SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1 of 45
1
OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY WIMBERLY SCHOOLOFRELIGIONSENIORCAPSTONE
A New Way of Seeing
Working for a Change in the Media of the Church
Michael Horn
11/18/2015
2
“EXPLOSION!” Raging fires start in the building nearby. The superhero with
beautiful hair and toned body comes in to save the day. Broken glass is everywhere and
people are screaming bloody murder. The superhero skillfully begins to grab the civilians
that are hurt and bleeding out, while dodging the broken glass and falling debris. The city
is overwhelmed by the skill and stamina that is shown by the hero. All anyone can do is
stand and watch as the hero does what heroes do: save people. The citizens of the city
yell and cheer as the superhero flies in and out, pulling people from the deteriorating
building. But the hero was not able to save the last three workers in the building as it
crumbles to the ground with a loud “CRASH!”
This is a typical superhero movie. The superhero is here to save the day. All the
citizens stand and watch in awe as the hero does all of the work. Most or all of the people
are saved, so the story ends with a mildly happy ending. This action-packed movie scene
creates something that in which we are engaged. It creates a story that we can become a
part of, something that we can connect to. Movies and entertainment are just a couple of
the ways that we view visual media.
Action movies like the Avengers and Superman or dramas like The Notebook or
Dear John bring in a lot of people to see them, and these movie attendees may leave
crying, happy, or even pumped on adrenaline. But how do the movies bring us in to pay
up to $12 for a ticket? The reason that movies draw us in is the way that the creators have
used the new technology to create stories and ideas that we are attracted to.
3
We know that the use of electronic media has great success in bringing people in.
Visual media directly affects the viewer’s retention and the way they talk about what the
viewer had just experienced. Why can’t we do the same thing in the church? Why can’t
we use this new form of technology to have our congregation members leaving,
remembering and talking about what they had just done and been to? I know I want
someone to leave my church saying I am going to remember that, do those things when I
leave here, and it touched me so much that I may just tell someone else.
Well, bringing the congregation in like the movies mentioned earlier is achievable
with some changes in the way that we do our worship services. This type of engagement
involves adding a media screen to a worship service to use it to further the teaching of the
Gospel. There are lots of ways to use a media screen in worship, but before we get into
that there has to be some understanding about electronic media and a worship service.
Defining Media
The book The Wired Church, defines media as, “the plural form of the word
medium, which is an agent for transmitting messages between senders and receivers.
Messages can be anything from the verbal ‘I love you,’ to a printed direct mail card, to
images on screens”1 Media is just a way of communicating with each other, in this paper
there will be more specific talk about electronic media and how to use it. Electronic
media, for this paper also known as digital media, “are a means to send a message or a set
of messages to individuals or groups of people in which electronic forms of technology
1 Len Wilson and Jason Moore, The Wired Church 2.0. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008), 6.
4
are used.”2 From now on, when referring regularly to media I will be talking about
electronic media that comes on screens.
Is Media Entertainment?
Just like the other ministries in the church are looking to communicate and engage
the congregation in the gospel, electronic media ministry is also. The electronic media
ministry “should not be treated as operational support, but as a ministry that uses video,
audio, graphics, text, the internet, and other emerging technology applications to
communicate the gospel.” This is the purpose of electronic visual media in the church, to
create a ministry that is dedicated to sharing the gospel through the medium of electronics
When the idea of installing media screens comes to the board meeting, the people
of the committee already have a preconceived notion of what the screen will bring to the
service. When first thought about, media screens are seen in the context of the larger
world. People will often think about how they use the screen in their home, which is most
likely for entertainment purposes. We see media as entertainment because, “we bring
along with it the symbolic meanings and uses that are attached to them in other cultural
arenas.”3 If we think about all of the cultural arenas in our lives the list may include a
living room, movie theater, sports bar, friend’s house and even through a business
presentation. In watching a media screen (TV) at these places, we begin to associate this
electronic media with places that we watch and or see it. Bringing the screen into the
2 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 6.
3 Ron Rienstra, "Audio technology in worship:keeping the central things central,"Cross Accent
21, no. 3 (2013), 27.
5
church provides a new cultural arena for most people. Their assumptions of the screen are
based on entertainment or educational value of where and what they watching.
Now we can see a problem that may arise when we bring media screens into
worship. Sometimes the committee board and the congregation are not in the right frame
of mind when it comes to the use of media screens in worship. Some churches that are
using media screens in worship are stuck in their old cultural arena. Being stuck there
creates “a loss of form and presentation, which has a tendency to create a showy, shallow
service.”4 Using media for entertainment creates an opposite effect. The media on the
screen can distract from the original message intended. If we see media and think, ‘What
a cool background on the slide,’ instead of ‘I really like how the background of that slide
relates to the message,’ then we have probably created something that is more distracting
and entertaining than engaging and educational.
Media as Educational Tool
Now, “once we move beyond aiming cameras at stage plays, conversations or
sporting events and other original uses of moving images,”5 then we will have, “new
ways of seeing.”6 Then and only then can we begin to see clearly the use of media
screens in worship. There then becomes a new understanding of engagement.
Engagement is no longer in the cultural arena of entertainment, but is now in the arena of
engagement through education and empowerment. When television was the dominant
4 Len Wilson and Jason Moore, Digital Storytellers: The Art of Communicating the Gospel
(Nashville:Abingdon Press,2002),108.
5 Mitchell Stephens, The Rise of the Image, the Fall of the Word (New York: Oxford, 1998),18.
6 Ibid,18.
6
way of seeing visual media, it was easy to see media as entertainment. Now we can
change that by using media as an educational tool.
Media screens as an educational tool give a church reasons for purchasing them.
There are some common things that a church usually presents as the reason for getting a
media screen. For instance,
92% say they get a screen to be more relevant with the needs of our
current congregation, 85% say they get a screen to attract and keep the
youth in our congregation, 84% say they get a screen to attract the
unchurched to our worship services, 32% say they get a screen to respond
to changes in worship at other nearby congregations, 4% say they get a
screen to get heads out of books/look up.7
None of these are sound reasons for wanting a media screen in worship. The media
screen should have a purpose of communicating the Gospel more effectively. A screen
may attract a couple more people into to the service, but that should not be the reason to
ultimately make the decision for adding a media screen.
Even some of those who try to use media screens as an educational tool use them
in the wrong way. The first thing that comes to mind when I think about trying to educate
a large group of people on something is to us Microsoft PowerPoint or the Apple
equivalent Keynote. People use these programs in schools and business meetings to get
their point across. People can see education as a, “business-driven, computer-based
standard that consists of a number of textual, aural, and visual elements tossed together in
a PowerPoint document, with little sense of design and zero sense of story or
experience.”8 In a worship setting people are not there to obtain information or acquire
7 Wilson,Digital Storytellers, 16.
8 Ibid,18.
7
facts like some would give in a classroom or a business meeting. Using a media screen
for those reasons is like having a large piece of paper that can change with a click of a
button, but does not satisfy the need for a sense of story and engagement.9 The media
screen does not need to be there to replace a hymnal or to make it easier to see the words.
The media screen has an ultimate purpose of creating an opportunity for engagement and
education through story and metaphor.
To educate using story and metaphor means that we are creating a way for people
to relate to the message. Our lives are constantly creating a new story every second. In
our life story we have protagonists and antagonists that play a role in our lives. We have
our ups and downs, plot twists, along with dips and turns in our life that we may never
imagine or even notice. The reason why we are engaged in stories, created through other
avenues, is that we can relate to some aspect of the story that was created. Creating this
story, whether it is completely true or not, can draw us in to the message and engage our
senses, to retain the most or all of the message. In our story there are things that we are
used to seeing a lot of. These objects or items that we see and experience are the best to
use for a metaphor. Bishop Hayes of the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist
Church gave a sermon comparing rocking chairs to how we worry. Most people have sat
in a rocking chair at least once in their life. He goes on to say that worry is like a rocking
chair because you go back in forth on your rocking chair not getting anywhere as we do
with worry. We sit on our worry and ponder about all the possibilities, but in the end we
are not getting anywhere. Just like sitting in the rocking chair. So, this metaphor was used
9 Ibid,20.
8
in this sermon to engage and help people understand how worry works by being able to
compare it to something else.
Another great example of education through story, metaphor, and entertainment
comes from the TV show Sesame Street.
When the show Sesame Street original pilot aired they realized a distinct
flaw in its format: the educational portions were separated from the
entertainment portions. This meant kids would tune out when the teachers
came on, and tune back in when the Muppets returned. The test was a
complete disaster. The creators revamped the show. The adults on the
program, who previously appeared in the educational portions of the show,
now interacted with the Muppet characters...Soon after the show debuted
on PBS, educators throughout the country had to change their curriculum.
Children were walking into kindergarten ready and able to recite their
ABC’s and 123’s and even spell simple words. The teachers, parents, and
unknowingly the children, were just beginning to learn the power of what
electronic culture had to offer.10
Sesame Street was revolutionary through the way they were able to engage the kids in
education through story and metaphor. Through Sesame Street we can see that by itself,
education doesn’t engage people. In the same terms pure entertainment doesn’t set out to
educate. Now through both of those avenues we can create media in the church that has a
meaningful story and is metaphor based. It will engage the congregation in something
more than just being one or the other.
Defining Worship Service
If we are going to be adding media screens into a worship service then we have to
know the purpose of a worship service. This is so the screen can serve the right function
10 Ibid,37-38.
9
throughout the service. When we look at a worship service we find that those are two
very important words, ‘worship’ and ‘service’. We will begin to break these down to then
have a better understanding of what it means to be in a worship setting, where worship
includes serving God. When we worship in our churches “by nature”11 it becomes a,
“corporate experience that draws together people of different ages, genders, and national
origins."12 We can refer to corporate worship as a community of faith that comes
together to give adoration and praise toward God. In the Greek New Testament the word
for worship is, “proskuneo which stems from pros ('toward') and kuneo ('to kiss'). This is
