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1.
Media and Society
WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND
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2.
Faith facts
“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength
believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him. But the
Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me
with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”
Explanation to the third article, Small Catechism
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3.
Faith facts
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.”
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not
believed?
And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never
heard?
And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who
preach the good news!”
Romans 10:13-15
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4.
What’s our role?
Understanding some of the barriers to the
Gospel
Ensure the Gospel is proclaimed in ways
people understand
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5.
Hearing and listening
Media and its messages
shape the hearers
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6.
Hearing and listening
We need to understand
• Environment in which people hear
• Vocabulary they use
• Attitudes they live with
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7.
Paradigm shifts
Printing press
Hearers also become readers
Personal choice of content
Mass but controlled sharing of ideas
Prime communication vehicle for the Church
Long-term accessibility
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8.
Paradigm shifts
Broadcast media (radio and television)
Hearers also become passive listeners and viewers
Increased personal choice of content
Increased sharing of ideas
Limited use by the Church
Short-term accessibility
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9.
Paradigm shifts
Online media
Hearers are readers, viewers, and creators
Almost unlimited choice of content
International sharing of ideas
Growing use by the Church
Constant accessibility
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10.
Transition
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11.
That was then…
limited choice for entertainment
viewing was often a family activity
common ground for conversation
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12.
That was then…
respect for institutions
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13.
That was then…
news from limited sources and viewpoints
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14.
That was then
high regular attendance
major peer group/community
denominational allegiance
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15.
That was then
a voice heard in society
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16.
This is now
multi-source
personalized choice
perceived need for immediacy
sceptical of institutions
constant communication
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17.
This is now
constant news and information
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18.
This is now
declining regular attendance/membership
aging congregations
reduced church peer/community interaction
declining denominational allegiance
a voice virtually ignored in society
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19.
Where are people at?
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20.
Mainstream media messaging
Mostly “a-religious” often “anti-religious”
worldview
Moral ambiguity and relativism
Religious scepticism/disrespect/ridicule
Interest in spirituality
Underpinnings in science (modern)
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21.
Mainstream media messaging
“tolerance” as long as you agree with me
strong belief often branded as fanaticism
Church viewed as mostly irrelevant
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22.
Online media
All over the map!
Social media contacts/friends tend to support
your beliefs
Facebook friends
Twitter followers
Blogs
Opportunities for planting seeds and sparking
conversation
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23.
Effects of media
Does media reflect or shape society’s values?
Broadcast media
Social media
Online media
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24.
Understanding media
Commercial media are in the business of
delivering an audience to an advertiser
Broadcast
Newspapers
Facebook
Google
Youtube
Give people what they want because it
builds an audience for advertisers
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25.
Attitudes
Secularism
Religious ridicule
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26.
Attitudes
Church attendance is another Sunday
morning choice in a list of activities
Religious life competes with other options
WIIFM
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27.
How do we reach this
media-shaped people?
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28.
Back to the future - Acts
First vs. 21st century
knowledge of the true God
biblical illiteracy
multiple religions
surrounded by sensuality
spirituality vs. Christianity
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29.
Back to the future - Acts
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30.
Back to the future - Acts
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31.
Back to the future - Acts
Reliance on the Holy Spirit
Took a common starting point and taught
the truth
Strong awareness of “where people are at”
Culturally relevant
Preached with boldness
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32.
It boils down to
who you know,
not just
what you know
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33.
Who you know
Build relationships: “friending and following for
the sake of the Gospel”
Earn the right to be heard
Show who you are and Whose you are
Immersion in God’s Word
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34.
Faith facts
Fundamental belief that the Holy Spirit is
already at work in some way.
The Holy Spirit is the only agent by which a
person can say Jesus Christ is Lord
We are news bearers/messengers and
story tellers. “All I know is that once I was
blind but now I see!”
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35.
Mission is being
salt and light
in an unsavoury,
dark world.
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36.
Questions and comments
ian@adnamsgroup.com
www.adnamsgroup.com
Broad brushstrokesOral traditionPrinting pressHearers also become readersPersonal choice of contentMass yet controlled sharing of ideas (elite)Prime communication vehicle for the ChurchLong-term accessibility
People still retained the impact of the printing pressBroadcast media (radio and television)Hearers also become passive listeners and viewersIncreased personal choice of contentIncreased sharing of ideasLimited use by the Church (expensive, controlled access, heavy investment in Print)Short-term accessibility
Internet media (radio and television)Hearers become readers, viewers, and creators – participatory mediaAlmost unlimited choice of contentInternational sharing of ideasLimited use by the ChurchOngoing constantaccessibilityHere’s a Youtube video that paints a picture of where our world is today.
