The global adoption of websites and e-mail also enabled communications from missionaries around the world to become richer, more timely, and more frequent. Broadband also enabled free or cheap International phone calls using Voice over IP and video conferencing, giving churches more opportunities to communicate directly with missionaries they supported and even the opportunity to see them working in the mission field.
Wave 3: The Mobile/Social Revolution
While cellphones had been around for decades, and there had even been smartphones capable of running applications, the Mobility Revolution really began with the release of the iPhone in June 2007. Similarly, online social networks had been around for years, but social networking as a dominant societal force really began following the opening of Facebook beyond specific universities in September 2006.
Broad iPhone adoption was immediate, with many Christians among the masses. When the App Store was introduced in 2008, the YouVersion Bible App was among the first 200 apps in the store. (There had been other Bible apps from companies like Olive Tree and Laridian available for years for earlier smartphones and personal digital assistants.) Believers started showing up in church with their phones and Bible apps instead of traditional paper and ink Bibles. Today, in many churches, the electronic crowd greatly outnumbers printed-Bible congregants.
Churches started exploring creating their own mobile apps, but often struggled to figure out what to include that couldn’t simply be accessed from their website through the mobile browser. Eventually, it became clear that the modern smartphone wasn’t just a smaller, more portable computer, enabling the same activities done on a laptop but from anywhere — it enabled an entirely different mode of use. The smartphone became almost like a digital appendage, constantly being referenced to remind, inform, and, most significantly, stay connected to the people and things we love and care about. Companies like Aware3 helped churches build the mobile experiences that enabled their members to stay engaged throughout the week.
Since many ChMSes had already moved to the cloud with web access, software makers quickly moved to support the smaller browser window of mobile phones and before long introduced dedicated mobile apps that connected to the cloud back-end. Some of the newer vendors, like TouchPoint and Breeze, saw the potential of the new mobile use patterns and made mobile a leading element of their solution.
Mobile and Social also fundamentally changed the way that churches communicated with their members. As more people adopted text messaging as their preferred means of communications, churches had to adapt to this new reality. Companies sprang up offering text-based prayer chain solutions, broadcast text, and more general texting group management capabilities. Churches also began to use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to connect with and communicate with their congregations.
Social media became a potential landmine for many youth pastors. On one hand, teens were getting Facebook (and later Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik-Tok) accounts as quickly as they could and wanted to receive youth group information through those channels. Unfortunately, children under 13 were prohibited from getting accounts with these services, so relying on social media would leave some kids out. Even worse, news stories quickly emerged of predators targeting youthful victims through social media sites, causing many parents to ban their kids from the popular services. Capturing the power and managing the danger was easier said than done for many youth pastors.
Software vendors saw these challenges as market opportunity. Some of the ChMS and engagement vendors saw an opportunity to create church-specific social networks. Long-time ChMS provider, ACS Technologies launched The City, “a group-oriented social network that [was]all about helping churches build deeper community and extend the love of Christ to the world.” I even worked with some young entrepreneurs to launch CXfriends — “the Facebook alternative for Christian families.” Unfortunately, as much as some parents said they distrusted Facebook, they didn’t seem willing to walk away from the network where all their friends were already actively engaged (Facebook) and commit to a new platform (like The City or CXfriends).
Recently, some dangers of social networks have become more apparent, including creating negative self-image in young people, leading to mental health issues, and acting as an “echo chamber” amplifying narrow perspectives and contributing to divisiveness in our society. Social networks are also known to be used for human trafficking, drug dealing, and to promote coordinated violent activities. While social networks have helped church members to stay connected with each other throughout the week, and to be more deeply involved in each others’ lives, churches have struggled with how to balance the power and the danger.
Smartphones have also introduced new dangers into the world. While the devices have helped us stay more connected with those we care about throughout the day, they can introduce what researchers call “technoference” in relationships when we are together, as we divide our time between the social connections in our hand and those in our presence. Smartphones have also helped break down the time and place barriers between work and home life, which can be damaging to healthy family relationships. Smartphones also make it easier for the weak flesh that remains even in believers to sin in many ways (covetousness, anger/hate, lust, disrespect, etc.).