an act of reverence and devotion, and in biblical times often involved bowing, kneeling,
and lying prostrate in reverence before a great and holy God.”13 These acts are how we
serve God in a time of praise and thanksgiving. The act of worship is put on us to fully
accept all that God has given to us. As people that lead the service we need to realize that
we are not serving our congregation first, but through serving God first we serve our
congregation.
Worship is an act of service. We see that, “In the New Testament, the English
word "service" (as translated in the NIV) is used to speak of an act of giving not
receiving."14 We are not just receiving God’s love and God’s word, but we are showing
our praise and thanks to God in the midst of it all. The focus of a worship service for a lot
11Randall Bradley, "Worship and LearningStyles:Practical Applicationsfor Worshipersand
Worship Leaders In We'll Shout and Sing Hosanna: Essays on Church Music in Honor of William J. Reynolds,
edited by David W. Music (Fort Worth, Tex.: School of Church Music,Southwestern BaptistTheological
Seminary, 1998),71.
12 Ibid,71.
13 Dan Kimball,Emerging worship: creating new worship gatherings for emerging generations
(Grand Rapids,Michigan:Zondervan,2004),4.
14 Ibid,3.
10
of people has come to just being served and not giving anything back. A lot of times
when people don’t put energy into something and try to receive what is being put forth,
the service may end up being null and void.
History of Screens in Homes
Media screens in a worship service are still fairly new to the scene of the church,
but TV’s have made a big impact on our culture way before churches made a decision
that they might be helpful. To put this into perspective, “It took 70 years before half of all
American homes had a telephone...Yet it only took 8 years, after the arrival of full-scale
television in 1947, before half of all Americans homes had a black-and-white television
set.” This change in culture has been around for 68 years and we are still not grasping
that a media screen could be a turning point in the way that we communicate the Gospel.
If it only took 8 years for all Americans to get TV’s, why has it taken us 68 to realize that
they are a great means of communication?
Impact on Society
This rise in the number of people with TV’s have dropped the number of people
that had reading as a primary activity, 30% of those people dropped that as a primary
activity in 1965-1985.15
15 Stephens, Rise of the Image Fall of the Word, 10.
11
And this drop has occurred at the same time that the amount of formal
education Americans obtain has been rising dramatically. The percentage
of Americans over the age of 24 who have completed four years of high
school has more than tripled since 1940, according to the Census Bureau’s
Current Population Survey. It increased from 69% to 82% just from 1980
to 1995. And if since 1940 the percentage of Americans completing four
years of college has increased by a factor of five. If education still
stimulated the desire to read, all the statistics on reading would be
expected to be shooting up.16
This goes to show that reading is no longer the best way to communicate to the culture
that we now live in. It does not make reading obsolete, but it does give us a push to begin
to use visual technology to its full potential. Let us go with the culture on this one and see
that media screens are the next big way that humankind has come up with to
communicate and teach to the people of today. Emily Dickinson, the famous poet, has
said that, “There is no frigate like a book…to take us lands away.”17 The image instead of
a book has become the prominent mental transport to take us on a journey through an
engaging story.18 The impact on society has been larger than I could have ever imagined,
but now I am not sure that we could ever go back. The only way to look is forward
towards the future.
If you have ever watched a TV commercial, they like to tell you what you want,
why you need it, and how to attain such an important object or thing.19 These
commercials are able to make a lot of the viewers believe that whatever it is selling are
needs, or wants, for the viewer. The advertisements on TV are one of the most enticing
16 Ibid , 10.
17 Ibid,11.
18 Ibid,11.
19
Andy StanleyandLane Jones, Communicating fora Change (ColoradoSprings,
Colorado:MultnomahBooks,2006), 59.
12
things to watch, and has begun to create a new society based on the next new thing. Why
couldn’t churches take the model of ‘why, what, and how?’ These commercials obviously
work to the advantage of the industry and this model can work the same in a church.
For example the Bud puppy ad found at the link at the bottom of this page20
shows a loving story between a dog and the Clydesdale horses. The Budweiser
commercial shows us what we want, why we need it, how we can go about attaining it.
The ‘what’ in this commercial can come in many different ways. We want the friendship
that is portrayed through the characters. We want the protection of our friends and family
that is shown. Lastly we want the Budweiser beer that makes all of these wants possible.
The ‘why’ in the commercial tells that all the wants listed above are why we want the
beer. After showing us the why and the what, the commercial tells us that it is a beer that
makes all of this happen and it is implied that you get beer at a convenient store, grocery
store, liquor store, etc. The commercial does a great job of drawing us into the main story
and then showing us how we achieve a wonderful friendship like that. This is through the
Budweiser beer.
Just as there is more than one commercial per show and season, the church cannot
use a media screen once to make an impact and then store it away like it never even
existed. For example, “Having a big screen… lowering it for a video clip or graph of the
church financial state, then raising it and returning to the good old days of doing church.
Doing that is the media equivalent of rolling out the grand piano for a featured music
20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM8azoZjI4U
13
number, then rolling it offstage once it’s over.”21 These screens really do make a
difference in the way that we can begin to see things from a different point of view. I
recognize that making a change like this can be hard. None of us like to admit that we
may not be doing something the best way or the right way. Even though sometimes we
can see the best route, we fight for the manner in which we have always done it. Walter
Bagehot stated that, “Naturally, therefore, common men hate a new idea, and are
disposed more or less to ill-treat the original man who brings it.”22
Development of the Church Message
Matthew 9:16b-17 says that, “Old skins filled with new wine will burst.”23 Here
Jesus is saying that you cannot force new and old ways together. The wine, or the
message, needs to be presented in a new package, a new form of communication that
won't get lost in translation before it gets to the eyes and ears of those who hear it, while
still using some of the older ways of communication. There needs to be a balance of the
ways that we communicate. We cannot use all of our old methods and just add media to
them, but we also do not have to trade or change all of our old methods to use media
screens in worship.
Have you seen clothes in the store that says one size fits all? If so let’s look at the
model that is wearing the piece of clothing. Usually the model is skinny and tall. Now
imagine that same piece of clothing on someone that is either larger or smaller in size.
21 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 22.
22 Ibid,32.
23 Ibid,32.
14
The piece of clothing will probably not look right on either person. Same goes for the
learning styles of the people of the congregation. “A one-size-fits-all approach toward
growth will definitely not be the most effective model of the twenty-first century.”24 I
find it hard in most cases to recall the sermon that was preached a couple of days ago. A
good reason for forgetting the sermon could be that the service did not cater to the major
learning styles that I possess.
Another way to look at retention is, “This is a simple example of a system within
an individual building, but it depends upon a great many other systems for its success."25
Think of something that operates on its own. Is there one thing that you can think about
that operates without any help from something else? For example a battery seems as
though it could be operating by itself and self-sustaining by the look of the outer
packaging, but it has copper and zinc along with some other chemical reactions inside the
battery to create power. The outer packaging of the battery could not be full and working
without other elements and parts supporting it. The thought can be the same for the way
that we learn. There is not one element in the system, on its own, that operates the best.
Not everyone will find that listening to a lecture will be the most compelling way
of communicating a point. Not everyone will appreciate learning while doing an activity
because that is not the style that usually attracts them. That goes for the same with visual
learning, since not everyone will best retain by learning visually. These types of teaching
are called our learning styles. The way that we will be looking at learning styles right
24 Michael Slaughter and Warren Bird, Unlearning Church: Just when you thought you had
leadership all figured out (Loveland, Colorado:Group PublishingInc., 2002),23.
25 Robert Michal Brown,Educational media: a competency-based approach (Columbus, Ohio:
Merrill,1973),56.
15
now is, “the way the learner interacts with the learning environment and with
instructional practices.”26
Development through Learning Styles
“Lovelace stated, ‘results overwhelmingly supported the position that matching
students’ learning-style preference with complementary instruction improved academic
and student attitudes toward learning.’” This conclusion was done from the point of view
of different schools, but can easily be applied to a worship service setting. We cannot just
preach on Sunday morning with our mouths only, but also with our music and media
screen visuals. The auditory preaching may not be the thing that is connecting some
people in the congregation.
In fact, “According to Dunn, the learning-style distribution in an ‘average’ group
is: 30% to 40% visual, 20% to 30% auditory, and 30% to 50% are kinesthetic/tactual.”27
This statement means that if we have 200 people in a given service only an average of 60
people out of the 200 hundred will retain the sermon that was just merely preached orally.
We also see that an average of 80 people will receive and retain the message if it was just
communicated visually. If the sermon was just done kinesthetically or tactually (some
kind of element that you can touch or specifically do) the preacher would reach on
average 100 of the 200 people there. Let’s imagine putting at least visual and auditory
26 Margaret F. Williamson and Roberta L Watson. Learning styles research: understanding how
teaching should be impacted by the way learners learn Christian Education Journal 3, no. 1, (2006),29-30.
-Included in this learningstyleresearch is the work of theorists,“Canfield and Lafferty; Dunn, and
Price;Friedman and Stritter; Goldberg; Grasha and Reichmann; Renzulli and Smith; and Rezler and
Rezmovic.”
27 Williamson,Learning Styles research, 33.
16
together. Now the preacher can reach an average of 140 people. That is an average of
70% of your congregation that will be retaining the message if we use both visual and
auditory learning. If kinesthetic/tactual is added into the equation the goal is reached for
everyone in the room to understand the lesson that is being taught. These statistics by
themselves are very poor, but together just like the example with the battery they provide
power and usefulness. Research shows that in addition to being taught with all three
learning styles to ease their learning, the students began to enjoy learning the information
and ideas being taught than when their learning styles were not used.28
In a worship service we are not able to fully cater to one learning style or the
other, and that’s ok. We see that, “The use of learning styles should be focused on
providing a balance for learners. Learners need to learn within the comfort of their style
while still being stretched and encouraged to try other styles as well.”29 Using all of these
learning styles is not easy to begin to do in a service and at times we may become
frustrated and stop trying to incorporate other learning styles to make it easier on
ourselves. “When we decide to make it ‘simple’ on ourselves, we are making a decision
to make it more difficult on our congregation”30
Types of learning styles
The learning style that is most pertinent to using media screens is the visual
learning style. A visual person is usually able to sit for long periods. They write and proof
28 Ibid,33.
29 Ibid,40.
30 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 5.
17
