The medium is the message

In the 1960's Marshall McLuhan, once referred to as the "Oracle of the Electronic Age", wrote some pretty swithced on discussions concerning technology, media, peoples lifestyles and patterns of behaviour. He coined the phrase - 'the medium is the message'.
This I find interesting if you apply his theories to church practice in our culture - something discussed in 'The shaping of Things to Come' (Frost & Hirsch).

McLuhan believes all technologies, tools are simply extensions of the human body.
Weapons - extension of the hand

Wheels - extension of the foot/transport

Electronic media - extension of the human capacity for thinking

Calculator - extension of the brain etc. Perhaps we have even begun outsourcing the function of our brain to Palm Pilots.

Thus technology is therefore a medium through which we outsource basic functions normally associated with human body.

McLuhan also says that the message of any technology is the change of pattern/pace is brings into human activity. Thus technology creates new social structures, patterns and behaviours - it accerlerates and increases the scale of human functions. So obviously technology has massive impacts and introduces new messages on the way we perceive ourselves and our world.
So the meaning behind the phrase 'the medium is the message' is this: we shape our tools, and then they shape us.

Now thats not rocket science - But if you consider the 'tools/methods/technology' of churches - its does make us stop to think how are they shaping us and those around them - believers and not alike. Some of these tools include the actual buildings, the equipment inside, the sermons, the courses, the practices/traditions and the training provided - both on a grassroots and professional level.
Sometimes I think our tools are helping to shape us well - to grow in and act on the Gospel lovingly, other times I shudder to think the message they may give out. If the medium really is the message, and the tools really change human structures/activity then this might indeed be scary. Our actions, as manifestations of our total being, speak louder than words - this means we are our messages. Individually and corporately this is a sobering fact.