Technology and Technology and Communication in the Communication in the ChurchChurch

Pastor Taurai Emmanuel MaforoZWAC MUMC Retreat @Mabelreign South Circuit

Saturday 9th November 2013

Introduction• Information and Communications

Technology(ICT) has become a vital tool in facilitating the use of new and emerging information and communications technologies by the church as it looks at sending the Gospel to the entire world since ICT opens the world-reach wider.

• This presentation will put into perspective how technology and communication impact the life of the church

• To explore how technology and communications impact the church’s ministry.

• To engage ZWAC MUMC in discussions towards having communications committee in their structures.

• To engage the MUMC in using available media resources for effective communication.

Training Objectives

• Why must the church engage in conversation about ICT?

• Is the church ICT-ready?• What resources do we have?• What do we need?

Brainstorming Session

DisclaimerDisclaimer• In my quest to raise the importance of

technology, I have no intention to minimize the power of human beings created in the image of the sovereign God as no machine can function without humanity’s touch.

• Some quotations by some of the world’s renowned man will help to maintain the status of humanity above technology.

• “I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world.” – Albert Einstein

• “The perfect computer has been developed. You just feed your problems and they never come out again.” – Al Goodman

• The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do. – B.F. Skinner

• “One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.” Elbert Hubbard

• “Man is still the extraordinary computer of all.” – J.F. Kennedy

• “The empires of the future are the empires of the mind.” – Winston Churchill

Definitions

• Technology• ICT• Communication

Technology

• The purposeful application of information in the design, production, and utilization of goods and services, and in the organization of human activities. businessdictionary.com

ICT• ICT (information and communications technology -

or technologies) is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning.

• ICTs are often spoken of in a particular context, such as ICTs in education, health care, or libraries and for us the time has come to look at ICTs in Church(worship, interactive communication etc)

From Technology to People• According to the European Commission, the

importance of ICTs lies less in the technology itself than in its ability to create greater access to information and communication in underserved populations.

• Internationally, the United Nations actively promotes ICTs for Development (ICT4D) as a means of bridging the digital divide.

• The UMC Communications through its Networking arm has set up VSAT – Murewa, Nyadire

Communication

• Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. (businessdictionary.com)

Why Communications?

“Communication is a strategic function necessary for the success

of the mission of The United Methodist Church.”

(Bk. Of Discipline 2012,1806)

Communications is a ministry driver

• It is an instrument that controls the direction and speed of the denomination with a view toward the “long short” – the mission of the church (Matt. 28:18-20) and ensuring a communicative relationship of its programs. That direction is achieved through considering external and internal influences that significantly impact the organization (UMC).

The church’s communications system must be understood or cast within

the scope or context of the nature of our connectionalism.

Nature of the UMC Connectionalism

Multi-leveled

Global in scope

Local in thrust

Our connectionalism is not merely linking of one charge conference to another. It is

rather a vital web of interactive relationships

Since our connectionalism is described as,

“a vital web of interactive relationships”.

The church must thus use appropriate technologies to create a sustainable web

The Communications mandate

• “As United Methodists, our theological understanding obligates us, as members of the body of Christ, to communicate our faith by speaking and listening to persons both within and outside the Church throughout the world, and to

utilize all appropriate means of communication.” (Bk. Of

Disc.2012,1801,p698)

“The responsibility to communicate is laid upon;

• Every church member• Every pastor

• Every congregation• Every annual conference

• Every institution• And every agency of the Church

NB: MUMC as an organization in the church must thus find ways of communicating

effectively

ICT Based Communication Platforms• Web technology – www.umczea.org• Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube• SMS platforms – eg. Frontline SMS, Whatsapp• Electronic mail (email)

Email appears to many as a common mode or communication platform but is the most less understood in terms of its features and parameters. It is the most taken for granted and many errors in communication emanate from this “common” medium. Ranging from forwarding wrong messages or replies intended for a single recipient but end up sent to multiple recipients

Email appears to many as a common mode or communication platform but is the most less understood in terms of its features and parameters. It is the most taken for granted and many errors in communication emanate from this “common” medium. Ranging from forwarding wrong messages or replies intended for a single recipient but end up sent to multiple recipients

Electronic mailInternet email messages consist of two major

sections:1. Header – Structured into fields such as From,

To, CC, Subject, Date, and other information about the email.

• Body – The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. This is

exactly the same as the body of a regular letter.

Electronic mail• To: The email address(es), and optionally name(s) of the

message's recipient(s). Indicates primary recipients (multiple allowed), for secondary recipients see Cc: and Bcc: below.

• Subject: A brief summary of the topic of the message. Certain abbreviations are commonly used in the subject, including "RE:" and "FW:".

• Bcc: Blind Carbon Copy; addresses added to the SMTP delivery list but not (usually) listed in the message data, remaining invisible to other recipients.

• Cc: Carbon Copy; Many email clients will mark email in your inbox differently depending on whether you are in

the To: or Cc: list.

Electronic mail

• Precedence: "vacation" or "out of office" responses should not be returned for this mail, e.g. to prevent vacation notices from being sent to all other subscribers of a mailing list. Sendmail uses this header to affect prioritization of queued email, with "Precedence: special-delivery" messages delivered sooner.

Electronic mail

• Reply-To: Address that should be used to reply to the message.

• Sender: Address of the actual sender acting on behalf of the author listed in the From: field (secretary, list manager, etc.).

• Archived-At: A direct link to the archived form of an individual email message.

Technology in Religious services has been increasing for the past

several decades. Churches may use only minimal sound systems, or full

audio visual presentations.

•

Advantages:• It can be very interactive• Often provides a hip and current way to worship

appealing to the up coming generations• Allows for a smoother service with large groups of

people• Provides an easy access, well organized

administration• Creates a new medium by which members are able

to connect and participate

Disadvantages:• It is a distraction from the point of worship.• Often technology comes at the expense of spending

scarce resources on other, more justifiable things (ie. food banks, welfare programs...etc)

• Technology emphasizes focus on experience, instead of truth

• It distances members of the congregation from an accountable, personal relationship

• The emphasis on being present in the church is lowered

Way Forward

Technology is like.....

Fish....Eat it

BUT!!

Remove the bones

ENDEND

Question Time