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The following is excerpted from an interview by Presbyterian leaders Dr. Jason Tucker and Rev. Jesse Skiffington on ReclaimedLeader.com.
The Reformation in the 1500s was a worldwide religious change fueled by the introduction of the printing press. That new technology put the Gospel into the hands of the average person. It totally revolutionized the world. Churches grew and reached more people when they embraced the new book-printing technology. But churches that pushed away the printing press technology suffered.
The same thing is happening today. I call it an eReformation—an electronic Reformation. If the Church doesn't catch up in communication, some churches will die.
But let me be clear that I don't want you to change your theology. I'm a very Orthodox person. I believe we need to hold onto a firm Orthodox theology. But we must change our methodology. We see that in the New Testament.
My thoughts on this began when a pastor friend said to me, "You know Bob, the Bible doesn't really talk about how to lead over the Internet." He was asking, how do you lead when you have to lead remotely? And I thought, yes, the Bible does!
Paul wrote remotely to the churches he had led. He advised them how to grow, sometimes from prison or from Jerusalem. And we can look at his letters and advice he gave to those he led from afar.
Innovative ways churches are addressing the eReformation
Several years ago, one of my students in Toronto started a church on Twitch (an online gaming platform and community).
An online church can be an effective way to communicate with people who are homebound either by choice or who can't get to church. Other times people are traveling, and they still want to experience what's going on at their church.
Online church gets young people involved who have experience in electronic communication. Now they have an opportunity to contribute to the church. You can engage them in your church by saying: "Hey, help us put together a website. Help us put together an online worship service."
There are great examples of this eReformation in recent church history. I went to Fuller Theological Seminary, which was founded by evangelist Charles Fuller. He famously used the radio to reach out in the 1940s and '50s. That was controversial back then, because the radio was championing rock 'n' roll music.
But Fuller used the medium without sacrificing his Orthodox theology. He reached out to those who listened to the radio but didn't go to church. Soon after, he started a seminary where there would be an openness to new forms of communication.
Fuller received much criticism for using the radio, a medium that was considered the devil's playground. But then Billy Graham followed in his footsteps and used the TV and movies to reach out.
The new electronic media are democratizing outreach. Churches, even if they're small, rural churches, can begin to reach out electronically. One of my former students is in Alaska. I enjoy listening to him preach and the worship they lead. And, I can listen to him every Sunday. Proximity is no longer a driver of church growth.
Why more leaders aren't embracing the eReformation
Most pastors don't like criticism, but unfortunately it comes with the job.
Paul experienced the ancient version of "trolls." As he headed to Damascus, he had a personal encounter with Jesus. But Paul says the first thing that happened after the experience was that people tried to kill him. And it got worse as his ministry became more effective (2 Cor. 11:16-33).
Trolls have always been around, and are part of the modern Christian leadership experience as well (2 Tim. 3:12). I tell the leaders I coach that if you aren't ready for persecution, you shouldn't be a church leader. Trolls, critics and harsh responses shouldn't surprise us (1 Pet. 4:12-14).
The eReformation is here to stay. Leaders must see it's not a passing fad, any more than the printing press was a short-term trend.
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Bob Whitesel (D.Min., Ph.D.) is a foresight coach, professor, and award-winning author of 14 books. For over 30 years, he has guided leaders and churches to pivot and engage what’s next. He holds two earned doctorates from Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches on leadership foresight, church health, and organizational change. His website is www.ChurchForesight.com. Learn More » |
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