Those of us in the technology field have heard the term “technology as a business enabler” but have we thought about “technology as a faith enabler?”
As a technology professional for over fifteen years, I’ve experienced and benefited from the technology revolution first hand. My career purpose has been to design and implement technology strategies that become business enablers vs. business barriers. In other words, technology solutions that help gain business efficiency, scale and prosper to new heights while beating their competition.
It’s no wonder to me that technology has influenced and enabled so many other institutions beyond the business world to grow and reach new heights, including many of our churches today and specifically mega-churches. A good majority of all generations and indeed our youth have adopted the digital age into their daily lives creating a dramatic impact on the way we live, work and play. Of course, with all revolutions come positive and adverse effects and although I admit being biased, I fall into the camp that the positive benefits of technological advancements far outweigh the negative.
Some churches use 3D holographic technology to enable Pastors to preach at multiple church locations simultaneously to broaden their attendance reach and scaling much faster through technology. The use of social media and highly sophisticated light and sound systems deliver an experience that speaks to the younger generations. Most importantly, we all agree that none of the glitz and high-tech systems matter if God’s presence doesn’t exist through these experiences. He is the ultimate power. But like it or hate it, technology has become a faith building enabler. It’s one small piece of a big puzzle that can help us engage our youth, church attendance and even help us grow in our individual faith by leveraging tools to increase our access to the knowledge of God and deepen our personal relationship.
How do I know this? I can assure you that if it were not for my digital Bible, devotional apps and numerous podcasts, my knowledge and relationship with the Lord would not be as deep and intense as it is today. I love books, old bookstores and the touch of real pages. However, I was one of those people intimidated by the Bible structure and the thin pages of the Holy book. I fumbled around when using the physical copy and I immediately thrived when I started using the Bible app that I use daily. The ability to search quickly for books of the Bible, topics, and scriptures while flipping between translations in a matter of minutes is very powerful for the increase of my knowledge and depth of understanding. I can easily save my favorite scriptures for quick reference and bookmark pages. One of my favorite features of the app is the built-in Bible study plans based on hundreds of topics or Biblical reading structures. Currently, I’m reading a systematic study of the Gospels in 30 days and a plan designed for the subject of “humility.” I love the way this technology organizes my morning time with the Lord and my ability to learn and grow with greater impact and speed.
I realize that many of you already have an effective routine and adding technology is of no interest, but for those who might be looking for some fun and practical ideas to improve or help you commit daily time with Jesus, here’s my simple and effective formula.
My morning begins with a MUST HAVE cup of coffee and my iPad organized with a folder containing all of my tools needed to get present with God. My prayer time excluded, the rest is high-tech.
The Morning digital line-up:
- Prayer – technology not recommended 🙂
- iPad notes – for inspirational writing or note taking
- Jesus Calling Devotional App on iPad – DOWNLOAD
- UVersion Bible App on iPad – DOWNLOAD
- Faith-based Podcasts as time allows (usually while driving or evening)
I’ll share my favorite podcasts in an upcoming blog….
There is a high opinion by many Pastors that we should continue reading the traditional Bible and I agree. I enjoy flipping those thin pages from time to time. I also greatly respect the request of our Pastors to bring a hardcover Bible to church vs. the tablet. Therefore, I practice my high-tech faith at home and continue evaluating new apps to propel my knowledge and time with the Lord forward. Designing a good technology strategy has enabled my precious time with the Lord to become more efficient, scale and certainly helps me prosper to new heights that only He can imagine for my life. And it’s FUN! 🙂
