Let’s start with the definition of technology… 

Technology can be defined as specific methods, materials and devices used to solve practical problems! 

In the book of Mark 16:15 (KJV) Jesus ordered his followers to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature!… 

This became the sole purpose and number one mission of every person who identifies as a Christian! 

Starting from that very moment Jesus gave this instruction and ascended into heaven… 

His disciples began to travel from street to street, city to city, state to state and country to country preaching the gospel of Christ… 

All in the process of obeying these instructions! 

Somewhere along the line… 

Christianity managed to sneak its head into Africa!… 

Some people say it was the slave traders and colonial masters that brought Christianity into Africa!… 

Others disagree!… 

This group says that… it was the eunuch from Ethiopia… 

Who received the message of Christ from Philip… 

And he brought Christianity to Africa! 

Well, they both might be right but that is not what we are going to discuss in this article!… We are instead going to look at how technology has positively improved christianity in Africa! 

It’s so unfortunate that African Christians now carry the cross of Christianity much higher than those who brought the religion to Africa! 

If the disciples and apostles that ate, drank and lived with Jesus were still alive today to witness the way African Christians support Christianity…

I am sure they would have given African Christians gold medals! 

The overzealousness of African Christians combined with the assistance of technology have greatly improved the growth of Christianity in Africa! 

Although it is well known that whenever a new technology comes into Africa… African Christians are always quick to tag the technology “work of the antichrist”… 

They still do not allow this belief to hold them back from using the “work of the antichrist” to move the gospel of Christ! 

I remember when television found its way into Nigeria… 

A certain pastor told his congregation that the television is the work of the devil and it is a sin to watch television!… 

This made the majority of his members hate television!… 

You will pay them a visit and you will notice that there’s no television in the sitting room!… The ones who owned television before they got this instruction from their pastor… Kept the television covered or hidden! 

Fast forward to a few years later… 

This same pastor who made it clear to his congregation that it is a sin to watch television… Began to take advantage of television to spread the gospel of Christ!… 

When he realized his mistake and saw the importance of a technology like television to the body of Christ… 

He made sure that at least eighty percent of his church branches in Nigeria had televisions and projector screens!… 

In Fact his church was one of the first to take advantage of projector screens for crusades and retreats! 

The use of projector screens began to attract people who lived around or who were passing by any of his church branches where this technology was being used!…

This greatly increased the number of people who began to attend his church! 

As for the television it became the first technology that came into the African Christian space and destroyed the barrier distance created! 

Pastors began to use television and projector screens to broadcast their messages to a much larger audience!… 

Thanks to this technology… 

Church members begin to feel close to their pastors!… 

Parts of Nigeria or Africa the missionaries of a certain church could not go to or send a pastor to… 

They began to use the television and projector screens to open and run church branches in these locations! 

And then the internet came!… 

The internet coupled with social media made televisions and projector screens look like child’s play! 

The internet made it possible for pastors in Africa to go global with their messages without leaving the shores of Africa… 

Or their own African country! 

The internet made it very easy and possible for African pastors to be in a place like Lagos, Nigeria… 

And have conversations with people or their church members in Beijing, China! 

Missionaries in foreign countries now had the option of sending and receiving messages in the form of Videos or audios to and fro the church headquarter in Africa! 

Social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the rest… 

Made it possible for pastors to have discussions with their Church members face to face without going to their houses! 

Some churches even created their own social media networks… 

While almost all of them now have their own church website!

These technologies have succeeded in breaking the excuse most people give when invited to a certain church or church program!… 

Even church members no longer have any reason or excuse to give as to why they were not able to be in church!… 

Because these technologies have made it possible for any John, Joseph and Mary to be in church… 

Not minding the location of the church… 

Without leaving their comfort zone or stressing themselves! 

Churches in Africa used to be at the risk of getting robbed of their tithes and offerings… When transporting it to the bank or the church headquarters! 

Until the internet came along with something called cashless transactions!… 

Churches realized that they could ask their congregation to transfer money from their bank accounts straight into the church’s bank account!… 

Irrespective of where that church member is/was located or where the church is/was located… The money will be transferred in the blink of an eye! 

Churches began to take advantage of this to collect tithes and offerings from their members!… 

This also made it possible for pastors to sell their books to a much larger audience and collect payment from anyone who purchased their books… 

Without even meeting these people or having unnecessary conversation with them! Pastors who use to make their messages available in cassettes… 

Moved from that to CDs… 

Then DVDs… 

Now, they take advantage of Video sharing sites like YouTube to spread the gospel!… 

And also make use of their own church websites to sell some of their videos to church members, Christians of other denominations and anybody who wants to listen to their teachings!

Despite the fact that there are still pastors and church members… 

Who still holds the belief that these technologies are the work of the anti-Christ!… 

No Christian can deny the fact that these technologies have greatly improved the movement and growth of Christianity in Africa!

Do you know While Christianity does not support gambing, some pastors actually make some extra money from Online betting?  There ere rumours about Betting Bonus too!

As Opined by Our Guest Mr Dave Jacob