The Church Embraces Technology--Should We Be Afraid?

After years of preaching that we should beware technology, the church has done a complete one-eighty and embraced it whole-heartedly in a move that some may find...creepy.

There is now such a thing as a virtual preacher. Now sermons can be given from a "mother church" and transported out to other churches all across teh country by using high-def imagery.

The church sees it as a way to reach even more people, but it's coming at a steep cost--somewhere between $50,000 to $2 million as reported by CNN.com.

You have to wonder--couldn't that money be better spent? Especially considering the institution using the technology is one that preaches against greed and champions helping the poor.

And what kind of message is it sending to have sermons phoned in? Isn't human connection one of the main reasons people go to church?

I can't help but feel that this may be another instance where celebrity preachers are hoping to increase their fame by adopting a "modern" approach while still promoting old faith.

Clearly a church that is willing to spend so much is assuming they'll get it back some way, right?

I guess the obvious question to ask is--"What would Jesus think of this?"

But then again, Jesus was something of a celebrity himself...