'Virtual preaching' transforms Sunday sermons

[trc123]

I know this seems weird to me and my generation; but is there any Scriptural prohibition against using technology this way? I'm not asking about this particular Pastor or Church's doctrine to be discussed as part of this thread, just what the Biblical implications are.



http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/07/14/virtual.preaching/index.html?hpt=Sbin

[chev1958]

My initial thought is that any church that needs "satellite locations" should spin off baby churches. If a church is so large that attendees need to look at a big screen to see the pastor, then maybe it's too large. As you can prOBably tell, I'm not a big fan of mega-churches.

On the other hand, I used a lot of PowerPoint presentations as a military instructor and briefer. While I don't have the equipment in our little church, I wouldn't be opposed to using PowerPoint to highlight the outline of my sermons. I would have to think real hard about using video, though.

I think we can use technology to enhance sermons, but not to replace the preaching. And there's a danger of using technology more for entertainment, or to fix a "weak" sermon. Having the pastor walk out of the darkness and get lit up by spotlights is putting on a production, not preaching, IMHO.

[John81]

A church in this region does this. These are of the entertainment centered sorts.

A true church should have a local pastor, not a satelite feed. If a church wants to grow into other areas, they can plant new churches. For a pastor of one church to basically promote himself by beaming video of him preaching to satelite churches, that doesn't seem right. Do we really want a single pastor having sway over several churches? Where does this stop? I can imagine a time when a handful of major pastors would be competing for the most satelite churches across the land. Not a good idea.

Each church should have its own pastor.

[trc123]

Thank you all for your opinions and I tend to share those opinions.

Does anyone have what the Scriptures say about using technology this way? Scriptures, folks, please give scriptures.....

[John81]

I would simply point you to the verses dealing with local churches and how they were established; each with their own pastor.

[John81]

Technology itself is not evil or good, it's how it's used.

A church can use video to enhance a sermon, show the words to songs, put forth updates, prayer requests, etc.

At the same time, a church could use video for entertainment, to prop up weak preaching, to show improper images, etc.

Scripture gives us the guidelines of what church is for, how they are to be set up, who is qualified to be over them. Technology that can be used biblically can be a good thing. If the technology is being used otherwise, then it becomes a prOBlem.

[chev1958]

You'd be hard-pressed to find any Scripture to address using technology specifically. The apostles used letters to address church concerns. Today, they would prOBably use email. In the early days of our country, newspapers would routinely run sermons or devotionals. My grandparents didn't OBject to radio/TV preachers; they would now because of all the requests for donations. I think we should use whatever means possible to spread the gospel that doesn't violate Scriptural principles, such as using street language in an ad for a youth meeting.

I do think the rise of technology is prophesied indirectly throughout Scripture, i.e., the two witnesses in Rev. 11.

[Anon]

My husband doesn't like to use power point because he likes to keep things "old fashioned" and he prefers to stay away from the trends from the neo churches. He likes the old fashioned hymnal (instead of the song up on a screen) and old fashioned piano music and regular typed notes (if he decides to pass out notes) rather than on an overhead or power point.

I guess because he likes to keep the main thing, the main thing....namely, God's Word is the central point, the focus, of every message. We should look at our Bible more than we look at a screen or projector or whatever.

No Scripture to point out...just preference I guess, on my husband's side. And of course I follow....

[JerryNumbers]

The sermon a church in another town may need to hear may not be the sermon a church in another location may need to hear. The sermons I give are for the church I have been called to pastor, I'm suppose to be sensitive to their needs. I can not do that for a church in another town of which I am never around.

Each church, congregation, their needs may different.

Satellite church that was spoken of sounds like a good way for a pastor to gain more income even though he may not really be meeting the needs of the satellite church or churches.

[amblivion]

Young, the Texas pastor, also invoked the New Testament to support his method of preaching.

Young said Biblical church leaders like the Apostle Paul wrote letters that were then distributed to churches across the Roman Empire. The church leaders weren't physically present when those letters -- some of which were later included in the New Testament -- were read aloud, but that didn't make the message any less profound, he said.

Big prOBlem with his arguement. Paul was an APOSTLE and was not the pastor of these churches. Ed Young is supposed to be a pastor.

Anyways red flags go up when the second paragraph of the article says:

The lights in the sanctuary suddenly dimmed, and members of the church hushed as they peered at a pulpit shrouded in darkness. The parishioners then erupted in cheers and whistles as Ed Young Sr., the church's senior pastor, emerged from the darkness with a microphone in hand.

I guess my question is why are the clapping and whistling when Ed Young appears? I mean if it was Jesus Christ I could totally understand, but I think they would be more humbled if it was Him. I will have to think upon this more and maybe find Scripture that may point to the direction that this is really wrong isntead of it being my intuition and conviction. I guess my question is why can't they build another church and find another pastor? Are they worshipping Mr. Ed Young or Jesus Christ?