Just finished reading 'Wired for Ministry: How the Internet, Visual Media, and Other New Technologies Can Serve Your Church' . (Annoyingly unavailable on Kindle.) Should have done a bit more research really - turns out this was written in 2004. Which means it's out of date whenever the author (John P. Jewell) tries to go into detail. To be fair he does write that ‘by the time you read this book, it will be possible to purchase a personal computer with a hard drive… that can hold one thousand gigabytes.’
Which indeed is the size of the disk in my iMac today. He also goes on to talk about how a cell phone could be integrated with a PDA (electronic diary) and in the future we'll all be able to get one. The device he's thinking of is now called a smartphone. So the author, with me and indeed many geeky people at that time, were thinking about how you should be able to combine a phone, PDA, SatNav, Video & MP3 player, internet access, and camera. Ideally on a device that just had a big touchscreen colour LCD.
Thankfully, Apple were thinking that too, and the iPhone was released just 3 years later, in 2007. Which really was one magical gadget to rule them all, as Gandalf might say. Rather spoiled it for us tech-geeks because it does pretty much everything, and does away with the need for other gadgets.
Thus began Apple's rise to the top of the tech companies pile. Mostly due to the brilliance of the iPhone -and of course their online content stores. But Apple didn't stop there.
One thing that John Jewel got wrong was this. He downplayed the financial clout of computer companies. He says Microsoft was only 11% as big as Wal-Mart, and nothing like the size of the oil companies. But in 2011, it is the technology companies that are starting to dominate the world.
It's been reported this month that 'Apple Pushes Past Exxon To Become The Most Valuable Public Company In The World'. (I will do a blog on Apple one day. Very interesting case study.)
Theology is of course lagging behind the rise of technology, and the importance of technology to everything else. A world revolving around information is different to one revolving around oil. And shouldn't the world really be revolving around the Son?
Jewel says, ‘Technology provides new tools, but not new theology.’ I think he's wrong. More on that later.
I evernoted this CBS news video months ago; just got round to watching it. Very interesting - some really good insights and points made. (TV News coverage of religion in the UK is often appalling, but in the US it comes across as if the reporter has a clue what they're talking about.)
Can't think of a relevant scripture, so here's today's verse from the myCofE iPhone app. On 2nd thoughts, maybe it does refer to anyone being tempted by an Apple. Apple CEO Steve Jobs could be in big trouble!
Luke 17:1 NLT
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!
I'm really hoping that getting an iPhone isn't giving in to a temptation to sin. it's only sin if you're desiring something that's bad for you, or is too costly (or it belongs to someone else). Probably.
(Yes I know that Genesis doesn't actually say it was an apple!)
Slightly but not completely off topic, I'd really like a bit of feedback on the new church website. What did I miss off? I need a couple more photos on there I know. Please have a look. Just realized it doesn't work too well on iPhone. I'll have to do something about that. (Does technology generate more work than it saves? Would that be a good thing or bad?)
One thing that John Jewel got wrong was this. He downplayed the financial clout of computer companies. He says Microsoft was only 11% as big as Wal-Mart, and nothing like the size of the oil companies. But in 2011, it is the technology companies that are starting to dominate the world.
It's been reported this month that 'Apple Pushes Past Exxon To Become The Most Valuable Public Company In The World'. (I will do a blog on Apple one day. Very interesting case study.)
Theology is of course lagging behind the rise of technology, and the importance of technology to everything else. A world revolving around information is different to one revolving around oil. And shouldn't the world really be revolving around the Son?
Jewel says, ‘Technology provides new tools, but not new theology.’ I think he's wrong. More on that later.
I evernoted this CBS news video months ago; just got round to watching it. Very interesting - some really good insights and points made. (TV News coverage of religion in the UK is often appalling, but in the US it comes across as if the reporter has a clue what they're talking about.)
Can't think of a relevant scripture, so here's today's verse from the myCofE iPhone app. On 2nd thoughts, maybe it does refer to anyone being tempted by an Apple. Apple CEO Steve Jobs could be in big trouble!
