Thoughts on Onions and Intersections
Let me preface this piece by saying this:
In no way can any technology take the place of actually getting personal with people and meeting their needs right where they are. At some point, what is in my hands has to translate into being an empowerment. These are just some thoughts on that, and where that can possibly go.
At the intersection of faith and technology is one corner called mobility or mobile technology (depends on which side of the street you are coming from). This technology is a call to making accessible those services and communication that were once harder to come by. And on another end, mobile technology is a answer to a problem that many did not know that they had - having access to tremendous amounts of information with very little effort and how to use it.
When looking at what this intersection means in the context of ministry applications, one tends to think first about email, Internet, and contact/calendar management. This is not at all a bad thing as these are the outside peels (think onion) of what this technology is capable of. Moving a few layers in we have systems such as content management and social networks that take email, Internet, text messaging, and multimedia, and places those into a service offering that streamlines a small area of our communication population. But what about further than that? What is the part of the interaction of faith and technology that stings our eyes? Where does mobile technology and faith meet in this "onion" to create something that actually moves us past communicative tasks, and puts us in the earnest positions of creating change and exposing the heart of God to those who would have never seen His heart before? I have an idea, but its not yet finished so please bear with me.
I have read a few articles that talk about the use of mobile technology as a part of the educational process (here and here)as being something that if not considered, it should be; and if it is considered, it should be pushed faster than it is because of the knowledge and uptake of this technology by youth. Things such as the integration laptops and eBooks with wireless Internet so that students are not just reading one person's account of history, but reading that account along with multimedia or cross referenced with other writers. Or think about that search/study issue with Bible software where your mobile technology is not just able to mindmap how you are reading and considering Scripture, but you are able to share that with a classroom of students so that they better understand the process of analysis, versus just looking at a 2D formula. My proposal is somewhat simple - take a leap of faith not just a leap of technology.
At the center of any intersection there is an calm area. Cars may pass it, but very few things stop in the middle of an intersection (unless its a cop directing traffic or an accident that stopped it). Its an intersection because at its very center, there is the possibility that stasis is met. The more that I use my mobile devices and mobile accessibility in various situations where it will change and enhance the lives of people around me, the closer that I think I am getting to that point where it truly is not about the technology, but about the people who are also walking this walk with me. This is that centerpoint that I believe ministry is able to meet with all aspects of faith and life. The technology is just a tool to get there, but at the intersection of faith and technology, we see the possibilities of where we can go and what we can do, just as easily as we can just turn around and do nothing.
Imagine a ministry who's goals are to teach the skillful handling of technology so that the community can benefit from increased economic and spiritual health. An onion that has been unpeeled and the smell is that of Christ working in email, Internet, social networking, and people to engage those who have the least, and bring them into the community where they can be cared for, taught, comforted. When I look at a laptop or mobile phone, I see it as just being a part of that street, but not yet that intersection. I just don't know how to get further than where I see this now.
Now, if this sounds like a really weird collection of thoughts, you can blame part of that on the hour at which I am writing this. But I am convinced of one thing, and I see it repeated just often enough to pay attention - when technology gets to the point of changing lives of the back of the pack, then we can truly say that computing is a good thing for the whole of humanity.
Your thoughts?
In no way can any technology take the place of actually getting personal with people and meeting their needs right where they are. At some point, what is in my hands has to translate into being an empowerment. These are just some thoughts on that, and where that can possibly go.
At the intersection of faith and technology is one corner called mobility or mobile technology (depends on which side of the street you are coming from). This technology is a call to making accessible those services and communication that were once harder to come by. And on another end, mobile technology is a answer to a problem that many did not know that they had - having access to tremendous amounts of information with very little effort and how to use it.
When looking at what this intersection means in the context of ministry applications, one tends to think first about email, Internet, and contact/calendar management. This is not at all a bad thing as these are the outside peels (think onion) of what this technology is capable of. Moving a few layers in we have systems such as content management and social networks that take email, Internet, text messaging, and multimedia, and places those into a service offering that streamlines a small area of our communication population. But what about further than that? What is the part of the interaction of faith and technology that stings our eyes? Where does mobile technology and faith meet in this "onion" to create something that actually moves us past communicative tasks, and puts us in the earnest positions of creating change and exposing the heart of God to those who would have never seen His heart before? I have an idea, but its not yet finished so please bear with me.
I have read a few articles that talk about the use of mobile technology as a part of the educational process (here and here)as being something that if not considered, it should be; and if it is considered, it should be pushed faster than it is because of the knowledge and uptake of this technology by youth. Things such as the integration laptops and eBooks with wireless Internet so that students are not just reading one person's account of history, but reading that account along with multimedia or cross referenced with other writers. Or think about that search/study issue with Bible software where your mobile technology is not just able to mindmap how you are reading and considering Scripture, but you are able to share that with a classroom of students so that they better understand the process of analysis, versus just looking at a 2D formula. My proposal is somewhat simple - take a leap of faith not just a leap of technology.
At the center of any intersection there is an calm area. Cars may pass it, but very few things stop in the middle of an intersection (unless its a cop directing traffic or an accident that stopped it). Its an intersection because at its very center, there is the possibility that stasis is met. The more that I use my mobile devices and mobile accessibility in various situations where it will change and enhance the lives of people around me, the closer that I think I am getting to that point where it truly is not about the technology, but about the people who are also walking this walk with me. This is that centerpoint that I believe ministry is able to meet with all aspects of faith and life. The technology is just a tool to get there, but at the intersection of faith and technology, we see the possibilities of where we can go and what we can do, just as easily as we can just turn around and do nothing.
Imagine a ministry who's goals are to teach the skillful handling of technology so that the community can benefit from increased economic and spiritual health. An onion that has been unpeeled and the smell is that of Christ working in email, Internet, social networking, and people to engage those who have the least, and bring them into the community where they can be cared for, taught, comforted. When I look at a laptop or mobile phone, I see it as just being a part of that street, but not yet that intersection. I just don't know how to get further than where I see this now.
Now, if this sounds like a really weird collection of thoughts, you can blame part of that on the hour at which I am writing this. But I am convinced of one thing, and I see it repeated just often enough to pay attention - when technology gets to the point of changing lives of the back of the pack, then we can truly say that computing is a good thing for the whole of humanity.
Your thoughts?
posted by Antoine @ 2/01/2007 12:20:00 AM
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