On Computer Games and the Gospel . . .

“Words With Friends” is one of the latest popular games with the facebook and mobile device crowd.  It is a game that you can play with friends of your choice, complete with friendly chat, from any online computer, smart phone, or tablet.  (A celebrity was even kicked off an airplane recently for refusing the stewardess’s request to stop playing before takeoff!)  I know quite a few people who play.  It seems quite fun.

But for those of you who may not quite be in the iphone set, I’ll let you in on the secret:

It’s Scrabble.

No, really, it is.  The hot new game that is all over the latest technology is nothing other than the old board game that has been around forever.  Except for a few tweaks to the layout of the board, it is the same identical game.  It is just played with the latest technology and on the hippest new devices.

That got me to thinking about the church and its role in a changing society. We are living in a time of rapid and massive change in so many areas.  It can be very hard to keep up.  Equipment that was cutting edge just a few years ago is already becoming archaic, and by the time I figure out the latest cultural trend, it is already passé. Churches that have tried to keep up with the leading edge of technology and stay relevant to a changing culture have sometimes found it to be an exercise in exhaustion, not to mention frustration. How can I, a forty something who isn’t even on facebook, expect to effectively relate to a culture that I frequently don’t even understand?

And that’s why it is important to realize that “words with friends” is really just “Scrabble.”  Scrabble is a great game.  It is a fun game.  And the progress of technology has allowed people in a very hip culture to rediscover the joy of a very old game.

You see, the task of the church is not to come up with something new. Our generation’s challenge is to present the same old truths in a new way.  The gospel is ageless.  The good news is for all generations.  Jesus is the only savior in any culture, and HE will always be what we have to offer. 

Not that we shouldn’t make an effort to relate to our changing culture. We should.  We have been brought into this particular generation for a reason, and we should remember that our God is big enough to be the Savior of a wireless world.  He is still the prince of peace, and he still gives rest to the weary.  And I am confident that even in this new era of technology, God will provide the opportunity for many to re-discover the joy of a very old truth.