OR Why the Internet Isn’t “Magic Land.”
Pulling a rabbit out of a hat is the skill of a well trained amateur. Making an elephant disappear is reserved for those in the league of David Copperfield. However, make that a digital elephant and now everyone is expected to be able to pull off the trick.
An Illusion
There is an illusion—an act far more enchanting than having an elephant disappear before your eyes—that has spread far and wide across the world wide web. It’s an illusion that is captivating millions. The line of thinking goes something like this: if it’s online then it’s easy. If it’s digital then it’s inexpensive. If it’s composed of bits and bytes then it’s quick.
This belief is not unique to Christians, but over the years I’ve witnessed a Christian voice (perhaps a vocal minority) grow louder in their complaints and demands via comments and emails. In their mind, every Christian ministry is expected to have every possible resource (study tools, videos, books, audio, articles, apps, etc.) available on every possible platform. And they want it now! Not only do they want it now, that want quality, and they want it for free. A thank you is seldom heard when this is actually achieved, after all, it was online and therefore easy, inexpensive, and quick, right?
This is not evidence of Christians growing in grace, but growing under a delusion. As a Christian geek, an ‘insider’ if you will, I’d like to sound a corrective.
The Reality
I speak in black and white terms like this because for one to believe that getting quality resources online is easy, inexpensive, and quick is to be deluded.
The reality:
Quality online resources often take a team of people with great skill, at great cost, with a great investment of time.
Large Scale
This is especially true for those more large scale ministries and projects. But remember, just because a ministry is having a large impact doesn’t mean it has a large team with a large amount of resources.
I was speaking to the founder of a very popular free online tool for Christians recently. We were discussing ways to improve and expand this tool. He informed me that over the course of the project he had invested many millions of dollars into it. A financial sacrifice that has blessed millions. I asked how much financial support he had received from other Christians. His answer? A few hundred thousand dollars. Not even a drop in the ocean.
Like clicking your fingers and making a digital elephant disappear, this Christian (now a small team of Christians) is expected to magically make this tool available as an app for every smartphone, and jump on every technological bandwagon and fad. Sure, these are great expansions to make, but the Internet isn’t “magic land.” It doesn’t “just happen.”
Small Scale
This isn’t only true for those serving millions, but true for those serving tens, hundreds and thousands.
Take Christian bloggers, for example. They have annual costs for domain names and ongoing hosting charges. In addition to money their largest contribution is time. And to write well and often takes lots of time. Yes, this is every blogger’s choice. Yes, this is only small scale. But the reality remains: blogs are not the fruit of “magic land.” In fact, speaking with a wide variety of bloggers it’s true many blogs are born not out of “magic,” but out of sweat and tears.
3 Ways You Can Help
You can help acknowledge the digital elephant in the room, and in so doing potentially make it disappear.
Here are 3 ways:
1. With Your Prayers
I wrote recently how pixels are people. Well, behind every digital Christian ministry, resource, tool, or blog, is a person or group of people. And they need your prayers.
I’d like to encourage you to think which Christian ministries and individuals bless and serve you online over the course of a typical month. Perhaps it’s browsing Monergism.com or Ligonier.org, listening to Albert Mohler’s The Briefing or Mike Horton’s White Horse Inn, reading Justin Taylor or Tim Challies’ blog, or following @BurkParsons on Twitter. Whatever your list looks like, write down their names and consider committing to pray for one of them every day.
What a blessing it would if more Christians prayed for those serving the online community.
TIP: Pray for their continued wisdom, stewardship of resources, desire to glorify God, etc.
2. With Your Finances
Remember, it might be available for free, but it wasn’t free to produce and make available to you.
Consider for a moment the Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recordings Trust. Oh, how we all rejoiced and the Twittersphere almost exploded when Phil Johnson tweeted recently that all of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ sermons would soon be free. But think for a moment. This doesn’t mean this ministry’s operating costs have reduced or disappeared. In fact, with such increased attention, it is likely their costs have increased.
Update: Thanks to “threegirldad” for letting us know that this was the case. MLJ Trust had to impose a download limit and move their site to a more powerful server. Click here to see screenshot of their news announcement.
