I am a dedicated researcher of all things faith and technology. Thanks to Amy Dolan (lemonlimekids.com), I was introduced to a new book published by Zondervan entitled Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Faith by Shane Hipps. Shane is a pastor and speaker who spent much time in the world of advertising and brought some interdisciplinary connections to the ministry world.
Pixels is a great read, accessible, and challenging. I think the whole subject of how technology can be used to impact faith is crucial for those of us in the field of children’s and family ministry. We need to come to grips with how technology and the Gospel intertwine. For kids, technology is not just a medium – that’s laughable in the eyes of a digital learner. Take Facebook. Facebook for kids is not just a pathway to relationships – it is relationships. Technology is not just the medium (which Hipps argues in chapter 2 with a brilliant discussion of the movie, The Matrix), it is the message. The two (medium and message) are inexorably linked.
I had a chance to talk with 100+ children’s and family ministry leaders last weekend about how to enhance creativity in large group environments. We touched briefly on the issues of technology and fun. Many churches are afraid that having fun and using technology will somehow dilute the truth of God’s Word. I’m not suggesting that all we do with children in the time entrusted to us is throw slime and watch crazy videos – not at all. When done right, the medium and the message connect in such a way that learning and fun explode. Pick up the book and visit Shane Hipp’s blog today – http://shanehipps.blogspot.com/
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