Future Shock

Friday – October 4, 2013

Ever felt overwhelmed by the pace of today’s culture?

In 1970 a book written by Alvin Tofler was entitled “Future Shock”.  Tofler traced the major shifts in mankind’s journey as being:

·        Shift ONE - about 10,000 years ago - from hunter/gatherer to agrarian (farmer).  Social structure changed from roaming barbarians to clustered family/town units.

·        Shift TWO - about 250 years ago – from farmers to industrial-oriented makers of things.

·        Shift THREE - within the last 60 years – from industrial to information – where less than 15% of the population is involved in physically making things; technology (information) produces more wealth than industry. (source:  http://www.cesar.ws/index.php/267/ )

“Future Shock” is the term used by Tofler to help us recognize the paralyzing effects of change or information-overload, as robotically-controlled manufacturing, computer-driven culture places more information at our disposal, and less critical human input as our fate. 

It’s where the computer brain is more important than the human brain.

A companion shift to all of this is an increasing sense of self-sufficiency.  When you can create wealth, health and stuff with a mouse click or two, where is the need for God?

Ordinarily the church is several decades behind culture, resisting the shifts.  However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the effects of culture shifts even in the church.  Consider, right now, this pastor is communicating not from a pulpit, but sermonizing on a Gateway computer, hooked-up to Time Warner’s broadband connection.  A small group of people in the USA and Philippines are reading together.

So…where does that leave us?

It leaves us where Noah found himself. 

In the midst of a generation that felt no need for God, Noah knew that God was truly the earth’s only hope. 

So, to state the obvious, the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. 

In the midst of this post-industrial, achievement of Almighty MAN generation…it is still the fear of God which will place you outside of technology’s mainstream and inside God’s smelly ARK.

And it’s still a choice:  Future Shock or Flood Scenario.

Today

Gain a little perspective.  Step back from this computer screen which may have become your “lifeline” to the outside world, and reconnect with the God who knows every hair on your head.

This Sunday is World Communion Sunday.  All over the globe Christians will unite around a table that shares the body and blood of the New Covenant.  You won’t need an iPhone or a Twitter account.  There is no request for your Email address or phone contact.  It’s a simple mystery – our sin against Him and His love for us. 

There’s your “Future Shock”.