About Technology

Since technology is akin to the air we breathe, some people are hitting the proverbial pause button and asking:

Are there downsides to technology?

Is the growing influence of social media (information technology) bad for the Church?

Regardless if you consider yourself a futurist or envision life on the prairie, these are insightful questions you need to ask.

To get the right answer to these questions, you have to study the Bible verses about technology to get the lowdown from God. It’s a good idea to hear what others have to say about this topic. But knowing what God has to say about technology is the anchor that will help you to navigate the use of it  in your life and the life of your church.

To help you find your way, in this post, we’re going to talk about:

• What is technology?
• The limits of technology
• Examples of technology in the Bible
• How the church uses technology
• The source of technology
• Trust in God—not technology
• Bible verses about technology

Ready to get started?

Alright, let’s dig in.

What is technology?

When it comes to talking about technology in the Bible, there are firm opinions for or against it .

Often, when talking about technology, it’s easy to talk past someone because you’re not actually talking about the same thing since there are so many nuances to the conversation. So, to make sure we’re starting off on equal footing, let me first start off by defining technology.

According to Merriam-Webster, technology is the invention of useful things to solve problems. To this definition, I’d also add that technology can include the creation of things that make life easier.

This is a broad definition of technology, and it can encompass many facets like communication technology (social media), computer software, and aerodynamics. To flesh this out, let's explore a few examples.

First, think about the words you’re reading in this post.

Did you know that the alphabet is considered a form of communication technology?

Think about it.

There was a time when the English alphabet didn’t exist. If English is your native language, speaking and reading it may feel as natural as the air you breathe. But it wasn’t until the 5th century when the roots of the written English language began to take shape.

Like every other written language, the English language was created to solve the problem of communication between a specific people group.

What about this blog post you’re reading?

I wrote this post on my computer and published it through what is called a content management system (CMS) so that you can read it on your phone, tablet, or computer. To save us both time and our sanity, I’m not even going to attempt to convey the many technological advances that needed to occur over hundreds of years to afford me the opportunity to write on my computer and for you to read this post on your device of choice.

As for additional examples, I can go on. But I think you get the point. If not, then here’s the deal:

Technology is simply the application of knowledge to create useful things to solve problems or make life easier.  

So, for better or worse, this means it's nearly impossible for you to avoid the influence of technology. But don’t worry. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, you can read about many examples of technology in the Bible.

Examples of technology in the Bible

God isn’t averse to technology.

For starters, God chose to communicate with us in such a way that we could understand what he was saying. He didn't pursue us with a mystical form of communication that required a decoder to understand.  

God chose to reveal himself to us through the languages we developed—in particular, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, which are the three languages used to write the Bible.

Not only is this the case, but from Genesis to Revelation, we observe many uses of technology in the Old and New Testament books. Here’s just a sampling of what we see:

• Cain built a city (Gen. 4:17)
• Tubal-Cain made things out of bronze and iron (Gen. 4:22)
• Noah built an ark (Gen. 6)
• People built the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9)
• King Solomon built a temple (1 Kings 6)
• Jesus used tools as a carpenter
• Paul used letters

God isn’t a hardliner when it comes to using technology to further his purposes. In other words, he isn't entirely for or against technology. But this doesn’t mean that God is a-okay with however we decide to use technology. He calls us to use technology for his glory and our good (1 Cor. 10:31)—not for the destruction of his creation or people.

How the church uses technology

In sharing the gospel, we find one of the most defining marching orders for the Church in Paul’s words to the church at Corinth:

“To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22).

By following this admonition from Paul, the Church has leveraged technological advances throughout the past two millennia to reach people with the gospel, including:

• Letters
• Books
• Megaphones
• Radio
• Magazines
• Television
• Movies
• Satellites
• Internet
• Social media

I understand there are discussions surrounding the pros and cons of different types of communication technology—most notably today the influence of social media. Regardless of what you think about the impact of social media, here’s what you need to know about the Church’s use of technology throughout history:

The Church could not have reached as many people with the gospel without the benefits of technology.

Not only has the Church benefited from information technology, but the Church has also benefited from other forms of technology, including:

Engineering technology—e.g., worship facilities, electricity

Medical technology—e.g., medicine, medical equipment

Computer software—e.g., church management software, mobile giving

Transportation—e.g., cars, vans, buses

Today, from social media and the Internet, there’s an explosion of new innovative communication tools your church can use to connect with people. How much time or money you devote to these tools will depend upon the bandwidth of your staff, volunteers, and budget. But as you use these new tools, there are two significant limitations to technology you need to be aware of, which leads us to the next point.

The limits of technology

There are countless benefits technology has provided.

Over the years, we’ve observed...

• A decrease in infant mortality
• An increase in life expectancy
• An increased access to clean water
• A greater access to education
• An improvement in transportation
• An ability to connect with anyone, anywhere, at anytime

There are many problems technology has solved, and there will be many more problems remedied by technology in the future. But despite the progress we’ve made with technology, there are two glaring problems it cannot resolve:

The need for the gospel

The need for face-to-face community

Advancements in communication tools can help us share the gospel, connect with more people, and stay in touch with our family and friends. But technology cannot share the gospel for us or replace the need for in-person relationships. To make disciples, there is a need for the Church to have a physical presence. At its core, the Church is an assembly of people who gather together with each other in person.

Not only is this the case, but your local church is needed to administer the sacraments, lead people to live and love like Jesus, and help the poor, which is only possible if people are physically present.

As you connect with people on social media, podcast your sermons, or broadcast your sermons, keep an eye on how you and your church can lead people to connect with you in person, and how you can physically reach out to people in your community.

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