Technology at Church
Here's a good entry from the Urbana.org Whirled-View blog.
http://www.urbana.org/blogs/blog.main.whirledview.cfm?mode=entry&entry=1A1AC8C8-802B-2CC2-E8760088EB7F7D3F
You would be surprised how many evil looks I get when I suggested that we have a worship service with no music at my church--or how I turned into a very bad person when I suggested that we not use the PowerPoint during a period where there was a shortage of volunteers.
There was once a time where I was very fixated on technology in church. I would be amazed by going to Willow Creek or other tech-savvy church. Now I think that so many churches are going about technology in such bad ways--lusting after things that other churches are doing with technology--it is so sad when a church votes to add some expensive technology because they think it will make them as 'successful' as the mega church down the street.
I think that technology is a great tool (one that we should prayerfully consider provided we have a purpose and if it will increase community or empower a ministry), but it needs to be simply a means and we must be wiling and happy to not use it whenever it doesn't have a point--and believe me, there is a lot of pointless videos, PowerPoint slides and lighting transitions used every Sunday in a shallow effort to 'inspire people to worship.'
Mike
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Worship
1 comment:
Mike,
I appreciate what you said. I think you comment, reflects the theme of several of your recent blogs. Your frustrations with the church and its tendency to, even in worship, judge itself by human standards. What a massive temptation it is. I look at my own life and am saddened by the many times a day I judge myself by human standard. “Did I please this person? Did I win his approval?” May God give us the grace to see our lives and our churches as he does. Also I’ve been thinking what is the root problem. Is it pride? I was really convicted this Sunday with the concept of humility. Marc talked about Jesus wading in to be baptized by John and identifying himself as a sinner. He wasn’t afraid to call himself a sinner, but so often I’m even afraid of confessing my sin. “who though in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself nothing.” Died on a cross, identified with my sin, abandoned as a loser, etc. may we and our churches worship God for his humility, and not strive to be greater, through our own power, technology, or desire.
Thank you for the thoughts Mike, I really appreciate them.
Nate
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