Last week, I had the privilege to speak at Gospel Communications's Internet Ministry Conference. During one of my sessions, I discussed how technology, specifically communications, shapes culture. The short version is that communications technology:
- Controls how fast culture is spread.
- Controls how much culture is spread.
It is a self-feeding cycle that is building momentum.
Culture leads to breakthrough insights which lead to technological advances that enable us to spread culture at an even faster rate. All along the way, information and new cultures are being created.
Why is this important to ministries?
The more cultures that exist, the more difficult it is to understand the cultures that you are called to reach. It becomes more difficult to be culturally relevant. The number of cultures that exist are growing. At the same time, the rate at which cultures are evolving and changing is also increasing.
Being culturally relevant requires much more effort than it used to need. However, keeping current on technology and other areas that shape culture will help you better understand the cultures that you are trying to reach and how they will change in the future.
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