read well. This learner will look up to the left to receive information. They are also easily
distracted by movement in the room.31 To help a visual learner retain information a
couple of things need to be known. It needs to be recognized that, “looking at material is
the ideal way for these individuals to learn, so while you are explaining the idea or
concept, draw pictures or use visual representations.”32 If you show a visual learner an
example of a talking point then they will more than likely have a higher retention rate.33
Last but not least the media team needs to take advantage that they are visual learning
style and use pictures, videos, maps, etc. to enhance the visual learners’ retention.
Auditory learners talk a lot even if it is with themselves. They also speak more
slowly than visual learners. Some auditory learners have difficult reading after
confronting a lot of visual stimulation.34 To help an auditory learner retain information
you may have to “avoid unnecessary sounds that could be distracting”35…read aloud or
speak orally to them.
Learners that have kinesthetic or tactual tendencies, want movement and touch.
They attach strong emotions to what they are learning. These students may be distracted
by temperature change and other alterations to comfort level. 36 To help a learner like this
do hands on activities. Comfortable surroundings should be provided for the learning
activities.37
31 MarileeSprenger, Brain-based teaching☺ in the digital age (Alexandria,VA: Association for
Supervision and CurriculumDevelopment, 2010),72-73.
32 Ibid,73.
33 Ibid,73.
34 Ibid,74.
35 Ibid,74-75.
36 Ibid,75.
37 Ibid,75.
18
The church has the ability to be creative in the ways that the worship service is
run. Preaching does not need to be restricted to an auditory learning style, nor does the
singing. There are chances to be creative. Later I will present concrete ideas that can be
used to enhance the learning style with the media screen.
Knowing your learning style
Chances are that when reading the different qualities that each learning style
possesses you were thinking I do or don’t do that. It is important that we are able to
recognize the way that we learn because that affects the way that we teach others. For the
communicator the, “learning style is also the way you prefer to give feedback, or simply
your communication style. Just as you prefer either your left hand or your right hand, you
prefer one modality or sense over the others."38 Once aware of our learning style we can
be ready and able to change up the way that we teach to accommodate others. In the case
of a worship service if the preacher is more comfortable giving a sermon without any
visuals then they would know that maybe they need to add some visual aid in the sermon
and service. A very important thing to remember though is that no one style is better than
the other. “Appreciating and honoring another's learning style is a goal that could very
well enhance any relationship, raise self-esteem, and contribute to quality
communication."39
We cannot become tied down to the way that we learn, because it’s a hard truth
but it is not about you. Galatians 2:19b-20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it
38 Ibid,70.
39 Ibid,71.
19
is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” Luke 9:23-24 says, “If any want
to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and
follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life
for my sake will save it.” It is not about what we want. It should not just be about how we
learn or see things. It is no longer about pleasing ourselves, but the people of God. We
need to begin to embrace ways that other people think and learn to further the kingdom of
God.
Learning styles presented in the Bible
The Bible has many examples of God and Jesus using different learning styles to
help the people understand the message. The story of Moses has two major examples of
different learning styles. God used the burning bush as a visual to help Moses understand
what he must do to save Gods people. Then after Moses spoke to Pharaoh using an
auditory form he had to use visuals and kinesthetic plagues to convince Pharaoh to let
people of God go.
Jesus had a ministry full of using different learning styles. “He used stories and
illustrations, parables, questions, discussions, lecture, object lessons, and debates to
communicate His message in a way that connected to His learners.”40 In the Sermon on
the Mount he addressed the people with lectures. Jesus also washed the disciple’s feet
which is an example of a kinesthetic/ tactual learning style. The Lords’ supper was a
visual act for the disciples to experience his teaching. These are just a couple of examples
40 Williamson,Learning Styles Research, Pg. 37
20
in the ways that Jesus used different learning styles as he taught, helping them to
understand and retain the point of the message.
The Early Church and Change
The early church has addressed these learning styles with the resources that they
had. We are not the early church, which means our traditional service may not be as
traditional as we first thought. For the Church to address the learning styles within
worship they had to begin to change things when they had the chance. For instance the
organ was not always in churches. In the renaissance era, “the development of the pipe
organ was to accompany singing and to play purely instrumental music.”41 The organ has
the ability touch to on the auditory learning style. The organ also has a visual learning
style because the organ is usually large and beautiful.
Hymnals became big after “The Wesley brothers in 1745-1746 published
collections of hymns for the Lord's Nativity, Resurrection, and Ascension and for
Pentecost and other great festivals as well as Hymns on the Lord's Supper.”42 Adding the
hymnals helped with the learning styles of visual learners by letting them see the notes
and the words and the kinesthetic learners to give them something to hold and use.
Most of us would assume that the pulpit was always something that was preached
behind when in fact it was created by John Chrysostom who preached from a reading
41
James F. White, A Brief History of Christian Worship (Nashville:Abingdon Press,1993),136-
137.
42 WilliamT.Flynn, The Oxford History of Christian Worship: Liturgical Music (Oxford, New York:
Oxford University Press,2006), 785.
21
desk instead of remaining seated in the, “Presider’s chair.”43 This I believe would have
become more visually pleasing and interactive with the congregation.
“For well over a thousand years, the posture of worship was standing”44 in the
Beginning of the 14th century pews began to be introduced.45 Pews could have been
introduced because people were tired of standing, but could also have filled the need for a
kinesthetic learner to be comfortable.
Through all the changes in the church we can see that the church has never stayed
stagnant, but has adapted to the time and the resources that they had. It is now time for us
to adapt to our time and the resources that we have which is integrating media screens
into worship. If we don’t I am afraid that we may become stagnant and content with what
we are already doing. Instead let us look forward for the future and see what we can do to
enhance the worship service.
Media Screens use in Traditional vs. Contemporary worship service
Now there are many obvious differences between a traditional service and
contemporary service, but the way that we use media screens should be different. The
reasons that we use a media screen should not change either. The reason that we use these
media screens is to be able to effectively communicate the Gospel to all types of people
with different types of learning styles. So, as we go into ways to plan to use media, how
43 White, Brief History of Christian Worship, 69.
44 Ibid,72.
45 Ibid,101.
22
we can learn from media, and concrete examples, know that they all apply to all types of
services.
Planning Worship
Planning a worship service will take many parts coming together. One of the parts
is implementing the use of the media screens. The media screen should have its own
ministry that contributes to the whole of the service. In the book Sanctuary as Cinema
they called this team a Creative Art Team or CAT for short. This team, “would read
through the file, jotting down ideas that came to mind for each text-- ideas on how the
congregation could touch taste, see, hear, and smell each week in worship through songs,
images, movie clips, poems, or foods.”46 The CAT team is responsible for coming up
with different ideas to implement on a media screen. Knowing that this is not the only
ministry team that helps create the worship service means that all of the people involved
need to know the theme well in advance to begin to brainstorm.
"Everyone is pretty much an expert in mass media, having been exposed to it in
one way or another since early childhood."47 We may be experts, but we just don't know
it yet. When we watch TV we become ingrained in the shows like How I Met Your
Mother, CSI, The Walking Dead, etc. because we become attached to the characters and
can relate it to life story in some way. We watch late night talk shows or news stations
and are drawn into the way that they present their material. When we take a step back and
46 Martin Amber Bergeson, "Sanctuary as cinema?: Ignore learningstyles atyour own risk"Word
& World 32, no. 3, (2012):302.
47 Brown, Educational Media, 148.
23
look at the reasoning we are drawn to these shows we have the potential to become
experts in communicating using visual media because we see what works.
For our expertise to come out we need to take a step back and ask questions. For
example in talk shows we should ask, “How do Fallon, Letterman, and Conan engage the
audience visually? Do they use video clips, and if so, what do they say? How do they
work?”48 These are even some of the same questions that we can ask when we watch TV
shows or the news stations.
Engaging the Congregation with Visual Media
Something that is important when we begin to watch analytically is this: we see
that there are trends, “One trend is the pace rule. Never take too long to say any one
thing; as a rule, keep the camera moving, because we are the attention deficit
generation.”49 For example watch your favorite movie or trailer and count how long it
takes for the camera angle to change. Most angles will not last more than 5 seconds.
Keeping the shot changing is just one of the many ways that the shows keep our
attention. Everything that we do needs a purpose and a point. If something was created or
shown because it looks cool then the piece that was created may need to be re thought. If
something is in a way that will enhance the message of the worship service then it was
probably done right.
48 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 47.
49 Ibid,50.
24
Concrete Ways to Engage the Congregation
There are a many ways to enhance the message throughout a service.
Enhancement can be done through video announcements, countdowns, background
slides, scripture graphics, visuals during the sermon, visuals for the sermon series, main
image of the service, video testimonies, and street interviews. looking at this list of ways
to use media could be a little daunting. The good thing is that there are a lot of ways that
a media screen can make a positive impact.
Video announcements can be used, “During the announcement time of worship,
tell the story,”50 of the reason why the announcement is important, “on video and give the
details in the bulletin.”51
Pre service countdown can be used for people to prepare for a time of worship.
“The catch, however, is that you actually have to start the service as soon as the counter
reaches zero.”52
Background slides need to communicate the theme and point of the service. Many
churches use the, “Holy Blob of Color,’ which is a term we use to describe eye candy that
says nothing in particular.”53
A way to use a scripture graphic is to, “Find and element, character, or
environment present in any given scripture and illustrate it with an image on screen,
without ever typing a character.”54
There should be two or three illustrations for the sermon that points back to the
point of the sermon and theme of worship.
There should be visuals for the sermon series. This image should not stay the
same, but build on itself. When the image is the same for multiple weeks then the
congregation will begin to ignore it. The image should either have something added to it
every week during the series or be change every time.55
The main image may be the most important for each service that is created. If the
goal is for people to retain what they had just experienced, then this image should
represent a metaphor. The image would appear anytime there is not another image
showing.56 The use of a metaphor will be discussed later in the paper.
50 Ibid,47.
51 Ibid,47.
52 Ibid,63.
53 Ibid,22.
54 Ibid,60-61.
55 Ibid,61.
56 Ibid,60.
25
Has there ever been worry in a time when someone gets up to say their testimony,
