Mon
May
05
2008
Technology, relationships and minstry
This question was raised over on the new blog being run by the team at The Briefing, Solapanel
Gavin Perkins writes about the problem of technology eroding some of the more valuable aspects of ministry. He is concerned about the possibility of people doing ministry spending too much time behind computers and not enough time with the people they are supposed to be ministering too.
Of course, that is a genuine problem, but I have trouble with some of his examples and the resolutions he draws from them.
He says:
- “When I need to communicate with an individual, I will speak to them directly, on the phone or in person. I will not email, text or Facebook them. Email is useful for mass-broadcasting information, but it is not adequate for building relationship or ministering to someone.
- As a paid minister of the Word, I won’t spend my day at a computer behind a desk and call that work.
- In public, I will seek to talk to people rather than listening to podcast sermons from Seattle.”
I admit, some of that got my hackles up.
I seek to use technology as a servant and not as a master, but I know I sometime fail. However, that doesn’t mean I should throw the technological baby out with the bathwater.
Since when did email suddenly become an unacceptable means of communication in ministry circles? I know that emails can feel impersonal, and an SMS more so, but are these tools that we choose to use for detailed communications of a highly personal nature?
Sometimes. Well, with email at least.
I can think of at least 5-6 people that I am in a ministry relationship with who prefer to ‘talk’ things over by email rather than on the phone or in person.
I pastor a large congregation of people of mixed ages, but a lot are <25 years, and I know that many of them appreciate a quick txt encouraging them, or reminding them of a meeting, etc
Are these instances and opportunities not part of ministry?
Does using them mean that I stop having coffee or lunches or bible reading times with people? No, of course not! But email, txt and to a lesser extent (for me) Facebook all have a great and growing role in connecting with people.
I would go so far to say that growing numbers of <25’s actually relate better when we use some of these mediums combined with face-to-face times.
The funny thing is, I’ve actually been in ministry long enough that I can remember one or two parishioners in a church a little way out of Sydney proper telling me that the telephone was a very inferior means of communication, and they hoped I wouldn’t use it to replace a personal visit! And that was in the early 80’s!
As far as spending a day behind my computer and calling it ‘ministry’ – well I do sometimes. Monday’s are the day I will send lots of emails responding to my congregation’s comments on the Response Cards from the night before. I’ll use txt for some who I know will be on the train to Uni in Sydney. For some I’ll use the phone, but most of ‘my’ people are not easily contactable that way during the day.
After that, I’ll do some sermon reading for the next week and make lots of notes on my computer.
Tuesday’s most weeks are the ‘head-down-bottom-up’ day of hard core sermon prep – and guess where? At my desk. Is it part of ministry? Yep, I reckon it is.
Wednesday’s and Thursday’s have much more people time built into them, and of course there’s Growth Groups on Monday and Wednesday nights, and Sundays, are well, Sundays! :)
And then there’s the blog and forum I run for ‘my’ congregation…
Facebook is in a slightly different category, and I confess to not using it as much (yet), but Simon has written well on the topic of social networking and church web sites.
Technology, like any other part of modern life, can be a tool for the gospel or a distraction to draw us away from ministry. But to do as Gavin suggests is,in my books, silly and unproductive.
I’m sure there was a time when the phone and even the typewriter were considered modern distractions to the work of ministry, and I think there will be a time (soon) when we think such attitudes about email, txting and social network websites are equally silly.
Comment
Commenting is closed for this article.
Okay, so I’m speaking from a fairly biased family perspective but we also need to consider how the people we work with interact. Much as the older generation might rail against it we young folk spend a lot of time online and even more time with our mobiles in our pockets.
Nothing will replace meeting up with people, but uni students nowadays (and not just in Oz might I add) not only appreciate but rely upon sms reminders of events, agendas, and meetings and tend to organise their life according to the Facebook reminders of events. Sad? Maybe…but true!
— J · May 6, 01:50 PM · #
Thanks for posting your thoughts Neil. When I read the post on Sola, it sounded like something that might have once appeared on a blog called “Opinionated”. Throw something out there, and ruffle some feathers. It didn’t seem to fit the aim of their blog.
I could count on my fingers (a perfectly valid way for a mathematics teacher to count) how many times,in recent years, I have met one-on-one with Ministers in my church, purposefully. In that same time I have had many many more very productive, encouraging, thought-provoking, relationship building discussions via email even Instant Messenger.
Sometimes I think that it’s those without email that are more disconnected with those ministering to them.
Obviously being accountable and wise in the use of your time and technology is important, but the author should not write off technology because it could be unhelpful.
— Simon · May 6, 04:49 PM · #
Well said J! (‘scuse the family bias) ;-)
But I don’t necessarily think that it is ‘sad’. So long we understand how relationships work and their importance. So long as we are keeping people high up on the agenda, and not the technology, I don’t think we have much to fear.
