Internet Consumption Catches up with Television

Slashdot reports that recently the number of hours people spend on the internet has drawn even with the number spent watching TV. This is due, in part, to the rise in dual-use time where people will sit and watch TV while surfing the internet on a laptop, phone, or tablet (e.g. iPad). So TV consumption hasn't really dropped, but internet consumption has skyrocketed.

A couple implications for church and preaching come to mind. First, people are becoming more and more accustomed to consuming multiple channels of information simultaneously - asking them to sit and merely listen is leaving a huge cognitive gap. How will you fill that gap?

Second, people are becoming overwhelmed by information so they may need some training to help them reduce the input and spend time focusing on Bible study and worship. How can we invite people to slow down and pay attention rather than drinking from a fire hose?