which you know they will be up there for the whole service? Or has someone froze and
completely embarrassed themselves while being up on the stage sharing their testimony?
Video testimonies are a great way “to hear a two minute personal faith story through the
medium of video”57
Lastly, a lot of times talk shows will do street interviews and have a specific
question to ask these random people. This is an “effective way to set up a theme and get a
feel for real-world opinion of topic.”58
These examples here are just to get people used to thinking about how to use
media in worship. If you are looking for more detailed examples look in the book Wired
Church 2.0 to find more examples and more detailed ideas of the ones presented here.
Untalented with visual media development?
All of these ways to use media take some type of skill to be a reality. If you are
not talented in using the programs to create these images and videos, there is luck! There
are places that have already created theme images and videos for churches that are not
able to create their own media. For example at midnightoilproductions.com there are
visuals and videos that have already been created for you. If we create an image,
“halfheartedly messages come out under our breath, slurred and monotone”59 It is worse
for the services if these images that we create distract from the original message than not
having images at all.
There is hope though for creating a top tier image and or video. YouTube has lots
of different instructional videos on steps in which to create images and videos. Use
YouTube as a resource it is a great source and FREE. Almost anything that will need to
57 Ibid,20.
58 Ibid,66.
59 Ibid,21.
26
be known will be on YouTube. So, do not fret or become frustrated because there is help
available.
Preaching Style
To help the media screens be successful, the preaching style may have to change
some. If the preacher gives people too much to remember they will have forgotten
everything. The message has to be narrowed to one point.60 For example if the sermon is
on forgiveness that may be too broad. What kind of forgiveness is the preacher talking
about? It could be a complete kind of forgiveness, it could be an undeserved forgiveness,
it could be what does it mean to forgive, or even how do you forgive. Forgiveness is too
broad of a topic and when preaching there has to be a since of not moving on to many
different things that the congregation has to remember.61 Having the topic being
broadened also is like if I tell you a bunch of numbers to remember. 47,65,85,65,59,38.
No repeat those without looking back at the paper. If I had just put 47 then being able to
remember that one number is easier than remembering the 2nd through the 6th number.62
Doing this also helps give the media team a central theme and point to create their images
and video around. Every thought and example that is brought up should all point back to
the theme.
To narrow the topic here are some questions to ask before preparing the sermon.
“What do they need to know? Why do they need to know it? What do they need to do?
60 Stanley, Communicating For a Change, 39.
61 Ibid,40.
62 Ibid,39.
27
Why do they need to do it?”63 This will help break it down into one topic for the sermon.
After breaking it down into one topic/theme it will help the media team come up with
something that relates to the topic of the sermon. Not only will narrowing the topic help
the media team, but it will help the worship team to pick contemporary songs and or
hymns to sing in the service.
A preacher is not there to just inform the congregation. In a classroom, “The
teacher is often "teaching" by standing up and giving a presentation of some sort to their
students. Even when a presentation is done well, there are often students who are
disengaged from the learning process.”64 Look at this as a sermon. The content is no
longer just being presented to the audience, but has to engage the learner (congregation)
and facilitate the process. Preaching is not something to just present the content, but a
time to be actively involved in the learning process. The focus is not on presenting the
content, but the focus in on the learner also known as the congregation. Although the
pastor cannot come down and address each person in the congregation during the sermon,
the pastor can relate the message to the members of the congregation. The relational
aspect that the book Flipped Learning gives is still there. This, for us is congregational
engagement.
The way most preach and the way we teach looks much like a pie chart that has,
“roughly 80% is focused on content and the other 20% is focused on relationship and
63 Ibid,81.
64 Johnathan Bergmann, Flipped Learning: gateway to student engagement (Eugene, OR:
International Society for Technology in Education,2014), 8.
28
curiosity.”65 What if content, relationship, and curiosity could all be equally important?
What would that look like if our goal was not to teach people the content, but the goal
was to see their lives changed to reflect the love of Christ? This means that the content
can no longer be the center; content by itself does not connect to the listener. We need
ways to tell stories and be relational. We need ways to help the congregation connect and
become curious. Through these things the congregation can realize that they need to hear
the message. Whatever we are preaching and teaching we need to make sure that the
sermon is the message we want to show. To do act upon this we need to understand how
people learn and begin to incorporate different styles of teaching to reach the most people
in the congregation.
Using Metaphors
The images that will be created for the services will relate back to the metaphor
for the service. Usually creating the metaphor around household items will be the best for
retention. Using a house hold item is best because people see these items in their homes
and will be reminded of the metaphor.66 These metaphors used by the preacher are
enhanced by the media screen and other elements of worship. Metaphors can really
impact the way that the congregation engages and understand the point or theme of the
service. There may never be a perfect metaphor, at some point it will break down, but
“The stronger the metaphor, the stronger the sticking power.”67 So, make sure to work at
65 Bergman, Flipped Learning, 22.
66 Bergeson, Sanctuary as Cinema, 304.
67 Wilson,Digital Storytellers, 35
29
creating a metaphor with a team of people. When thinking about the metaphor you’re
your team, complete “this sentence: this biblical story/concept/message is like_________
(insert a visual idea)”68
The Bible is full of metaphors itself. For instance, in the story of Moses God is
like a bush that won’t burn. The Holy Spirit is often referred to like a dove. We are
compared to lost sheep, children, brothers and sister, etc. since the Bible has used so
many different metaphors for explanation, I am not sure we can get around the fact that
metaphors are an important fact in relating the message that the preacher has to offer.
The Naysayers
There are people that are against adding a media screen into worship. I will call
them the Naysayers. It is important to realize that at most churches there will be at least
one Naysayer to adding the media screen. “Be willing to take risks...Be tenacious in the
face of miscues and naysayers...Change never comes without resistance.”69 Don’t give up
or lose faith in engaging the Gospel in new ways. These Naysayers will be worried about
the cost, if the screen is distracting or takes away from worship, they will not want to
change the way that they have always done it.
They are completely justified in wondering and thinking all of these things. They
should be worried about cost because it is not smart to invest in something that is not
going to work. It is important for the vision and ideas to drive the thought to purchase
media screens.
68 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 51.
69 Ibid,The Wired Church 2.0, 33.
30
Answering some of the Common Concerns
Now it is true that a large media screen can be distracting in worship, but if used
correctly it will not hinder, but help guide the ideas of the service. The media screen
could be distracting if the media is not at an excellent production level. So if the
permission is granted for media screens make sure to make a good first impression.
It is hard for someone to change a tradition and thought. So the question, “What is
wrong with the way I’ve always done it?” is a valid question. Matthew 14:22-33 Peter
attempts to walk on water. If he had never stepped out of the boat he never would have
had the life changing experience. Sometimes we have to take that next step even though it
will be hard, even though it is out of our comfort zone, even though it is no longer a place
that we know and have rehearsed well.
We are worried about the unknown. The creation of images can come from other
sources on the internet. We may never be able to do anything if we are worried about the
unknown. I would never leave my house, go driving, be with friends, etc. because I
would be worried about what may happen, but in many cases the unknown has to be
explored.
Having a Team
There is a point when one person can only go so far. A media presentation cannot
just be one person coming up and presenting media screens, but a team of lay people
31
definitely helps. “One way to avoid a rift is to enlist lay leadership to assist with vision
casting. Key leaders can turn a programmed mandate into a grassroots movement. This
difference in perception can go a long way to overcoming negativity.”70 Working with a
team of people will not only make the cause seem more legitimate, but the lay people are
the real voices in the church that can make a change. After the escape from Egypt Moses
and Aaron recruited more people to help them. The story of Moses shows that we can’t
do projects like this alone, but need help in the process.
After the media screen is accepted and ready to be put into the sanctuary, a team
for creating the media is ready to be developed. The team that is created should consist of
lay people who are not employed by the church. It is nice to find lay people without a
preconceived notion about how to do the media, but are willing to learn. 71 It is easier to
teach a new dog a new trick than an old dog a new trick. The people in charge or
participating in this ministry do not have to be trained clergy or even paid. When Jesus
picked the disciples he did not pick big religious leaders for their knowledge on the
scriptures, but instead he picked people that didn’t know a whole lot about them. The
same thing can be done with creating a visual media team.
Budgeting
There needs to be a budget for spending money on this equipment that is going to
be used. “So put a major percentage of whatever money you have into a sound system;
for example, if given $50,000, you may invest $20,000 in video projection and or/
70 Wilson,Digital Storytellers, 136.
71 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0., 95.
32
cameras, $10,000 in computer editing, and $20,000 for upgrades to your sound system.”72
Even if a church does not have a budget of this size they can still use the same principles.
If the church cannot afford a projector and a screen, get a TV screen instead, and the size
of the screen will be determined by how large the space is.73 There are always “affordable
solutions to a problem, even if nobody knows what it is yet.”74 Do not fret, but look at
what the church can afford and purchase.
Having a Plan/Failure
All of these things are important for the ultimate plan of action. Planning for the
integration of media screens is like preparing for dinner. These are the things that have to
be done to take place for dinner: “decide on menu, obtain ingredients, prepare
ingredients, set table, persuade guests to come to table, eat dinner, and clean up."75 If the
integration is not planned with careful consideration then it could set back the progress.
Nobody wants to hear that dinner is going to be late.
Integrating a media screen is not an easy task. There many things to remember
and do. When things get hard and difficult don’t give up, but continue looking toward the
future. “Jesus was right there with them, walking on the water...Peter did the impossible
because he responded to the voice of Jesus instead of listening to the storms and the fears
72 Wilson,Digital Storytellers, 144.
73 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 143. “Formulated by SMPTE, or the Society of Motion Picture and
Television Engineers, the ruleis called the2x6 rule: the screen width should equal the distancein feet to
the firsttwo rows of seats, divided by two, and equal the distanceto the lastrowof seats divided by six.
In casethe two are not the same go with the larger figure.”
74 Ibid.,55.
75 Brown, Educational Media, 69.
33
of others.”76 In this story even though Peter doubted and began to sink that doubt should
not be labeled as failure. “If anyone failed, it was the eleven who stayed in the boat,
