Old Assumptions and New Technology

by Rev. Dr. Jeremy Pekari

The grey-haired newsman on the screen looked into the camera and said, “We’ll be right back, don’t touch that dial!” My kids looked at me and said, “Dad, what’s a dial?” I realized then and there that I have a whole set of language that is currently out of date. When I was young, an “application” was the paper you filled out for a summer job. A hard drive meant there was a lot of traffic. The cloud foretold rain. You didn’t want to be a geek. And, a “facebook” was the class directory at your college. The scary thing is that I’m only 35, and the language seems to be changing by the minute. Advancements in technology are the norm, and I often feel like I’ll never be able to catch up enough to do ministry in this world. If you feel the same way, or if you’re old enough to have watched a TV with a dial, this article is for you.

As technology and terms have changed, so has life. Some for the good. Some for the bad. Each of us has a perspective on the pros and cons of technology use in this social-media-driven society. I’m not going to debate those here. Instead, I want to challenge some of the assumptions we have that may get in the way of reaching this generation with the Good News of Jesus.

The burden is not on them to change, but on me to understand them in such a way that I can learn to share Jesus with them more effectively. I am a pastor and am by no means an expert in technology or social media. I live in the midst of two distinct cultures. I love the people who were born into a culture that was largely without technology in the way we think of it today. I also love the people who are born into a new technological culture. I happen to have been born in the middle. I want to see people in both of these worlds growing as disciples of Jesus. My fear is that the differences between these two cultures are making it hard for the younger generation to hear the Gospel. The burden is not on them to change, but on me to understand them in such a way that I can learn to share Jesus with them more effectively.

I have personally discovered three faulty assumptions that inhibit my ability to share Jesus. Maybe they are your assumptions too, and together we can begin to break them down so that we can be free to love this techno-centric generation toward Jesus.

My first old-world assumption is that technology is for “goofing off.” When I see someone on a computer, I assume that solitaire is being played. I grew up in an age where technology was turned on to help me turn off the real world. TVs, VCRs,and computers were used for entertainment. When we needed to get away from anything serious we would look for our friends on the Muppet Show, Dallas, or Cheers. Our minds turned off, and we escaped from real life into technology.

Instead of removing us from real life, today technology is used to enhance real life. A significant shift has taken place. Instead of removing us from real life, today technology is used to enhance real life. Social media helps to develop deeper and closer friendships. Extensive wireless capability allows for real time engagement with people and ideas. Technology adds to real life.

While countless hours are spent playing Angry Birds and Farmville, it is dangerous to assume that just because a person is using technology what they are doing is not serious or important. The problem with my assumption is that I immediately have a negative feeling toward the person who is using a device. I need to curb that attitude toward others and engage them before I run to a conclusion that is wrong.

Another faulty old world assumption is that technology stunts creativity and critical thinking. This assumption comes out of the days when technology was a passive exercise for consumers. Another significant shift has taken place that we need to be aware of. Technology is not just for consumers, but also for producers. Advances in the internet and less expensive devices have enabled the production of media to become a two-way street. I can just as easily create media as I can consume it. One can design their own clothes, develop their own movies, and create their own websites that tell their story to the world. Social Media feeds on such a desire to be creative, to share, and to collaborate.

A final faulty old-world assumption is that there is a time and place for technology use. This assumption is a very difficult one to let go of. I still feel that things like family meals and worship should be device free. I’m not ready to completely let go of this, but I need to do a better job of withholding immediate judgment when I see devices being used.

Last week at a meeting with other pastors I looked over during the Bible study and saw a guy on his touch phone. Texting during bible study?!? A pastor?!?! My conclusion: This is not the time, nor the place, and he should know better. Then I looked and saw his screen. He had a Bible app on his phone and was reading along in the Scriptures. Serious. Important. And, on a cool new touch pad device? The world has changed.

The common problem with my faulty assumptions is that my negative thoughts toward technology can be transferred to the person who is using the technology.The common problem with my faulty assumptions is that my negative thoughts toward technology can be transferred to the person who is using the technology. I might see a person as a slacker, or as less intelligent, or as distracted. My assumptions add a wall that leads to a separation in my relationship with the person using the technology. Since sharing Jesus happens through relationships, I have to be careful that my negative assumptions don’t get in the way.

If I still feel like technology and social media are for entertainment and deserve harsh criticism, it might help to realize that these tools can just as easily be used in serious, important, and biblically excellent ways. When you walk into the youth room and spot your teens on their wireless devices, please withhold judgment. They could be engaged in a debate on worldviews, raising funds for the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, praying with friends, studying Scripture, receiving encouragement from a mentor in Christ, or even doing their homework!

My old assumptions need to change if I will ever be serious about the important work of sharing Jesus with coming generations. I wonder where I can get an app for that?

Rev. Dr. Jeremy Pekari is Pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church, Lynnfield, Massachusetts.

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Old Assumptions and New Technology