I think again of the example of the telephone. Sure, there are some instances when a phone won’t do it, but for every one of those, there must be a 100 examples of a phone call being an entirely appropriate method and a wise use of time. I really don’t believe many people in ministry would be concerned about the ‘threat’ of the telephone to interpersonal relationships!
@Simon – Your last two paragraphs are helpful additions to the discussion. I do need to be careful I don’t let technology rule my time and relationships, but on the other hand, I simply couldn’t pastor 200 people without that technology to help…
— Neil · May 6, 04:55 PM · #
As a >25, I’m finding thechnology helps. One very simple example is the Dad’s Bible Study group that I’m part of – Raj sends us an SMS (usually on Mondays) letting us know where at who’s house it will be – it’s a great way for us to organise the group allowing for having to mind kids if your other half is working etc. Also allows us to know who’s run out of coffee because someone else has gone on Long Service Leave and shuts his shop for a while….. :-) <duck>
— andrewr · May 7, 07:00 AM · #
The Briefing used to have a column titled lead balloons where people could float “out there” opnions. Perhaps the blog is reviving the spirit of lead balloons. I was going to write a lead balloon on introducing a draft for clergy ( in an attempt to get a geographic distribution of talent)- and having trial criteria (eg speed from front pulpit to door to shake hands etc).
Seriously the appropriate question is what is effective to communicate with and pastor the congregation? Electronic communication works for some people and not for others. I must admit I like discussing a sermon by forum or email as it gives me time to think about it. Generally electronic communication is more terse because people probably do not type that fast.
The in person touch is still important. You learn a lot about people by visiting them – seeing the music on the shelves, the books, seeing how the kids behave in their natural environment, seeing how house proud or obsessed they are. I am always amazed at the likes of Richard Baxter who allegedly visited everyone in his parish annually.
One of my previous pastors would visit me at work to try and understand what I did. I appreciated the effort to understand me. I would send him emails with PDF attachments assuming he could open them when in fact he never could.
Electronic communication also loses the element of body language and humour can sometimes be misinterpreted.
Those who are ill probably need the personal visit but I remember when Michael Orpwood (former Chancellor of the Diocese) was ill his church arranged a video link over the net so he could “participate” from his bed.
I am sure there is a doctorate in it for someone to explore the nature of online communication. In fact I would be surprised if people had not already been awarded several doctorates for researching this.
One of the concerns I have with email is the lack of response that you often receive. Sometimes you assume you have communicated and premise future contact on that basis when in fact your email is stuck in a junk folder. Asking for a receipt is useful but some people just turn off that feature so you never know unless they respond to your email.
From a lawyer’s perspective email provide a wealth of information in litigation as people put in writing in an email things they would never have put in a letter.
I hope you are getting away for a while Neil. Using your long service leave to complete a todo list is not much of a break. Good to see you shut the shop while on LSL.
— Steven Nicholson · May 7, 07:51 PM · #
Before I saw your name at the bottom, but as soon as I saw the length of your comment Steve, I knew it was from a lawyer! :P
But I agree with what you are saying – different means of communication suit different people and different situations.
I would never contemplate contacting someone who had just had someone close to them die by email or SMS!
I think you are also on the mark when you suggest that email is a different medium to letter writing – I long ago learnt to be circumspect in what I put in an email!
LSL has been fine. We’ve been ‘away’ at our place at Blackheath for the duration, and I find the physical work around the house (done to my pace) enjoyable, so I guess that constitutes a break! ;-)
— Neil · May 8, 08:27 AM · #
Please send info to me on relationships, Marriage and singleness
— Andreen Morris · May 13, 07:01 AM · #
Andreen,
Please have a listen to the series of Bible Talks called ‘Matters of the heart’ available here
Search using that phrase.
— Neil · May 13, 07:28 PM · #
Hi Neil,
Great discussion – interesting topic. Fully agree with most of what has been said. The earth is not flat, dancing is not evil, and technology is not an inappropriate way to do ministry!
We had an interesting discussion at college last year about whether an eChurch (globally accessible) is a viable option. Most people were against it, as they felt it eliminated personal relationships. I decided to play devils advocate (hmm… that doesn’t sound so good coming from a Bible College student).
Anyhoo, I followed a similar to line to what you have taken, in that some people relate better through email/SMS/IM. Personal conversations etc can be had through things like Skype video chat, and you can even practically care for someone who is sick etc by doing some shopping for them at Coles online, or sending them some flowers via an online florist.
Sure, its not ideal, but then again its not absurd.
— Tim · May 15, 07:38 PM · #
I wouldn’t expect anything less from you Tim! :)
And you sum it up well in your last line.
Nice one…
— Neil · May 15, 07:48 PM · #