The Multimedia Church
This article was originally published in the Spring ’07 issue of Revisions, Can Technology Save Us?
Technology has always aided the spread of the Gospel and the growth of the body of Christ. The printing press led to mass production of the Bible, CDs and DVDs made sermons and praise songs available to millions, and television has paved the way for evangelism with a worldwide audience. With the advent of the Internet, anyone can access the Gospel from virtually anywhere. Hundreds of translations of the Bible have been placed on the web, alongside countless articles and mp3s related to Christianity, providing the average Christian with a wealth of resources which were previously out of reach. Apart from being a good supplement for the regular churchgoer, the Internet is also a vital link to the Christian community for those who are unable to attend church due to persecution. Sermons and webcasts online substitute for hearing the voice of a preacher firsthand, vast archives of articles and commentaries function as pedagogical tools, and communication with other Christians on the web fosters community. Some ministries even have online forums through which churchgoers can send in prayer requests. For these Christians, the Internet has played a pivotal role in bringing the church to them when they could not manage to go to church themselves.