Pen and paper. The printing press. Radio. TV. The Internet. You know what all of these mediums have in common? Each one has been used to further the spread of the Gospel. Throughout history, messengers of the Gospel have used the tools available to them in an effort to effectively reach the people God has called them to serve.
Pen and Paper
Think about it for a second. How would Paul have communicated to all the churches that he helped establish without the development of a writing surface that could be easily carried hundreds of miles? Paul used the technological means available to him to shepherd new and developing churches, raise up new leaders, help plant new churches, and encourage the pastors and leaders that he had established. All with a “pen” and pieces of parchment.
The Printing Press
Fast forward to the mid-15th century and the development of the printing press. With this new piece of technology, the Bible (aka the first book to ever be printed using the new press) became more widely available, and more widely accessible, not only to the religious and social elites, but also to the common man. It’s not a coincidence that the Protestant Reformation began less than a hundred years later.
By use of the printing press, preachers like Whitfield, Torrey, and Spurgeon were able to have their sermons transcribed so that they could be published and then widely circulated. Using the tools available to them, these great preachers of the faith multiplied their effectiveness and witness.
Radio and TV
Consider, even in the last 100 years, how differently we’ve communicated the Gospel than in any time before now. With the advent of radio and television ministries, evangelists and apologists alike were able to broadcast their messages in a rapid format to an audience that would have been unfathomable before. With the use of radio and television, Billy Graham preached to and reached millions with the Gospel ushering in a wave of revivalism comparable to the Great Awakenings of the past. While I don’t particular care for the theology of some television sermons I have seen, I do believe it should not overshadow all of the good this medium has done for Kingdom work.
Desktop Publishing and the Internet
The Internet has given churches the opportunity to reach even more people with the gospel. Blogs, podcasts, and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have allowed Pastors to share their sermons with people across the globe. Although these platforms aren’t free of questionable content, they can still be redeemed and used for God’s glory.
While sharing sermons, technology, and platforms has evolved greatly over the last decade, one area that has remained the same is the process of writing a sermon.
Just like all the great pastors before them, today’s pastors use modern technology to research, write, and preach the gospel. For the last twenty years, pastors have used desktop publishing software like Microsoft Word to help them write their sermons, greatly reducing the time it used to take them to handwrite or type their sermons.
And now, because of the Internet, there’s an even faster, better, and more organized way for pastors to build, present, and store their sermons.
We created Sermonary to help pastors write better sermons in less time using modern technology. Does Sermonary mean pastors don’t need to read the Bible, seek God’s wisdom for their messages, or stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit? Of course not. On the contrary, it gives them more time to do all of those things, as well as have more time for the people they are called to shepherd.
Want to know more? Join the thousands of pastors on the waiting list who have already recognized how valuable this resource is when it comes to writing, preaching, and storing their sermons. Sermonary launches later this year.
