There was a time when writing a letter was the easiest way to communicate with family and friends all over the world. Then, the computer was developed.
E-mail was one of the selling points of the computer, along with all the glitzy programs and games, but not everyone had a computer. Nearly everybody had a cell phone, and some of them started using these for work purposes. As soon as the cell phones became small enough to be carried on the hip or in the pocket, it became a consumer item that everybody seemed to need.
E-mail was available to them at any time, anywhere. It was not long before text messaging evolved, but most consumers didn’t understand how they could send anything of importance using just 160 characters.
Then, along came the teen-aged crowd and showed them how to abbreviate sentences to a minimum. Now, entire conversations are held over SMS text messaging and e-mail has been left behind, with only 20% of all e-mail messages being opened.
Compare that to the number of text messages read within an hour, and there is no doubt which form of communication has become the norm within the electronically connected family. The lasting beauty of text messaging is it does not require any data/Internet subscription.
About the author
Jason Alexis
Jason Alexis is the creator of PastorsLine and co-author of the RethinkMinistry book. His experience as a former engineer has informed his scientific, data-driven approach, as he creates digital strategies and tools for churches. Jason is also the communication director at his church and a stay-at-home dad who homeschools his two boys. He enjoys tennis meetups and weekend biking with his wife and kids.