Larger Ministries
So think back to that prayer list from the previous point. Add to that list now possibly The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recordings Trust, Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and many others. Now who on this list could you consider making a small or generous donation? An act done out of love to say thank you and to help bless others just as you’ve been blessed?
Bloggers
If times are financially tough for you as they are for many, why not make use of Amazon links. Many bloggers include links to Amazon and other book stores when mentioning products. If you use their links before making a purchase they’ll get a small commission. It’s not much, but like a tip jar it helps cover some of the costs.
3. With Your Words
As I said in the intro, the jeers from the audience have been growing louder. Assuming Christians serve and work in “Magic Land” where everything is easy, inexpensive, and quick, unrealistic expectations and burdens are laid upon many. Sadly, the online world doesn’t always promote the sending of thank you notes or expressions of appreciation. Instead, it fosters demands and complaints in comments…on blogs, on Facebook, on Twitter, and in emails.
You can help change this by drowning out what I hope is a vocal minority. The combined Christian “voice” online could be one of grace, love, and thankfulness.
I’d love to see an outpouring of public appreciation left on ministries’ blogs, Facebook Timelines, and Twitter accounts. Tell them you’re thankful for the nameless and faceless team (or in many cases, individual) that works hard behind the scenes. Let them know that you praise God for how He is using them. Tell that blogger how they’ve enriched your Christian walk and how you appreciate their writing. Say “thank you,” knowing that they’re working hard to serve you, under God, as best as they can.
Have You Been Enjoying the Magic Land?
If we are all honest, we have all been enjoying “magic land” to some extent. Even if we’ve not been jeering from the audience our expectations have been high. We want immediate satisfaction and we want it for free.
Whether you’ve been in the audience or only sitting on the sidelines, at the very least my prayer is that this post will bring an issue to your attention. And then possibly, as you consider what a wonderful job many in the online Christian community do for the cause of Christ, you’ll change how you pray, use your finances, and use your words.
Ironically, as I type this my hosting service has gone offline. If only I was connected to the Internet at the moment I’m sure I’d get someone complaining. Why don’t I upgrade my hosting, you ask? After all, that’d be easy, inexpensive, and quick, right?
I’ve suggested a short list of ministries and individuals throughout this post. Who blesses you on a monthly basis? Leave their names in the comments and say “thanks.” You might introduce new folks to them.
Let me again take this opportunity to thank you for reading the blog and for all of you who regularly leave comments. It takes your time and it really is appreciated. Thank you.
Thank you so much for bringing this issue to my attention! I hadn’t really thought about this issue before, although I DO become frustrated with people who continually put others down, online or not. I am very thankful for Biblegateway and other Bible resources. I’m also SO thankful for the many authors whose books I read hungrily, whether they be online or not. I am thankful that so many speakers and colleges are willing to put certain lectures or talks/speeches/sermons online on iTunesU and as Podcasts. Those have been a tremendous resource to me, especially those from Biola University, John Ortberg, and John Mark Reynolds.
Great post, I am so thankful to have so much edifying material at my fingertips, and for all of the people behind the scenes that make it possible. Some of the blogs/sites that have had a great impact on my Christian growth that were already mentioned include Monergism, Ligonier, Desiring God, TGC, Challies, Mohler, and White Horse. I am very grateful for the daily encouragement, knowledge, and often rebuke I gain because time and profits have been sacrificed.
Also, SermonAudio is a fantastic resource, and crossway.org’s membership option has given me low prices for books, along with donating a portion of the profits to other ministries. Also helpful are blogs like Truewoman.com, theresurgence.com, owenstrachan.com, and recently discovered nwbingham.com.
You have all tremendously blessed me.
Thanks for the comment and welcome to the blog! God is very gracious in making so much rich content available at our fingerprints.
What an excellent post and a welcomed corrective. I also like the new twitter gravatar!
Thanks for taking a brief moment to help me with url shorteners. I got it done. Thanks you for your excellent and insightful writing. It sets an excellent model to follow.
Thanks Joey. Glad you got the URL shortener working.
