21st Century Media and Scriptural Tools
As a Christian in today’s society it is EXTREMELY important to continually be seeking to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of scripture. The Church today has some very puzzling characteristics about it. One thing in particular is that we are probably less informed about the scriptures than at ANY point in the Christian church. Sure we know John 3:16 and a few others by heart, but what percentage of church members to you think could tell you the story of Barak? Can you? How about even naming the ten commandments? Naming the twelve disciples?
These are just a few basic things that should not be too hard to take to heart if we are studying the scriptures as consistently as we should be – but we’re not. And I say “we” because I am included in this problem too. What makes this situation so baffling is that we also have more access to the tools needed to study than anyone in history (other than those when Jesus himself was walking around teaching of course). With a church on every block, and dozens of translations and interpretations of the Bible, devotional books and study guides, and Bible commentaries that have been made available since the invention of the printing press we have no excuses. We have even more available to us than the amazing achievements made possible by moveable type. We have TV, radio, and the internet. Podcasts are something I’m sure the early church leaders would have LOVED to utilize!
There has been a lot said about the slop that is put out there on the various forms of media, and I absolutely agree, but we don’t need another article talking about that – there are plenty of them out there already. But just as the Christian church was very actively on the scene when the printing press was implemented making scripture more readily available to the layperson, I think we should be just as much on the scene with these other forms of media – and we are not. Yes, there are television shows and radio broadcasts that teach Christian values, and we even have entire stations devoted to Christian media. The same goes for the internet, there are many great websites out there providing materials to Christians that are seeking to grow in their faith.
But I believe we could be doing so much more. When the printing press came about the church wasn’t just there among a million others that were printing books – it was a forerunner. Up to this point, we have failed to do this with newer forms of media. I do not think it is too late to change that, but it will take focus.
It will also take a movement in the church to actually use these resources. If the resources are made available but they are not used, then they are worthless. I believe more resources will and should be made available, but even with what is available today, the Church as a whole has no excuse for the lack of scriptural understanding.
If you are hungry for scripture check out feed my sheep.
Processing your request, Please wait....