waiting to see if it could be done.”77 So, do not be worried, but rejoice in the fact that you
are out on the water walking towards the example that Jesus has set through the
scriptures.
In John 20:21 Jesus tells his disciples, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent
me, so I send you.” This change in using media screens is not for our benefit, it is not
about us. It is going as Jesus has told the disciples to go and spread the word of God.
76 Slaughter, Unlearning Church, 25.
77 Ibid,26.
34
A New Way of Seeing
A PowerPoint Presentation on use of digital media
35
36
Before the Presentation:
How to present your point
Going into a presentation with an administration board is a hard thing to do.
Especially when you have a new idea. This Presentation has to be well informed and
interesting. Just like we talked into the paper you have to be able to engage and educate
them for the listener to fully grasp what you are talking about. In this instance we are
going to be talking about electronic visual media being added to the worship service.
Presenting this to someone that does not agree and has already experienced this in
a different cultural arena will be harder to convince. This presentation is not one against
the other, but somewhere where you have to work together to make this happen. If you go
in thinking that you are right and you will not accept anything less then you may not get
anything at all.
Not doing the presentation alone
As we talked about in the paper this presentation cannot be done without support from
other counterparts especially the lay leadership. The administration board wants to do
what is best for the church and what the overall church wants. So, if you know of lay
leaders that want something like this to happen then have them as a reference or even in
the room during the presentation. Having others with the same ideas as you will give you
confidence during the presentation and the continuation of the media ministry.
37
Notes for slides
Slide one/Slide two: These slides are pure introduction. The countdown will become
relevant late in the PowerPoint on slide #19. See Printed PowerPoint pg. 1for a visual.
Slide three: Media is something that connects us as one. Also, it is something that we
should be able to communicate with. This communication goes from one person to the
other. Pg. 1 for a visual
Slide four: Begin to describe the first picture the best that you can it will be the angry
cat. For example this cat is not happy with what you have done. The feeling I get from
this cat is that it is plotting to kill you. (After saying something like this go to the picture)
Pg. 1 for a visual
Slide five: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as
you had described it. Describe the next picture: Happy and playful Cat Pg. 2 for a visual
Slide six: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as you
had described it. Describe the next picture: This one needs to not reference the apples, but
the act of putting up a fake persona. Pg. 2 for a visual
Slide seven: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as
you had described it. Describe the next picture: boy full of sorry and anguish, sitting on a
curb on a street. Pg. 2 for a visual
Slide eight: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as
you had described it. Describe the next picture: Happy laughing baby Pg. 2 for a visual
38
Slide nine: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as
you had described it. Pg. 3 for a visual
Slide ten: You all had ideas in your head about what I was explaining, (click next) Pg. 3
for a visual
Slide eleven: But not a full or detailed picture of my description. In our head some of us
assume that the left side of the bottle will look like the right, but what if we think a little
more abstract. This bottle could be like God’s plan for your life. I always assume that I
am going to do this, but when in reality God wants you somewhere else. Our plan for this
bottle is to look like the right side, but our plan may not always be the right plan. There
are more possibilities for this bottle than just looking like the right side. Pg. 3 for a visual
Slide twelve: (Transition slide) Pg. 3 for a visual
Slide Thirteen: These Pictures that we had just looked at is a very common way to
transmit a message in an electronic or digital from. Pg. 4 for a visual
Slide fourteen: -We do not use media to entertain. If we were using media to entertain
we might as well continue just to watch it in our homes, at movie theaters, etc.
-We want to engage the congregation
-We want people, after they leave the church to remember the message. Pg. 4 four a
visual
39
Slide fifteen: These are not good reasons to get a screen in the worship service. These
things may or may not happen if a screen is in worship, but none of these options should
be the reason why to get a screen. Pg. 4 for a visual
Slide sixteen: (Read slide twice and emphasis on the bold words) Pg. 4 for a visual
Slide seventeen: ‘There are many avenues in which we can communicate through digital
media and I am about to show you a couple.’ Pg. 5 for a visual
Slide eighteen: (Transition slide) Pg. 5 for a visual
Slide nineteen: The countdown at the beginning of the video sets a specific time and
place for everyone to be ready to worship. In the background of the countdown I put a
border of a projection screen. The screen symbolized what we were talking about today.
Pg. 5 for a visual
Slide twenty: The Main Image comes up when there is not another image to be put on
the screen. The main image should represent and follow the metaphor of the message. In
this case it is looking more abstractly at communication. We do not always have to
follow what our mind knows, but begin to look at the ability for more effective ways to
communicate. Pg. 5 for a visual
Slide twenty one: First invite them to watch the video, but while watching count how
many seconds it took to switch to a new and different camera angle.
40
-After the video explain how this story is a metaphor for family and friends coming
together and having each other’s back. This metaphor and story is how we relate to this
this video. Pg. 6 for a visual
Slide twenty two: To completely finish the bottle…to bring everything together there has
to be elements of the major learning styles. As we go through some of the traits of
learning styles I invite you to try and pick a learning style that you are most like. Pg. 6
for a visual
Slide twenty three: (Just read the slide) Pg. 6 for a visual
Slide twenty four: (Just read the slide) Pg. 6 for a visual
Slide twenty five: (Just read the slide) Pg. 7 for a visual
Slide twenty six: Ask them “which one are you the most of” and to raise their hands
while looking around the room to see whose hands go up. Pg. 7 for a visual
Slide twenty seven: This is not gender specific, but an overall average. Pg. 7 for a visual
Slide twenty eight: This slide represents 200 congregation members on a given Sunday.
If 30%-40% are visual then you will only reach (Go to next slide) Pg. 7 for a visual
Slide twenty nine: This is 40% of the congregation the change here is pretty drastic. Pg.
8 for a visual
Slide thirty: This slide represents 200 congregation members on a given Sunday. If 20%-
30% are auditory learners then this means that… (next slide) Pg. 8 for a visual
41
Slide thirty one: You now have 30% of the congregation you lose 140 congregation
members if the service and or sermon are just auditory. Pg. 8 for a visual
Slide thirty two: This slide represents 200 congregation members on a given Sunday. If
30%-50% are Kinesthetic and tactual learners then this means that (next slide) Pg. 8 for a
visual
Slide thirty three: This is 50% of the congregation the change here is pretty drastic. Pg.
9 for a visual
Slide thirty four: You may not be able to reach all two hundred every time, but you will
have a better chance of reaching more people if you use all of these learning styles
together. Pg. 9 for a visual
Slide thirty five: Now since we have talked about the practical application we will now
look at where to spend our money. Pg. 9 for a visual
Slide thirty six: -Sound system includes speakers, cables, audio mixer, and possibly
someone to install it for you.
-Video Projection could include Tv’s, Projection screens, Projector, cables, etc
-Computer Editing could include editing software, Projection/Presentation software, and
Computer to run these programs. This part of the budget could also include a video
camera and equipment to do some shooting yourself.
42
This example of things that you will buy is just an overview of some things you may
think about purchasing. You have the ability to decide exactly what you church can use
and what it needs. It is ok to dream big. Pg. 9 for a visual
Slide thirty seven: (same as above) Pg. 10 for a visual
Slide thirty eight: (same as above) Pg. 10 for a visual
Slide thirty nine: This process should probably max get done in a year and a half. Pg. 10
for a visual
Slide forty: It is time to make a difference, to go and spread the Gospel as effectively as
possible. Pg. 10 for a visual
Slide forty one: In this you should be well prepared if you have read the paper with it.
Especially if you read the section on ‘Answering some of the Common Concerns’. Pg. 11
for a visual
After the Presentation:
Creating a detailed plan
After the presentation is over and they have accepted your idea it is now you and
your teams, responsibility to come up with a more detailed plan in how to begin to
implement this ministry. You team should be meeting at least once a week to begin to
discuss the beginning stages of implementing your media ministry. Once the equipment
43
is in and installed it is time to begin to learn how to use it and join the worship planning
team. Joining this team is to not to just help plan worship, but to use it as a resource
strengthen your visual metaphors, videos, and pictures for the worship service.
44
Bibliography
Bergeson, Amber Marten. "Sanctuary as Cinema?: Ignore learning styles at your own
risk." Word & World 32, no. 3, (2012):83-96
Bergmann, Johnathan. Flipped Learning: Gateway to Student Engagement. Eugene, OR:
International Society for Technology in Education, 2014.
Bradley, Randall. "Worship and Learning Styles: Practical Applications for Worshipers
and Worship Leaders." In We'll Shout and Sing Hosanna: Essays on Church
Music in Honor of William J. Reynolds, edited by David W. Music, 82-91. Fort
Worth, Tex.: School of Church Music, Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary, 1998.
Brown, Robert Michal. Educational media: a competency-based approach. Columbus,
Ohio: Merrill, 1973.
Byassee, Jason. "Eight minutes of wisdom: the 'Animate' video series." The Christian
Century 130, no. 20, (2013):1-24
Flynn, William T. The Oxford History of Christian Worship: Liturgical Music. Oxford,
New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.
Kimball, Dan. Emerging worship: creating new worship gatherings for emerging
generations, edited by David Sanford, 39-48. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan, 2004.
Lenwilson.us/creativity-worship
midnightoilproductions.com
Moore, Jason and Len Wilson, Design Matters: Creating Powerful Imagery for Worship.
Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2006.
Ogawa, Matthew S, and Vern Rossman. “Evangelism Through the Mass Media and
Audio Visual Materials.” International Review of Mission 50, no. 200, 1961.
Postman, Neil. Amazing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show
Business. New York: Penguin Books, 1985.
Rienstra, Ron. "Audio technology in worship: keeping the central things central." Cross
Accent 21, no. 3 (2013):19-42
45
Sample, Tex. The Spectacle of Worship in a Wired World: Electronic Culture and the
Gathered People of God. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1998.
Shuster, Marguerite. "People of the words: why the pulpit and not the screen--still
belongs at the center of our churches." Christianity Today 58, no. 8 (2014): 44-62.
Slaughter, Michael and Warren Bird. Unlearning Church: Just when you thought you had
leadership all figured out. Loveland, Colorado: Group Publishing Inc., 2002.
Sprenger, Marilee. Brain-based teaching☺ in the digital age. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2010.
Stanley, Andy and Lane Jones, Communicating for a Change. Colorado Springs,
Colorado: Multnomah Books, 2006.
Stephens, Mitchell. The Rise of the Image, the Fall of the Word. New York: Oxford,
1998.
Stringer, Martin D. A Sociological History of Christian Worship. Cambridge, New York:
Cambridge University Press, 2005.
White, James F. A Brief History of Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993.
Williamson, Margaret F, and Roberta L Watson. “Learning styles research:
understanding how teaching should be impacted by the way learners learn.”
Christian Education Journal 3, no. 1, (2006).
Wilson, Len and Jason Moore, Digital Storytellers: The Art of Communicating the
Gospel. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002.
__________. The Wired Church 2.0. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008.