Great article! You have written what I have been thinking but failed to articulate ! Thanks for writing this and including some really good things that all of us can do to support those who provide a great service in the online community!
This subject has been on my mind for a while now too. Good minds think alike…and so do ours! Appreciate the comment.
I think it is a really important reminder.
I suspect part of the problem is that we have lost a sense of wonder about the opportunities the internet provides us. In just the last day I’ve listened to a linguistic geography lecture from a top university on another continent, downloaded a free sociology textbook, read blogs by thoughtful Christians from around the world and downloaded new worship music for free. What we have access to is truly extraordinary and not that long ago would have been close to impossible. If we remembered that, I think we’d be much less likely to complain.
There is so many amazing people, ministries and groups I could mention whose online resources are a blessing. When it comes to bloggers, challies.com, fabsharford.com, thewholedangthing.wordpress.com, sheridanvoysey.com and grace-bible.org/mattsblog/ are regularly thought provoking and encouraging. There is an astounding quantity of great free music at noisetrade.com, including much Christian music. I’ve started pulling together a list of highlights from noisetrade and a few similar sites at thefreemusicfeature.com. As a social science nerd (well, more like nerd in general), I really appreciate intechopen.com, oapen.org, worldwide-classroom.com/courses and itunes.stanford.edu/ for the opportunities they provide to learn about things I didn’t get to study in depth at university.
Thank you Nathan.
Another well written and challenging post – I really appreciate your posts and tweets. There’s been many an interesting article I’ve discovered through your tweets and your blog posts are always clear and get the message across well. Writing something about the expectation for things to be free has been in the back of my mind for a while but haven’t got round to it yet – probably partly because it’s all to believe the illusion even though I know it’s not true and know there’s the cost there.
We’re all guilty of believing the illusion, and we’re masters of self-deception. As you say, we can know there is a cost and yet still “forget” that.
Really thankful for your comment and for you frequently reading.
Excellent reminders; especially the tip of how to pray for these individuals.
Cheer Kim. Glad the tips were useful.
Thank you for your helpfulness and interesting perspective. Some helpful websites to me are answersingenesis.org, gty.org and truthforlife.org. They have so much free and truly helpful information. It is refreshing to be able to listen to authors’ sermons online, such as Phil Johnson and Jerry Bridges. But I am not computer savvy so did not realize all that went into these resources. Thank you for helping me to understand this.
Thanks for commenting Pamela and for sharing some other sites that have been a blessing to you.
Timely words. Excellent article.
Thanks!
Cheers Becky. Good to have you as a reader.
Two other blogs that I’ve been blessed by:
on management and productivity
on technology, Old Testament, and a variety of other things.
In fact, with such increased attention, it is likely their [MLJ Recordings Trust] costs have increased.
The most apt illustration in your post, imo, because that’s exactly what happened. Does anyone think that they were given that new equipment at no charge (not to mention the time spent migrating to it)?
Thank you for letting me know! I’ve updated the post.
Nathan,
Thanks for this. You could insert other things besides technology and would be the same. So many people expect so much yet aren’t willing to put the time in to help support whatever ministry they benefit from.
This is a great reminder that before we are to criticize, we should think about ways we can help out those who serve and serve us well to boot.
Thanks Ken. We can be very quick to criticize. Glad this was a reminder to think on these things before speaking those words and typing that message. I pray many will take that idea with them after reading.
Working for a Christian ministry, I quickly found people suffered from apple pie syndrome. Everyone wants a piece of pie until there is price tag on it.
The discussion brought to mind the Westminster Larger Catechism, Answer 141: “The duties required in the eighth commandment are, truth, faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commerce between man and man; rendering to everyone his due…”. This has prompted me to resist my Scottish blood somewhat and try to avoid purchases where I know people don’t get their due, but it’s not easy.
Thanks for the post, Nathan.
You raise a really interesting point Stephen. I guess the bottom line is one should recognize that something that is free or on special should be received with gratitude and thanksgiving, not as an expectation.
Hope your studies back in Oz are going well, brother.