Luke 17:1 NLT
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!
I'm really hoping that getting an iPhone isn't giving in to a temptation to sin. it's only sin if you're desiring something that's bad for you, or is too costly (or it belongs to someone else). Probably.
(Yes I know that Genesis doesn't actually say it was an apple!)
Slightly but not completely off topic, I'd really like a bit of feedback on the new church website. What did I miss off? I need a couple more photos on there I know. Please have a look. Just realized it doesn't work too well on iPhone. I'll have to do something about that. (Does technology generate more work than it saves? Would that be a good thing or bad?)
Well, I like the new webpage, doesn't seem as bitty as the previous one and I prefer having the links in that box, found it easier to find what I wanted. Love the pretty colours! and the picture behind What's On. Wasn't there a calendar on the old site? Is it necessary with the What's On box? Are you planning to update that each week to change the type of service, or is Morning Worship a generic term, or have you incorporated a piece of wizardry that will do it for you?
ReplyDeleteThe only other thing I have to say is that some people are just never satisified, first you want a gadget that does it all and then when you get it you feel cheated out of all your techy toys - now the problem with this particular piece of technology is that you couldn't see the exasperated expression, hear the dramatic sigh or see the grin that all went with the last comment.
had a look at the website. thought it was attractive and user friendly - liked the bluey purple colour and the fish swimming past! tried all the categories and they were easy to follow.the links were good too, but didn't have time to do justice to the Jesus one - there's so much in it, but i,m sure seekers would find it interesting and helpful.liked and prayed the holy spirit prayer.At this moment I cant think of anything you might have missed off . well done to the technical, production team!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the website comments. I haven't looked through the rejesus website myself for a while but I think it's a good resource for people coming from 'outside'.
ReplyDeleteTim did a calendar for me which I then decided to replace with the diary of events thing cos it's easier to maintain.
I have indeed 'incorporated a piece of wizardry' in the What's On bit. it's the most complicated bit of code I've written for over 10 years! And all it does is work out what Sunday of the month it is. It should change the service type on a Mondays - worked this week anyway.
Also going to change the title of that bit following a suggestion from Lynn. Which requires some more programming...
My instant reaction was that the colours work well: The warm blue works well with the background image. A few minor suggestions:
ReplyDelete1) If you want the website to be attractive to potential newcomers, there is a lack of pictures of people - and people doing things together as a church? Some short assurance that your church has reasonable beliefs may be useful in knocking down any barriers on that respect in this sceptical day and age, though too much upfronty theology can be equally offputting!
2) My eye was drawn to the "What's On?" list but then I could have missed the 'events' and 'groups' tabs which also supply details of what is 'on'. If information in these two options is not going to be in the "What's On" list, perhaps there should simply be a couple more links at the botton of the list so that you notice the groups and events one way or another.
3) For people with eye problems, the colours on the text which overlays the picture of the church makes the text difficult to read. It would be better to simply have all the overlaid text as white text with a black shaddow to keeo the contrast up.
Thanks for your feedback. You are certainly right about the lack of pictures of people. Being on sabbatical I'm not able to take any at the moment (maybe someone else could help?). I had a trawl through my archive but couldn't find any to do the job. That's one thing that will certainly change.
ReplyDeleteI had thought about a statement of faith, too. In fact I got as far as wondering if there's the Nicene creed or similar on the CofE website. Must check that.
I'll have to check if it's technically possible to put some extra links on the What's On bit as well.
I like the colours as they are though - can't be doing with black and White!
Like new website. Two tiny comments - September spelt wrong on dates for diary page and perhaps coffee break should be mentioned on events.
ReplyDeleteThanks for proof reading. Septemer spelt wrongLY - fixed that one I think.
ReplyDeleteCoffee Break (I hope) automatically appears on the What's On list in the week when it happens. I'll forget to check - you can tell me if it doesn't!