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (11)

2 & 3 bhk luxury flats in balewadi, pune
2 & 3 bhk luxury flats in balewadi, pune2 & 3 bhk luxury flats in balewadi, pune
2 & 3 bhk luxury flats in balewadi, pune
 
PPP Jennifer Naylor
PPP Jennifer NaylorPPP Jennifer Naylor
PPP Jennifer Naylor
 
Santos primera clase
Santos primera claseSantos primera clase
Santos primera clase
 
Exequatur y Extradición
Exequatur y ExtradiciónExequatur y Extradición
Exequatur y Extradición
 
Expo de hardware educativo
Expo de hardware educativoExpo de hardware educativo
Expo de hardware educativo
 
Impariamo a trovare il tempo
Impariamo a trovare il tempoImpariamo a trovare il tempo
Impariamo a trovare il tempo
 
Ai1617 ac-tp2-g4-a
Ai1617 ac-tp2-g4-aAi1617 ac-tp2-g4-a
Ai1617 ac-tp2-g4-a
 
jeyaram1.final report projectdocx
jeyaram1.final report projectdocxjeyaram1.final report projectdocx
jeyaram1.final report projectdocx
 
Prezentare ciprian stanescu sia ht 2016
Prezentare ciprian stanescu sia ht 2016Prezentare ciprian stanescu sia ht 2016
Prezentare ciprian stanescu sia ht 2016
 
Calculo integral
Calculo integralCalculo integral
Calculo integral
 
Aporte individual guzmán ortiz diana_carolina
Aporte individual guzmán ortiz diana_carolinaAporte individual guzmán ortiz diana_carolina
Aporte individual guzmán ortiz diana_carolina
 

Similar to Capstone

Cult of Celebrities and the Effects of Infotainment: Views and Commentaries
Cult of Celebrities and the Effects of Infotainment: Views and CommentariesCult of Celebrities and the Effects of Infotainment: Views and Commentaries
Cult of Celebrities and the Effects of Infotainment: Views and CommentariesKatrina Alona Dumalag Bustria
 
The Analysis For Lifeboat Ethics The C. Online assignment writing service.
The Analysis For Lifeboat Ethics The C. Online assignment writing service.The Analysis For Lifeboat Ethics The C. Online assignment writing service.
The Analysis For Lifeboat Ethics The C. Online assignment writing service.Tiffany Carpenter
 
Thesis Statement For Texting While Driving Essay
Thesis Statement For Texting While Driving EssayThesis Statement For Texting While Driving Essay
Thesis Statement For Texting While Driving EssayMahogany Dunn
 
10 Best Free Printable Letter Writing Paper For Kids PD
10 Best Free Printable Letter Writing Paper For Kids PD10 Best Free Printable Letter Writing Paper For Kids PD
10 Best Free Printable Letter Writing Paper For Kids PDAmanda Brady
 
