THE digital environment is firmly part of the world in which we live. Everywhere you go, be it in a remote African village or a shopping centre in Glasgow, you will find people totally engrossed in a continuum that moves from a digital environment to a face to face encounter.
It all happens in a seamless manner. We are now living through a digitalised revolution that is having a profound effect and impact on how we understand, what is meant by face to face, time and space and indeed how we define personal identity and sustain relationships with others. It is now possible to be in two places at the same time. Technology is giving a new meaning to presence and location. If this massive identity challenge is not apparent to you as yet it will be in the next two or three years.
Local congregations need to understand and accept that the internet and social networks are opportunities for dialogue and encounter with many who are estranged from formal church, as well as offering opportunities to regular church attenders, access to information and knowledge. However digitalisation is about much more than the church creating a noticeboard on the internet.