by Bruce Prokopets
For centuries, the systems of communications throughout the world have been swiftly evolving.
In the 1400s, the printing press created the ability for mass publication and circulation of literature, opening the door for the Christian gospel to reach around the world through books, tracts, and the Bible itself. During the late 1800s, the telegraph and the telephone were invented, further spreading the opportunities for Christian evangelism. In the mid 20th century, radio and television further advanced that possibility. Now, in the 21st century, we can literally reach millions live through streaming video. For the Christian evangelist, there is a truly awesome marriage of religion and technology.
Bishop E. Bernard Jordan, Founder and Chief Prelate of Zoe Ministries is a paradigm of this shift from the pew to cyberspace. From the simple input of information into a database to carrying religion into all of the worlds through technological advances such as live streaming, Bishop Jordan has moved his ministry from drawing hundreds of people to the pews of the local church to drawing millions of people to witness and experience his prophetic ministry through the wonder of computer technology.
His Parishioners now have access to the prophetic ministry 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether through teachings and messages concerning God, spirituality, and prophecy or through the ability to purchase books, teachings, and music. According to the Bishop, "Because of the blessing that computer and Internet technology represents, my Parishioners are now only a 'click' away from God; they are only a 'click' away from the prophetic word." His outreach is truly interactive via special Faith Chat sessions during live services on Sundays, Tuesday evenings, and Thursday evenings.
Whether it is Jane Danielsen of Denmark, who views the live streaming telecasts weekly, Lillian Holmgaard of Denmark, who gathers people together in her community around the computer to view the live telecasts; Carl Ameho from South Korea who views the telecast several times throughout his day to experience the power of prophecy or Frans Zegers of the Netherlands who faithfully views the Power of Prophecy telecast, Bishop Jordan's parishioners are in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Africa and throughout the world.
There is a growing need for leaders in the Church to expand their ministry and to reach larger groups of people all around the world. The world is waiting eagerly to hear the spiritual truths that have been burning in the hearts and minds of many pastors, preachers, evangelists, and prophets.
People are in need of an answer, yet the fact is many do not want to physically go to church. Yet these people are hungry for the word of God. Therefore, spiritual leaders of all faiths must now open their minds to the use of the Internet, live streaming and other advanced forms of technology to get their message to the world.
If Jesus, Buddha or Mohammed were to bring their message to this day, they would use the most advanced means of technology available to communicate their message to as many people as they could reach.
There is a growing concern in urban America about the accessibility of this powerful and relatively inexpensive technology. Only 25% of African-Americans appear to be functional in the information age. This alarming figure can be attributed mainly to the fact that there are more black males in prison than in college. Many are blue-collar workers, whose jobs limit their access in the area of technology. Perhaps religion could possibly bring more exposure to the importance of computers and advanced technology to a community that has been frozen out of the information age.
If they know that their favorite preacher is available on the Internet via live streaming, and they have the ability to interact with him/her from the comfort of their home, what a milestone that could be! With the ability to download sermon messages at no charge, make online donations, and personally interact with the preacher by way of the Internet.
In the last five years, Zoe Ministries has lost 80 percent of its local congregation (pew members) but has doubled its revenue through the faithful partners worldwide who access the ministry through the most powerful means of technology available, the Internet. Religion and technology must make sense. Both areas must merge if we are going to reach the world with the gospel. To those who espouse this philosophy, the 21st century will become an age where technology is integrated into religion by allowing people to have their religious experience by way of the Internet. A "soul" used to be defined as the person we could see, but now we are discovering that a "soul" is the person whom we cannot see.
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