It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. In fact, my personal site here is rather atrocious at the moment, but that’s because all of my efforts have been focused on my summer 20’s Church project. The following is something I’m really passionate about and was something I posted on our blog for the 20’s Church. Check it out and hopefully I will be better about checking in here soon!
“The world is flat…”
Everyone just calm down. We know the planet is not physically flat, but the 2014 world that we live in might just be flatter than you think. Let me explain.
Thomas L. Friedman wrote a book a few years ago called The World is Flat. In a nutshell, Friedman says that technology has flattened the playing field where businesses compete. Globalization creates a marketplace that is not constrained by physical boundaries.
Globalization doesn’t just change the marketplace, though.
Technology gives us a global culture, too.
From coast to coast, people are watching the same YouTube videos, tweeting about the same episodes of “The Walking Dead” and ultimately engaging with the same content. Social media and the Internet have enabled the people in Walla Walla, Washington (yes, that’s a real place) to consume the same things as those in New York City.
Today’s culture is even international. The perfect example came this fall — remember that obnoxious song, “What Does the Fox Say?” (I’m sorry you had to relive the “ring ding ding” playing through your head again, but the point is worth it.) That song came from Ylvis, who’s basically the Swedish version of Jimmy Fallon. His song jumped “the pond” because YouTube can be accessed in Blacksburg, Virginia (I heard the song for the first time at a Virginia Tech football game) the same as it can be in Stockholm, Sweden.
So how does this affect the church?
We met with LifeChurch.tv while in Oklahoma City. LifeChurch.tv has 19 campuses in five states from Oklahoma City to Albany, New York. When we talked to Team Development Leader Jerry Hurley about the importance of relating to the local culture, he responded with a challenge to us.
Consider if the local culture is as important as it used to be.
His point was essentially that the world is flat. Even 20 years ago, the culture in Albany would have been incredibly different than the culture in OKC, but in 2014, that’s not so true. We have access to the same viral videos and internet trends no matter where we are in the world.
Being in tune with that global culture is incredibly important to the church and has allowed LifeChurch.tv to be very effective in a variety of different regions in the U.S.
I’m here to challenge you to look at the online trends and be relevant to the global culture that now exists. See what kids are watching on YouTube. Look at those trending topics on Twitter. Click on the obnoxious box of Facebook news. Engage the culture on the Internet because it might just be more pervasive than your local culture.
Taylor Snodgrass 