Presentation on audiences
Presentation on audiences Presentation on audiences
Presentation on audiences leannacatherina
 
Media role in communication
Media role in communicationMedia role in communication
Media role in communicationSalman Jailani
 
Good Medical School Essays. Good medical school essays - Reasearch amp; Essay...
Good Medical School Essays. Good medical school essays - Reasearch amp; Essay...Good Medical School Essays. Good medical school essays - Reasearch amp; Essay...
Good Medical School Essays. Good medical school essays - Reasearch amp; Essay...Mona Novais
 
11 Reasons I Love Being A Spelman College Student
11 Reasons I Love Being A Spelman College Student11 Reasons I Love Being A Spelman College Student
11 Reasons I Love Being A Spelman College StudentAnita Strong
 

Similar to Capstone (12)

Turning Content into Conversation
Turning Content into ConversationTurning Content into Conversation
Turning Content into Conversation
 
Cult of Celebrities and the Effects of Infotainment: Views and Commentaries
Cult of Celebrities and the Effects of Infotainment: Views and CommentariesCult of Celebrities and the Effects of Infotainment: Views and Commentaries
Cult of Celebrities and the Effects of Infotainment: Views and Commentaries
 
The Analysis For Lifeboat Ethics The C. Online assignment writing service.
The Analysis For Lifeboat Ethics The C. Online assignment writing service.The Analysis For Lifeboat Ethics The C. Online assignment writing service.
The Analysis For Lifeboat Ethics The C. Online assignment writing service.
 
The Importance Of Mass Media
The Importance Of Mass MediaThe Importance Of Mass Media
The Importance Of Mass Media
 
Thesis Statement For Texting While Driving Essay
Thesis Statement For Texting While Driving EssayThesis Statement For Texting While Driving Essay
Thesis Statement For Texting While Driving Essay
 
Audience theory
Audience theoryAudience theory
Audience theory
 
10 Best Free Printable Letter Writing Paper For Kids PD
10 Best Free Printable Letter Writing Paper For Kids PD10 Best Free Printable Letter Writing Paper For Kids PD
10 Best Free Printable Letter Writing Paper For Kids PD
 
Presentation on audiences
Presentation on audiences Presentation on audiences
Presentation on audiences
 
Media Essay Writing
Media Essay WritingMedia Essay Writing
Media Essay Writing
 
Media role in communication
Media role in communicationMedia role in communication
Media role in communication
 
Good Medical School Essays. Good medical school essays - Reasearch amp; Essay...
Good Medical School Essays. Good medical school essays - Reasearch amp; Essay...Good Medical School Essays. Good medical school essays - Reasearch amp; Essay...
Good Medical School Essays. Good medical school essays - Reasearch amp; Essay...
 
11 Reasons I Love Being A Spelman College Student
11 Reasons I Love Being A Spelman College Student11 Reasons I Love Being A Spelman College Student
11 Reasons I Love Being A Spelman College Student
 

