The problem in our churches isn’t our use of technology.  Technology is just a medium, a tool we can use for the sake of the Gospel.

In their book, The Multi-site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many Locations, authors Surratt, Ligon, and Bird talk about the history of leveraging technology.

The idea of leveraging the latest technology for kingdom service is nothing new. Nor is the pushback, questioning, or occasional controversy raised by such changes. When I (Warren) was visiting relatives in Germany, I toured a famous medieval monastery in Germany. I learned how they took the church into the community by doing religious dramas. To reach the most people, they performed some of the dramas at night, which raised the need for lighting. By putting candles in front of colored glass, they created colored lighting, much like today’s stage lights. “Was this controversial?” I asked our guide. “What do you think?” she responded with a smile. Reading church history is fascinating because it reminds us that every generation asks about the appropriateness of using technology to do church.

In our church, we leverage all kinds of technology: colored lights, speakers, microphones, amplifiers, video projection, YouVersion Live, computers, and iPods.

In our small group, we leverage technology as well: DVD players, TVs, cell phones (to read our Bibles), and email and Facebook to communicate throughout the week.

Technology itself isn’t evil.  It’s a neutral medium that the Church is called to utilize and redeem.  It can often make our services, and our small groups, more engaging, more attractive, more relevant, more influential (allowing churches to broadcast to multiple sites), more streamlined, and more connected.

But maybe I’m wrong.

Are there certain technologies that should be considered off-limits to churches?

How does your church (or small group) use technology to advance the Gospel?