Comments on: When Technology Handcuffs You

By: Josh Wagner

Josh Wagner — Sat, 02 May 2009 04:43:30 +0000

There's a good post about this here: http://www.gbrenna.com/2009/04/29/theres-an-app-f... We always should remember who the source is. If He is forgotten, then the best tools in the world mean nothing. But we can't ignore the tools either, as they are the way to the culture most times.

By: Technology » Miniaturizing Solar Technology With Flexible Photovoltaic Cells ...

Sat, 02 May 2009 01:33:05 +0000

[...] When Technology Handcuffs You – ChurchCrunchExploring the Intersection of Technology and the Church. [...]

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:15:51 +0000

i see this thought-process recently as well. I think your thoughts on "definite wisdom in rethinking your strategy in terms of web technology " have been beyond helpful when talking to clients about the big picture. This rethinking stuff takes time if you are not already doing it.

By: Brad Hennessy

Brad Hennessy — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:52:47 +0000

Being a technology company that serves the church market, I’m naturally curious about the “latest and greatest”. At the same time, I have to balance this with the “real needs” of the organization I’m serving. I see a lot of products and software for the church market that are “over built”. What I mean, is that the product is built beyond what is necessary for the function of the product or even the desires of the customers.

Take touch screens for example: New technology, cool to use. But here’s the reality…they start at $500 plus for the cheap, resistive film ones that wear out in two years. On the flip side you can get a keyboard and mouse for about $30. Also…have you ever stood in line behind someone trying to enter their email address at a RedBox? They take forever because they are unfamiliar with the on screen keyboard, where as most people are already familiar with a keyboard and mouse.

I’m not saying that touchscreens are not the wave of the future, but in many cases, they don’t serve or enhance the actual software tool. They are a flashy component that slows down the process and increases the hardware costs.

Here’s my position…Technology needs to serve churches as a tool. If it is not a tool, it is a distraction.

By: Adam_S

Adam_S — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:34:41 +0000

Financial is certainly a problem. But time is probably a bigger problem. As pastors and church leaders start adding twitter and facebook and blackberrys, etc. Their members and people start expecting them to respond instantly to all sorts of non-important and non-essential issues. Part of our teaching around technology is when to say no. And we need to be teaching that to our people as well. And it needs to be rooted in the health of the family and soul, not luddite terms as it usually is presented.

Daniel Henderson, a prayer leader, blogged yesterday about stepping away from blogs and twitter, etc. But he did it in a way that said, well if I allowed myself to really use these tools I wouldn't pray as much. Instead of using these tools I can pray much more informed and connected to people. But we need to remember that the tools are to serve us not us serve the tools. There are times we should be putting them away (Sabbath principles).

By: JakeSchwein

JakeSchwein — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:55:38 +0000

I hate the cramps!!