Did you know 2012<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YmwwrGV_aiE?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YmwwrGV_aiE?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
We are living in a transitional time. We are now living with the first generation who have never known a time without computers, smartphones and instant messaging and a generation who still remember the advent of television…and everything in between. One generation turns first to the printed page the other reads from tablets or e-readers. Is one better than the other? No. The content is the same, the reading experience is slightly different, but the same end is reached.
limited choice for entertainmentviewing was often a family activity
respect for institutions (ie church, government, marriage)
news from limited sources and viewpoints (major TV, radio, daily newspapers
the church world of ‘50s and ‘60shigh regular attendancemajor peer group/communitydenominational allegiance
the church world of ‘50s and ‘60sa voice heard in society (Oswald Hoffman, Billy Graham, Bishop Sheen)
the media world of the 21st centurymulti-sourcepersonalized choicepersonal viewingsceptical of institutionsconstant news and information from many sources and viewpoints
the media world of the 21st centuryconstant news and information from many sources and viewpoints
the church world of the 21st centurydeclining regular attendance: weekly attendance is down, monthly is about where it always has beenaging congregations the boomers are gone and so are their kidsreduced peer/community interaction main peer group is no longer the churchdeclining denominational allegiance evangelicals sheep swap alota voice virtually ignored in society except when there is a scandal or something is said with which the popular culture disagrees
Pick out the framework within which this presenter operatesIntroduction to the TED talks (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Ideas Worth Spreading in Scotland earlier this year<object width="853" height="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yNAGkSbt1xI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yNAGkSbt1xI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="853" height="480" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
Media messagingMostly “a-religious” often “anti-religious” worldview: benign indifference as well as intolerance of anyone with biblical conviction; Moral ambiguity and relativism: biblical morality is ignored except for political points or ratingsReligious scepticism/disrespect/ridicule: Interest in spirituality (post- modern) not religious but spiritualUnderpinnings in science (modern) evolutionary framework underpins media messaging
Religion in the newsroom. US stats, I expect similar or less in Canadian national newsrooms exceptions in regional or some city newsrooms
“tolerance” as long as you agree with meDogmatism or strong belief branded as fanaticism (fundamentalist is a term given to anyone who holds a strong belief)Church viewed as mostly irrelevant
Social media contacts/friends tend to support your beliefsReinforcement, Also an opportunity for planting seeds and sparking conversations
Does media reflect or shape society’s values?Broadcast media: generally works in a real world vacuum…tend to reflect their own values…reinforce non-biblical world view: passive however moving more toward interactive with Twitter and online engagementSocial media: choose who you are engaged with; usually “safe”; generally avoid controversy: feeds curiosity, builds relationships, redefining communityOnline media: choose what you read, see: creating a culture of multi-tasking…reading/listening; watchingtv /tweeting
Does media reflect, lead or reinforce attitudes?Commercial media are in the business of delivering an audience to an advertiserGive people what they want because it builds an audience
Secularism: the popularity of Hichens and Dawkins avowed atheists.Religious ridicule: Bill Maher Religulous
Church attendance is another Sunday morning choice in a list of activitiesReligious life competes with other optionsWIIFM what’s in it for me…market model…people will attend “if it is worthwhile”
How do we reach this media-shaped people
We live in a world similar to the 1st centuryLittle knowledge of the true GodActs “to the unknown GodLittle biblical literacyOnly residual “church vocabulary” 47 percent of teens in Canada never attend churchSurrounded by sensualitySpirituality vs Christianity
Canada: darker red means the higher percentage of unaffiliated
US: lighter blue means higher percentage unaffiliated
Example of Jesus and the ApostlesReliance on the Holy Spirit Took a common starting point and taught the truth: build bridges to the faithStrong awareness of “where people are at”: understanding your audience, attitudes, values, Preached with boldness…despite consequences; but if people are not in church, where do you preach? Where should the proclamation ocurr?Culturally relevant: While Paul travelled he operated within both the Jewish and Gentile cultures; believer non-believer; all things to all people.
It all boils down to who you know, not what you knowBuilding relationships/friending for the sake of the Gospel: personal, Facebook, Twitter, blogs; responsesEarning the right to be heard: friendship…hallmarks of 21st century is peer recommendation; Yelp, online reviews etcShowing vulnerability (not perfect, just forgiven): transparency online and in all communication; integrated (integrity) faith into all of lifeShare your ongoing faith journey and stories
Be faithful in proclamation; give people the opportunity to hear and seeFundamental belief that the Spirit is already at work in some way.The Holy Spirit is the only agent by which a person can say Jesus Christ is LordWe are news bearers/messengersShare your ongoing faith journey and stories
A Brief History of Communication<object width="960" height="720"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rDkxsNmKDGk?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rDkxsNmKDGk?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="960" height="720" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>