As we enter the fourth decade of the Digital Revolution, the vast opportunities for technology to help advance the kingdom are beginning to take hold.

I am encouraged by two trends. One is related to world evangelization. The other to how the implementation of New Media is being fit into the picture.

Each was put under a national spotlight recently in Orlando, FL.

Missions & Media

The first positive trend is a renewed focus and passion for the Great Commission.

At their annual meeting June 16-17, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted the recommendations of its Great Commission Resurgence Task Force.

The result was a decision to become more aggressive in presenting the gospel to underserved and unreached people in North America and around the world. “We are a Great Commission people,” said Ronnie Floyd, Chairman of the task force.

It’s exciting to see God’s renewing energy at work in America’s largest Protestant denomination. This will be an example to denominations, churches, pastors and Christians everywhere for years to come.

The second trend that excites me is the new focus of national Christian organizations on how to think biblically about New Media and how to use it for advancing the kingdom.

While technology wasn’t featured at the SBC event, as if by design, one day later, it was the focus of the Pre-conference for Ligonier Ministries’ National Conference.

In his talk “The Brave New World Of New Media,” Ed Stetzer said,

For Christians…to not use [New Media] for the agenda that God has for such tools is problematic at best and irresponsible at worst.

The great challenge

There has always been hyperbole associated with the Digital Revolution. But it is no exaggeration to say that technology has been woven into every aspect of our lives.

That is not going to change. It’s roots will grow deeper.

What can and must change is for Christian leaders to come together to prayerfully consider how to respond “to the most fundamental shift in terms of human relatedness since the development of written language and the development of the printing press,” as one speaker put it in Orlando.

• To determine how to bring the Internet and all emerging technologies under the Lordship of Christ.
• To determine how to effectively integrate the most appropriate technologies with existing efforts to reach this and future generations with the gospel. Until the whole world hears.

That is a great challenge facing the church in this time.

God is in the distance closing business

The distance between where the church is in its mission today [the people that remain unreached / least reached by the Gospel], and where it wants to be [all people reached] … 2.74 billion people.

The distance between the two recent conversations in Orlando — one about the possibilities for completing the Great Commission, and one about the possibilities for using New Media to carry out God’s agenda … 8 miles.

Metaphorically speaking for the church at large, my prayer is that by this time next year the 8 mile distance is closed. The vision is to see the two discussions brought together, putting New Media and innovative technology initiatives on the front lines of reaching the unreached.

When I consider the distance closing synergy that God can bring from a Spirit-filled church, purposefully united in using New Media to proclaim the gospel, the finish line to the Great Commission is truly in sight.

Question: What trends do you see for the use of the Internet and technology for evangelism and gut-level personal ministry?