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Grace and Gigabytes: Being Church in a Tech-Shaped Culture
Grace and Being Church in a Tech-Shaped Culture explores change and ministry at the intersection of technology, culture, and church. In today's tech-shaped culture, we learn and we know through questions, connection, collaboration, and creativity--the networked values of the digital age. Drawing on experiences from a career as an instructional designer in the technology industry and a lifetime of leadership in the Lutheran church, Ryan M. Panzer argues that digital technology is not a set of tools, but a force for cultural transformation that has profound implications for ministry.
Grace and Gigabytes explores shifts in culture that have heightened amid accelerated adoption and use of digital media. Just as previous revolutions in technology have disrupted culture, especially processes of cultural "meaning-making" related to faith and spirituality, so we are living through a powerful revolution of digital technology, culture, and spiritual thought. This revolution calls the church to change. This needed change requires not so much a shift in launching a website, building a podcast, or starting a social media page. The change is a philosophical prioritizing collaboration, making the flow of knowledge more dynamic, celebrating connection and creativity, and always affirming the question. Panzer discusses each of these philosophical pivots, describing their technological origins. He tells stories of ministries that have aligned to this cultural moment. And he provides concrete recommendations for the practice of ministry in a digital age.
Grace and Gigabytes explores shifts in culture that have heightened amid accelerated adoption and use of digital media. Just as previous revolutions in technology have disrupted culture, especially processes of cultural "meaning-making" related to faith and spirituality, so we are living through a powerful revolution of digital technology, culture, and spiritual thought. This revolution calls the church to change. This needed change requires not so much a shift in launching a website, building a podcast, or starting a social media page. The change is a philosophical prioritizing collaboration, making the flow of knowledge more dynamic, celebrating connection and creativity, and always affirming the question. Panzer discusses each of these philosophical pivots, describing their technological origins. He tells stories of ministries that have aligned to this cultural moment. And he provides concrete recommendations for the practice of ministry in a digital age.
167 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2020
17 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 5, 2020
A very ironic twist that probably neither author would agree with, Ryan Panzer and Rod Dreher identify many of the same challenges that face the church in our modern age. They both talk about problems of questions, connection, collaboration, and creativity. Dreher's solution is to circle the wagons and return to traditional forms of Christianity. Panzer's is just the opposite. He suggests that it is time for the church to fully embrace the culture of the digital age and learn how to operate as the church in that time.
For example, in his second section on the importance of connection, Panzer suggests that in order to enhance community, we need to recognize that the church exists far beyond physical boundaries. He even suggests that it might be a healthy practice to have a 100% virtual service every now and then (even outside a time of pandemic) to help reaffirm the validity of that model of church attendance. In his chapter on creativity, he talks very positively about social media as a positive, storytelling medium, and church members should be encouraged to create, produce, and interact on these platforms.
This is a valuable work. While I did not agree with many of his conclusions about the fundamental goodness of our digital culture, Panzer provides a very thought-provoking book that suggests that maybe our criticism of technology, social media, and everything else have been skewed too far to one side. Instead, maybe there are innovative ways that we can use them to enhance worship services for all people.
For example, in his second section on the importance of connection, Panzer suggests that in order to enhance community, we need to recognize that the church exists far beyond physical boundaries. He even suggests that it might be a healthy practice to have a 100% virtual service every now and then (even outside a time of pandemic) to help reaffirm the validity of that model of church attendance. In his chapter on creativity, he talks very positively about social media as a positive, storytelling medium, and church members should be encouraged to create, produce, and interact on these platforms.
This is a valuable work. While I did not agree with many of his conclusions about the fundamental goodness of our digital culture, Panzer provides a very thought-provoking book that suggests that maybe our criticism of technology, social media, and everything else have been skewed too far to one side. Instead, maybe there are innovative ways that we can use them to enhance worship services for all people.
November 20, 2020
A book about the intersection of church and technology during a global pandemic is not only helpful, it’s essential. Panzer moves the conversation beyond the typical “technology as tool” mindset the church has been thoughtfully engaged with, and into a deeper “technology as mindset” paradigm that is more important to consider.
The iPhone came out in 2007 and changed everything. We have moved from being a culture that just has access to amazing tools like smartphones, to being a society that is profoundly shaped by this technology and all the apps that come with it. So how does the church respond?
This book walks through four categories: questions, connection, collaboration, and creativity. In each section, Panzer relies on his expertise from 10 years in the tech industry (at Google and Zendesk) and a lifetime of service in the Lutheran Church to look at the overlap between these two worlds and how to move forward.
Ultimately, this is a book aligns the church toward digital engagement, not in a way that is slick, highly produced and professional (though you can do that if you want), but a use of technology that is deeply human. The church owns the greatest story ever told, and has a congregation of dozens to thousands of stories worth sharing, and in a world that is shaped by a tech-mindset, we must do everything we can to share these stories in a world that needs the hope, joy, peace, and grace they provide.
The iPhone came out in 2007 and changed everything. We have moved from being a culture that just has access to amazing tools like smartphones, to being a society that is profoundly shaped by this technology and all the apps that come with it. So how does the church respond?
This book walks through four categories: questions, connection, collaboration, and creativity. In each section, Panzer relies on his expertise from 10 years in the tech industry (at Google and Zendesk) and a lifetime of service in the Lutheran Church to look at the overlap between these two worlds and how to move forward.
Ultimately, this is a book aligns the church toward digital engagement, not in a way that is slick, highly produced and professional (though you can do that if you want), but a use of technology that is deeply human. The church owns the greatest story ever told, and has a congregation of dozens to thousands of stories worth sharing, and in a world that is shaped by a tech-mindset, we must do everything we can to share these stories in a world that needs the hope, joy, peace, and grace they provide.
January 27, 2021
Technology is surely shaping our culture. How we respond will help determine the future of the church. Ryan Panzer offers a helpful look at the ways in which this is occurring. Seminary educated, Panzer has spent much of his life in the technology field, including a stint at Google.
While I appreciated much of what he had to say, at times I felt he was a bit too pushy. The other thing that stood out was the constant reference to Google and Google products. While I use many of them myself, it was a bit overwhelming. Nevertheless, the book should prove valuable as we speak of technology and the church after the pandemic.
While I appreciated much of what he had to say, at times I felt he was a bit too pushy. The other thing that stood out was the constant reference to Google and Google products. While I use many of them myself, it was a bit overwhelming. Nevertheless, the book should prove valuable as we speak of technology and the church after the pandemic.
March 28, 2022
A good general level, intro survey of the issues congregations face. While I would have loved it if it could have been more specific, I also recognize that the more specific it gets, the more quickly it will go out of date by the fast pace of tech.
Overall a good book that helped me think in a different framework...to keep the digital alongside the analog in our worship, programming and proclamation.
Overall a good book that helped me think in a different framework...to keep the digital alongside the analog in our worship, programming and proclamation.
April 13, 2022
Our church council (board) is reading this book. I commend Panzer for providing a fresh perspective, converging the always-accelerating digital world with the slower-moving Christian church. His explanation of creating something together, inviting church leaders to let down our guard and become co-creators is inspiring. His language is easily accessible and questions at the end of chapters have created good conversation among council members.
April 21, 2022
Read with church council. Enjoyable read. Especially enjoyed the early chapters and the one on stories. Lots and lots of good here.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews