THREE STARS
REVIEW: VIRAL: How Social Networking is Poised to Igniteby Leonard Sweet
I am a Gutenberger treading lightly into the world of Googlers. If that statement didn’t make any sense, you need to read VIRAL: How Social Networking is Poised to Ignite Revival.
In this book, Leonard Sweet paints a picture of how the Church needs to change with the times and learn from the Googlers. See, Googlers are the ones who fluently speak the language of Twitter, Google, iPhones, and Facebook. Gutenbergers prefer the “old school” way—real books they can hold in their hands. (That’s me!) No matter who is right, this Googler generation shows that with all their use of technology and the way in which they utilize it, they seek pure relationships. They want to talk about their lives and hear about the lives of others. The Church is all about relationships, too, or it should be. Sweet says there is then a way to mesh the old with the new because Jesus’ message is still relevant today—still relevant to Googlers.
Sweet is an excellent writer and had some valuable illustrations. The book is aimed toward a Gutenberger (and there are quizzes throughout it to see if you if you are a Googlers or a Gutenberger) to show that in today’s world the Church needs to adapt if it is going to reach the Googlers, the current generation. At the end of each chapter are some interactive questions to consider—something that could be used with a church staff perhaps.
I really liked the idea and the concept of the book and was drawn to it, yet I ended reading the book wanting more. For me, a person in active ministry, I wish the book had more of a practical section that would have been like a “10-step” program or plan of how a pastor and/or Church could move from being a Gutenberger into the Googler world. That is why I ranked it a three.
*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
REVIEW: VIRAL: How Social Networking is Poised to Igniteby Leonard Sweet
I am a Gutenberger treading lightly into the world of Googlers. If that statement didn’t make any sense, you need to read VIRAL: How Social Networking is Poised to Ignite Revival.
In this book, Leonard Sweet paints a picture of how the Church needs to change with the times and learn from the Googlers. See, Googlers are the ones who fluently speak the language of Twitter, Google, iPhones, and Facebook. Gutenbergers prefer the “old school” way—real books they can hold in their hands. (That’s me!) No matter who is right, this Googler generation shows that with all their use of technology and the way in which they utilize it, they seek pure relationships. They want to talk about their lives and hear about the lives of others. The Church is all about relationships, too, or it should be. Sweet says there is then a way to mesh the old with the new because Jesus’ message is still relevant today—still relevant to Googlers.
Sweet is an excellent writer and had some valuable illustrations. The book is aimed toward a Gutenberger (and there are quizzes throughout it to see if you if you are a Googlers or a Gutenberger) to show that in today’s world the Church needs to adapt if it is going to reach the Googlers, the current generation. At the end of each chapter are some interactive questions to consider—something that could be used with a church staff perhaps.
I really liked the idea and the concept of the book and was drawn to it, yet I ended reading the book wanting more. For me, a person in active ministry, I wish the book had more of a practical section that would have been like a “10-step” program or plan of how a pastor and/or Church could move from being a Gutenberger into the Googler world. That is why I ranked it a three.
*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Interesting take on the need to adapt to change. Personally, being in the age group that lends itself to the Googlers, I also find myself to be a Gutenberger when it comes to reading. I still prefer to have something on paper I can hold in my hand. But otherwise, it would be smart for the Church (regardless of denomination) to actively engage in the growing world of technology and social media while maintaining a balance of the old-school interaction.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Michele! I agree!
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