It’s not a tactics-and-techniques kind of book; more importantly, Ryan Panzer describes the ways technology has influenced and changed our culture over the past decade with priorities of questions, community, collaboration, and creativity all having become more highly and differently valued than in the past. Panzer shows how the church today is behind the curve in responding to the cultural changes technology has occasioned and demonstrates how it can pivot in order to be meaningful today. Panzer’s voice is trustworthy, speaking from experience in the tech industry and with deep theological insight.
-Pam Shellberg, Dir of Lifelong Learning at Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison
Ryan Panzer (LCM alumn, ’11) is the author of “Grace and Gigabytes: Being Church in a Tech-Shaped Culture,” a new book exploring the future of church in the digital age. Having attended Luther Seminary while working at Google’s Ann Arbor office, Ryan noticed that the worlds of technology and church were quite different. In conversations with friends and co-workers, nearly all of whom do not attend church, he realized that those who grew up in the digital age are intrigued by and interested in the Gospel message, even as they feel disconnected from some of the ways we do church.
“Grace and Gigabytes” explores what it would look like for the church to be more aligned with the culture of the digital age. The book makes the case that the church can make these connections by prioritizing learning through questions, connecting both offline and online, being more collaborative, and celebrating creativity.
The book is available on Amazon, and those who would like to support local bookstores might consider purchasing the book from Bookshop.org.
Ryan lives in Madison, WI with his wife, Annie, also an alumn of LCM, and daughter, Alice. Their family goes to Good Shepherd Lutheran in Madison. Lately, Ryan has enjoyed sipping coffee from an LCM coffee mug while livestreaming worship on YouTube. For more writings and resources, visit www.ryanpanzer.com.
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