“Art, Media, and Tech Have a Place”

Hello everybody!

There is a widespread discussion about the place of art, technology, and media within the church worship experience these days.  Many argue that it doesn’t have a place, and some argue otherwise.  I personally have always been for the advancement in creativity within the church, including with integrating the worship experiences with all types of media.  Now many churches have been utilizing live twitter feeds to lead live discussions within a church message!  Like I said, I totally  am an advocate for the use of art and media within a church and church service, but I never had to voice it until the other day…and of course this will stem from a conversation.

I was talking to someone at a coffee shop about this whole view on media, tech and art within the church.  They began to say how that they thought it was ok, but as long as it was all focused (which is about the brunt of the entire discussion and I certainly agree).  But as I began to explain how I felt about this “new phenomenon” I came to a realization.  Would you make a fresh twenty-something that loved to paint and draw do something else? Would you make a someone who eat, slept, and breathed graphic design and media do something else if they weren’t neeeded in that area?  NO.  You would ask someone who has a gifting, to work in an area that calls for that gifting.

To the artist, his or her art is worship.  And to the graphic designer, you ask him to create your website or backdrops, and that is their worship.  And for the person who enjoys creating videos, you let them create your sermon illustrations and worship that way.  There are endless possibilities when it comes to using art, media, and tech within our churches and I don’t think it should be a question of  “Should we use that stuff or not?” But a question of who is going to help us do that.  Who will help us engage and lead culture in the forefronts of media and art, and do it for the glory of God. 

The bible tells us in 1Samuel that David was a skilled harp player, and when he played he worshipped the LORD.  Well, what about before there were harps?  What about in Genesis 1 when there were no harps?  At sometime, for someone, the harp was a new idea.  But David picked this instrument up and worshipped God with it.  I think we can pick up our brushes, canvases, keyboards, Macs, and blogs, websites, and worship the LORD with them just like David did with his harp. Because when it isn’t about “us” or “the cool thing we can do for ourselves” but for the great thing we can do for God, it follows Col 3:17: Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus..

re:painting worship pt.3

Ok.  This certainly isn’t everyones cup of tea (may I just say I think it is genius), but this is truly a great way of involving creativity and worship.  I hope this sparks someones mind into doing something different at their church.

 

College.Church.&.Thoughts

So I have been in a certain college in KY since yesterday, and have had the prievelage to skip the power outage back home (Madisonville, KY check it out it is pretty crazy) and spend time with some friends all the while staying warm. Although I go to Community College back home, I have always wondered what it would be like to go to a larger college or university. My experience has surely been a great one and I have enjoyed it fairly well.   I am currently sitting at a coffee shop, watching the snow fall, and they played some Coldplay this morning!  And of course I have come away some thoughts already after one night of staying. Here they are:

-The grass isn’t always greener. Although this is a very large campus and close to 20,000 students attend here, it all seems to boil down to the same thing, like back in Madisonville, spending time with friends. The great American-teenage past time.  The time spent with friends can’t be traded and I certainly have enjoyed it.

-College Church. The thought there are so many churches around this campus kills me. My friends told me about some of the Christian affiliate programs on the campus and we drew the conclusion that with all the people that attend each of them put together wouldn’t equal 10% of the student population. That is startling. I wonder how empty the churches are around here. There is so much potential of free thinkers here to be changed. There is so much opportunity for a pseudo-church to be established on campuses everywhere but for some reason, college town churches seem to build buildings instead of infiltrating the colleges themselves. Just saying. I’m not trying to shoot off from my mouth, I just see so much potential for a positive change here. There are tribes here, but with the right leadership they could know Christ.

-Refreshment. It is refreshing to see people, young people, that like to wrestle. That don’t take everything sitting down, but want to poke, prod, and test: beliefs, ideas, and those things supposed as “truths.” Anytime people are searching or are honest with not knowing “it all,” that is refreshing.

Grace and Peace.

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