared that a computer one day will be man’s best friend or rather the biggest addiction.