Online technologies are changing our world and have ramifications
for everything from business to spirituality. Ongoing social research
evaluating our use of the Internet indicates that online communications
foster and facilitate the building of new social structures and
circles. From email and texting, to chat rooms, social bookmarking sites, web forums, blogs, wikis, and metaverses like Second Life,
early adopters, particularly those under 30, are well-versed in online
social culture. The evolving new social order has been described as
being decentralized, diverse, liquid, and more global than any we've
seen in previous cultures.
Furthermore, the new social structures associated with online media spaces display new value systems. Walled-garden
proprietary hierarchies are giving way. Top-down traditional CEO-dominated
leadership models are held in suspicion. New values are geared towards
participation, flexible open networks and communication processes that
are transparent and dynamically interactive.
In the book The
Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How
Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations, author James Surowiecki
explores the aggregation of information in groups, resulting in
decisions that, he argues, are often better than could have been made
by any single member of the group. Similarly, Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott & Anthony Williams describes a new economy born out of peering, sharing and crowdsourcing.
Online communication means provide a way for there to be unlimited
resources for conversation, collaboration, contribution and community.
It is in such an environment that teamwork operating via group
participation becomes the most accepted order.
In many
situations, there are advantages inherent in the new social order. The
Internet as a platform allows individuals to inform / teach themselves,
to discuss / debate issues and policies, to mobilize / organize
resources and volunteers. The web allows garage start-ups to challenge
major corporations and galvanizes grassroots movements into global
causes. The overthrow of bureaucracy will most certainly transform social
institutions. Collaboration in science and medicine will likely
produce spectacular results.
Problems arise, however, when
such concepts are applied to Christians and to our leadership of the
Church. If we use the new media paradigms as our only organizational
models, I think we miss critical biblical patterns. Obtaining
information / knowledge and employing wisdom are two different things.
The aggregation of information (learning) is not to be confused with
the application of wisdom, which comes from God. In fact, the two are
sometimes opposed. Since we are members of the Body of Christ, we can embrace the value of our individuality within a group but teamwork / collaboration is not the same as group authority or rule.
The Kingdom of God
is built on dominion hierarchies. In fact, a kingdom is so called
because of the authority flow from the rulership of it's King. The
scriptures constantly reveal God's designed order and the channels by
which His authority operates. Man has been given delegated authority
to have dominion over the earth. Numerous scriptures come to mind
about authority, headship, rulership, as well as examples of Priests,
Prophets, Kings, etc.
In the Old Testament, Moses chose
able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers
of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of
tens. Exodus 18:25 And in contrast, the book of Judges states, In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25). Likewise, the New Testament is loaded with additional descriptions of leadership hierarchies. We know the angels are ranked, as are the demons (Ephesians 6:12).
There is headship and family order outlined in both earthly marriage
and the in Church (in its spiritual union with Christ).
All
this to say, I still think there is a lot to evaluate and explore about
the value systems evolving out of new communication models. As a new media enthusiast I'm all for utilizing technology to accomplish Kingdom business. Online technologies
support the unleashing of human creativity, ideas and inspirations.
But, flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom. And our mandate is to penetrate worldly mindsets with Kingdom values. As Christian leaders, I'm
wondering if you are evaluating / exploring / pondering these questions
like I am?
Their blog is colorful and informative, well-laid out and quite 