Hey Nathan, great thoughts here. For the first year of church planting I was my own web design guy (paid to have it built though) and created my own graphics using MS Paint. Yep, Paint. It was a different technology day and learning Photshop seemed overwhelming to my schedule. I am also working on a new project that I was sobered to learn that it would take 400-500 hours to build. I am deeply thankful for people like yourself who take the time to grow in your craft and graciously help us understand the challenges. Blessings in your work.
Thanks Jacob and welcome to the blog. I pray your new project goes smoothly, glorifies God, and that you continue to find the help and support that you need. I’ll be emailing you soon.
Thank you for the great reminder. Above all, I have been enormously blessed by the free resources at Desiring God. I’ve listened to over 21 years of messages for free! My understanding of Romans, my theology and prayerfully my love for God and others have been forever changed by the ministries of Desiring God and John Piper. I am so thankful for them and this is a reminder to thank them and support them more.
-Jennifer
Great to read your testimony Jennifer, and welcome to the blog. I’m sure Desiring God would love to hear how their resources have been used by the Lord to build you up in the faith. Blessings.
Thanks for articulating your thoughts on this, and I find it to be a compelling exhortation for how ministries have been funded and have to be funded through the generosity of financial supporters.
I also would add that in the new internet-connected world, as we are well in the 21st century, there are new ways to accomplish good and valuable content, even quality content that’d be ministry, that can be funded in different alternative ways, some yet to be developed. Look at the awesome examples of Wikipedia, Firefox browser, Radio Paradise, Quora. It’d be wonderful to see Christians and ministries ramp it up on leveraging the power of the people to create, a new kind of empowerment for the priesthood of all beleivers.
Thank you for this reminder. Justin Taylor’s blog and Desiring God have been immensely helpful to me personally. The free resources at Desiring God are amazing, and Justin Taylor helps me stay aware of upcoming books and what’s going on in evangelicalism. I’m grateful to God for them both!
Thanks for sharing your regular stops online Matt. Welcome to the blog as well. Pleased to hear you’re thankful to God for them both. I know DG and JT work hard in their online efforts.
Hehehe, lemme start to be more appreciative right here & say thanks for putting your time & effort into this post, has taught me some etiquette.
Grace to you.
Well said! As someone who works in the digital space I am especially grateful for companies like The Church App who have provided me and my church with an outstanding product at a cost I know I would have to pay substantially more in the marketplace for.
As a blogger on an “huge” ministry wage
who pays for their own hosting, domain and design I consider it an investment back into the common good.
Thanks so much for the reminder. If we get right down to it, it is the sin nature that prompts such thoughts. Too many Christians (myself included) are still way too conformed to the world thus believe we deserve something other than hell. In reality, the only thing we deserve is hell. This should prompt more thankfulness that God is providing so much to help us being transformed into the likeness of Christ.
Nathan, thank you for this post. I can attest to the accuracy of your premise from personal experience.
Back in 2004, when podcasting was still in its infancy, I was led to create what was to become the very first Christian podcast not based on repurposed sermons. Long story short: the shows I produced were downloaded millions of times. I spent thousands of hours in production and piles of dollars in equipment, and I did so willingly because God called me to the work.
Even with the huge numbers of downloads, it was rare to hear from listeners. When I *did* receive an email of encouragement, it was like gold. Hearing how God was using the podcast to touch someone’s heart would make my day…or week!
When the economy went south, I asked my listeners to help…with donations. I explained to them that the family business that had enabled me to give the time to create the podcasts had been negatively hit by the downturn, and that I would either have to spend more time earning a living in that business or begin receiving donations to support the podcasts. I created donation links, and even offered gifts for donations.
I received less than $500 in six months.
Consequently, my production went from producing an average of ten shows a week to less than ten shows a year. I simply could not afford to spend the time and money producing the podcasts and paying for bandwidth, and support my family.
Please don’t misunderstand. I understand that money is tight for most people today. I am not complaining. I am just reinforcing Nathan’s suggestion that if you are benefitting in some way from some of the “free” tools the internet has to offer, support them in *all* the ways he suggests. Otherwise, those tools might just disappear.