Does “Being Connected” Really Connect Us?

Having a background in electronic engineering, I should not be surprised by all the technological advances and the speed at which the digital world moves forward. I can now connect all my different devices and easily pass media back and forth between them and even choose who I would like to give access to my pictures, videos, files, and storage.

While sitting at my computer in Starbucks this afternoon, I have had the opportunity to quickly be updated with information about which of my friends are sick and which ones are struggling at work today. I’ve seen pictures of their pets, vacations, and children whom I have never met. I know what others are listening to through the day and I receive regular updates letting my know where they have “checked in” and spent their time. This is all interesting information, but I just realized, I really have not talked with or connected with any of them.

Have my relationships turned into data dumps where I know all about people, but really do not know them personally?

Just a side note… as I write this, a couple behind me is discussing what they are going to tell their high school son when he gets home tonight. They have not yet met his new girlfriend, but they do not like what she has been posting on facebook and will be forcing him to break up with her. I know… too much information, but isn’t that the point?

I am not saying that we should go back to soup cans with string between them, but there was a sense of closeness and connection back then (plus you could only be a certain distance apart before there was too much string out and the ineffectiveness told you that you needed to get closer).

I see these connections greatly impacting our churches today as well. At Rock Harbor, I am always trying to figure out how to use technology to better stay in contact with people in our church community. But what do you do when someone chooses to stay home and listen to the podcast because it is more convenient and they can sit in their favorite lounge chair at home? Or they have a difficult time with the worship music because they cannot pick only their favorite songs and create a playlist like they do on their iPod?

Again, I am not against technology and actually love to watch the advances, but not at the cost of relationships. So here’s what I am going to try… I’ll use my devices to set up meeting times and face to face encounters with those I am “connected” with. Then, I’ll use them to effectively keep the connections going while we are apart, without replacing the times together.

Now that I think about it, I should probably turn my computer off and talk to the guy sitting next to me (or give my two cents worth to the couple behind me).