We live in the age of technology, which develops so rapidly that we have to be always up-to-date in order to be familiar what is effective and is useful in many areas of society. Implementing of technology in everyday live can be both a blessing or a curse if we do not use it properly.
It is a blessing when a person can be home and be virtually present at the church service that is at the opposite side of the earth. Blessing, when a person who is bedridden can be at the church service of their local church. However, when Christians due to their laziness or unwillingness refuse to come to church, have real fellowship with brothers and sisters, and choose to watch the church service instead, this is not useful but harmful for them. In any case, one of the blessings in the mutual ministry, the current technology allows having fellowship simultaneously with many people who are in their homes and are in different states, continents, etc.
Lately, the Association’s leaders began to use “Zoom” app, which allows having business meetings through the internet, to discuss ongoing questions and make urgent decisions. A few days ago, I organized a simultaneous meeting through “Zoom” with senior pastors of the Association’s churches. The pastors from Washington, Minnesota, and California were able to have a wonderful time of fellowship with each other. “Zoom” app allows simultaneous connection of up to 100 people for fellowship. In this format, an unplanned meeting of the PCSBA’s committee, as well as a special meeting with our missionary in Spain – Alec Shipuk, leader of the Missionary Ministry Alec Yanovskiy, and two assistants of the Association’s President Gennadiy Gavelovskiy and Vasiliy Stupin.
The distance did not affect the quality of decisions that were made but helped in the use of resources that would have been lost on transportation expenses, time needed for travel, and additional physical strain that would be necessary for driving. In the future, there will be more regular meetings with pastors of the Association’s churches, committee, leaders of ministries, and more. My main desire is that in the rhythm of our lives overloaded by many matters, through discussions and mutual decision-making of the questions that we are faced with, we would be closer to each other. All of this is for the strengthening of the unity of ministry, mutual support, as well as regular exchange of information.
Ivan Mileyev