Capstone

  • 1. 1 OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY WIMBERLY SCHOOLOFRELIGIONSENIORCAPSTONE A New Way of Seeing Working for a Change in the Media of the Church Michael Horn 11/18/2015
  • 2. 2 “EXPLOSION!” Raging fires start in the building nearby. The superhero with beautiful hair and toned body comes in to save the day. Broken glass is everywhere and people are screaming bloody murder. The superhero skillfully begins to grab the civilians that are hurt and bleeding out, while dodging the broken glass and falling debris. The city is overwhelmed by the skill and stamina that is shown by the hero. All anyone can do is stand and watch as the hero does what heroes do: save people. The citizens of the city yell and cheer as the superhero flies in and out, pulling people from the deteriorating building. But the hero was not able to save the last three workers in the building as it crumbles to the ground with a loud “CRASH!” This is a typical superhero movie. The superhero is here to save the day. All the citizens stand and watch in awe as the hero does all of the work. Most or all of the people are saved, so the story ends with a mildly happy ending. This action-packed movie scene creates something that in which we are engaged. It creates a story that we can become a part of, something that we can connect to. Movies and entertainment are just a couple of the ways that we view visual media. Action movies like the Avengers and Superman or dramas like The Notebook or Dear John bring in a lot of people to see them, and these movie attendees may leave crying, happy, or even pumped on adrenaline. But how do the movies bring us in to pay up to $12 for a ticket? The reason that movies draw us in is the way that the creators have used the new technology to create stories and ideas that we are attracted to.
  • 3. 3 We know that the use of electronic media has great success in bringing people in. Visual media directly affects the viewer’s retention and the way they talk about what the viewer had just experienced. Why can’t we do the same thing in the church? Why can’t we use this new form of technology to have our congregation members leaving, remembering and talking about what they had just done and been to? I know I want someone to leave my church saying I am going to remember that, do those things when I leave here, and it touched me so much that I may just tell someone else. Well, bringing the congregation in like the movies mentioned earlier is achievable with some changes in the way that we do our worship services. This type of engagement involves adding a media screen to a worship service to use it to further the teaching of the Gospel. There are lots of ways to use a media screen in worship, but before we get into that there has to be some understanding about electronic media and a worship service. Defining Media The book The Wired Church, defines media as, “the plural form of the word medium, which is an agent for transmitting messages between senders and receivers. Messages can be anything from the verbal ‘I love you,’ to a printed direct mail card, to images on screens”1 Media is just a way of communicating with each other, in this paper there will be more specific talk about electronic media and how to use it. Electronic media, for this paper also known as digital media, “are a means to send a message or a set of messages to individuals or groups of people in which electronic forms of technology 1 Len Wilson and Jason Moore, The Wired Church 2.0. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008), 6.
  • 4. 4 are used.”2 From now on, when referring regularly to media I will be talking about electronic media that comes on screens. Is Media Entertainment? Just like the other ministries in the church are looking to communicate and engage the congregation in the gospel, electronic media ministry is also. The electronic media ministry “should not be treated as operational support, but as a ministry that uses video, audio, graphics, text, the internet, and other emerging technology applications to communicate the gospel.” This is the purpose of electronic visual media in the church, to create a ministry that is dedicated to sharing the gospel through the medium of electronics When the idea of installing media screens comes to the board meeting, the people of the committee already have a preconceived notion of what the screen will bring to the service. When first thought about, media screens are seen in the context of the larger world. People will often think about how they use the screen in their home, which is most likely for entertainment purposes. We see media as entertainment because, “we bring along with it the symbolic meanings and uses that are attached to them in other cultural arenas.”3 If we think about all of the cultural arenas in our lives the list may include a living room, movie theater, sports bar, friend’s house and even through a business presentation. In watching a media screen (TV) at these places, we begin to associate this electronic media with places that we watch and or see it. Bringing the screen into the 2 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 6. 3 Ron Rienstra, "Audio technology in worship:keeping the central things central,"Cross Accent 21, no. 3 (2013), 27.
  • 5. 5 church provides a new cultural arena for most people. Their assumptions of the screen are based on entertainment or educational value of where and what they watching. Now we can see a problem that may arise when we bring media screens into worship. Sometimes the committee board and the congregation are not in the right frame of mind when it comes to the use of media screens in worship. Some churches that are using media screens in worship are stuck in their old cultural arena. Being stuck there creates “a loss of form and presentation, which has a tendency to create a showy, shallow service.”4 Using media for entertainment creates an opposite effect. The media on the screen can distract from the original message intended. If we see media and think, ‘What a cool background on the slide,’ instead of ‘I really like how the background of that slide relates to the message,’ then we have probably created something that is more distracting and entertaining than engaging and educational. Media as Educational Tool Now, “once we move beyond aiming cameras at stage plays, conversations or sporting events and other original uses of moving images,”5 then we will have, “new ways of seeing.”6 Then and only then can we begin to see clearly the use of media screens in worship. There then becomes a new understanding of engagement. Engagement is no longer in the cultural arena of entertainment, but is now in the arena of engagement through education and empowerment. When television was the dominant 4 Len Wilson and Jason Moore, Digital Storytellers: The Art of Communicating the Gospel (Nashville:Abingdon Press,2002),108. 5 Mitchell Stephens, The Rise of the Image, the Fall of the Word (New York: Oxford, 1998),18. 6 Ibid,18.
  • 6. 6 way of seeing visual media, it was easy to see media as entertainment. Now we can change that by using media as an educational tool. Media screens as an educational tool give a church reasons for purchasing them. There are some common things that a church usually presents as the reason for getting a media screen. For instance, 92% say they get a screen to be more relevant with the needs of our current congregation, 85% say they get a screen to attract and keep the youth in our congregation, 84% say they get a screen to attract the unchurched to our worship services, 32% say they get a screen to respond to changes in worship at other nearby congregations, 4% say they get a screen to get heads out of books/look up.7 None of these are sound reasons for wanting a media screen in worship. The media screen should have a purpose of communicating the Gospel more effectively. A screen may attract a couple more people into to the service, but that should not be the reason to ultimately make the decision for adding a media screen. Even some of those who try to use media screens as an educational tool use them in the wrong way. The first thing that comes to mind when I think about trying to educate a large group of people on something is to us Microsoft PowerPoint or the Apple equivalent Keynote. People use these programs in schools and business meetings to get their point across. People can see education as a, “business-driven, computer-based standard that consists of a number of textual, aural, and visual elements tossed together in a PowerPoint document, with little sense of design and zero sense of story or experience.”8 In a worship setting people are not there to obtain information or acquire 7 Wilson,Digital Storytellers, 16. 8 Ibid,18.
  • 7. 7 facts like some would give in a classroom or a business meeting. Using a media screen for those reasons is like having a large piece of paper that can change with a click of a button, but does not satisfy the need for a sense of story and engagement.9 The media screen does not need to be there to replace a hymnal or to make it easier to see the words. The media screen has an ultimate purpose of creating an opportunity for engagement and education through story and metaphor. To educate using story and metaphor means that we are creating a way for people to relate to the message. Our lives are constantly creating a new story every second. In our life story we have protagonists and antagonists that play a role in our lives. We have our ups and downs, plot twists, along with dips and turns in our life that we may never imagine or even notice. The reason why we are engaged in stories, created through other avenues, is that we can relate to some aspect of the story that was created. Creating this story, whether it is completely true or not, can draw us in to the message and engage our senses, to retain the most or all of the message. In our story there are things that we are used to seeing a lot of. These objects or items that we see and experience are the best to use for a metaphor. Bishop Hayes of the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church gave a sermon comparing rocking chairs to how we worry. Most people have sat in a rocking chair at least once in their life. He goes on to say that worry is like a rocking chair because you go back in forth on your rocking chair not getting anywhere as we do with worry. We sit on our worry and ponder about all the possibilities, but in the end we are not getting anywhere. Just like sitting in the rocking chair. So, this metaphor was used 9 Ibid,20.
  • 8. 8 in this sermon to engage and help people understand how worry works by being able to compare it to something else. Another great example of education through story, metaphor, and entertainment comes from the TV show Sesame Street. When the show Sesame Street original pilot aired they realized a distinct flaw in its format: the educational portions were separated from the entertainment portions. This meant kids would tune out when the teachers came on, and tune back in when the Muppets returned. The test was a complete disaster. The creators revamped the show. The adults on the program, who previously appeared in the educational portions of the show, now interacted with the Muppet characters...Soon after the show debuted on PBS, educators throughout the country had to change their curriculum. Children were walking into kindergarten ready and able to recite their ABC’s and 123’s and even spell simple words. The teachers, parents, and unknowingly the children, were just beginning to learn the power of what electronic culture had to offer.10 Sesame Street was revolutionary through the way they were able to engage the kids in education through story and metaphor. Through Sesame Street we can see that by itself, education doesn’t engage people. In the same terms pure entertainment doesn’t set out to educate. Now through both of those avenues we can create media in the church that has a meaningful story and is metaphor based. It will engage the congregation in something more than just being one or the other. Defining Worship Service If we are going to be adding media screens into a worship service then we have to know the purpose of a worship service. This is so the screen can serve the right function 10 Ibid,37-38.
  • 9. 9 throughout the service. When we look at a worship service we find that those are two very important words, ‘worship’ and ‘service’. We will begin to break these down to then have a better understanding of what it means to be in a worship setting, where worship includes serving God. When we worship in our churches “by nature”11 it becomes a, “corporate experience that draws together people of different ages, genders, and national origins."12 We can refer to corporate worship as a community of faith that comes together to give adoration and praise toward God. In the Greek New Testament the word for worship is, “proskuneo which stems from pros ('toward') and kuneo ('to kiss'). This is an act of reverence and devotion, and in biblical times often involved bowing, kneeling, and lying prostrate in reverence before a great and holy God.”13 These acts are how we serve God in a time of praise and thanksgiving. The act of worship is put on us to fully accept all that God has given to us. As people that lead the service we need to realize that we are not serving our congregation first, but through serving God first we serve our congregation. Worship is an act of service. We see that, “In the New Testament, the English word "service" (as translated in the NIV) is used to speak of an act of giving not receiving."14 We are not just receiving God’s love and God’s word, but we are showing our praise and thanks to God in the midst of it all. The focus of a worship service for a lot 11Randall Bradley, "Worship and LearningStyles:Practical Applicationsfor Worshipersand Worship Leaders In We'll Shout and Sing Hosanna: Essays on Church Music in Honor of William J. Reynolds, edited by David W. Music (Fort Worth, Tex.: School of Church Music,Southwestern BaptistTheological Seminary, 1998),71. 12 Ibid,71. 13 Dan Kimball,Emerging worship: creating new worship gatherings for emerging generations (Grand Rapids,Michigan:Zondervan,2004),4. 14 Ibid,3.
  • 10. 10 of people has come to just being served and not giving anything back. A lot of times when people don’t put energy into something and try to receive what is being put forth, the service may end up being null and void. History of Screens in Homes Media screens in a worship service are still fairly new to the scene of the church, but TV’s have made a big impact on our culture way before churches made a decision that they might be helpful. To put this into perspective, “It took 70 years before half of all American homes had a telephone...Yet it only took 8 years, after the arrival of full-scale television in 1947, before half of all Americans homes had a black-and-white television set.” This change in culture has been around for 68 years and we are still not grasping that a media screen could be a turning point in the way that we communicate the Gospel. If it only took 8 years for all Americans to get TV’s, why has it taken us 68 to realize that they are a great means of communication? Impact on Society This rise in the number of people with TV’s have dropped the number of people that had reading as a primary activity, 30% of those people dropped that as a primary activity in 1965-1985.15 15 Stephens, Rise of the Image Fall of the Word, 10.
  • 11. 11 And this drop has occurred at the same time that the amount of formal education Americans obtain has been rising dramatically. The percentage of Americans over the age of 24 who have completed four years of high school has more than tripled since 1940, according to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. It increased from 69% to 82% just from 1980 to 1995. And if since 1940 the percentage of Americans completing four years of college has increased by a factor of five. If education still stimulated the desire to read, all the statistics on reading would be expected to be shooting up.16 This goes to show that reading is no longer the best way to communicate to the culture that we now live in. It does not make reading obsolete, but it does give us a push to begin to use visual technology to its full potential. Let us go with the culture on this one and see that media screens are the next big way that humankind has come up with to communicate and teach to the people of today. Emily Dickinson, the famous poet, has said that, “There is no frigate like a book…to take us lands away.”17 The image instead of a book has become the prominent mental transport to take us on a journey through an engaging story.18 The impact on society has been larger than I could have ever imagined, but now I am not sure that we could ever go back. The only way to look is forward towards the future. If you have ever watched a TV commercial, they like to tell you what you want, why you need it, and how to attain such an important object or thing.19 These commercials are able to make a lot of the viewers believe that whatever it is selling are needs, or wants, for the viewer. The advertisements on TV are one of the most enticing 16 Ibid , 10. 17 Ibid,11. 18 Ibid,11. 19 Andy StanleyandLane Jones, Communicating fora Change (ColoradoSprings, Colorado:MultnomahBooks,2006), 59.
  • 12. 12 things to watch, and has begun to create a new society based on the next new thing. Why couldn’t churches take the model of ‘why, what, and how?’ These commercials obviously work to the advantage of the industry and this model can work the same in a church. For example the Bud puppy ad found at the link at the bottom of this page20 shows a loving story between a dog and the Clydesdale horses. The Budweiser commercial shows us what we want, why we need it, how we can go about attaining it. The ‘what’ in this commercial can come in many different ways. We want the friendship that is portrayed through the characters. We want the protection of our friends and family that is shown. Lastly we want the Budweiser beer that makes all of these wants possible. The ‘why’ in the commercial tells that all the wants listed above are why we want the beer. After showing us the why and the what, the commercial tells us that it is a beer that makes all of this happen and it is implied that you get beer at a convenient store, grocery store, liquor store, etc. The commercial does a great job of drawing us into the main story and then showing us how we achieve a wonderful friendship like that. This is through the Budweiser beer. Just as there is more than one commercial per show and season, the church cannot use a media screen once to make an impact and then store it away like it never even existed. For example, “Having a big screen… lowering it for a video clip or graph of the church financial state, then raising it and returning to the good old days of doing church. Doing that is the media equivalent of rolling out the grand piano for a featured music 20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM8azoZjI4U
  • 13. 13 number, then rolling it offstage once it’s over.”21 These screens really do make a difference in the way that we can begin to see things from a different point of view. I recognize that making a change like this can be hard. None of us like to admit that we may not be doing something the best way or the right way. Even though sometimes we can see the best route, we fight for the manner in which we have always done it. Walter Bagehot stated that, “Naturally, therefore, common men hate a new idea, and are disposed more or less to ill-treat the original man who brings it.”22 Development of the Church Message Matthew 9:16b-17 says that, “Old skins filled with new wine will burst.”23 Here Jesus is saying that you cannot force new and old ways together. The wine, or the message, needs to be presented in a new package, a new form of communication that won't get lost in translation before it gets to the eyes and ears of those who hear it, while still using some of the older ways of communication. There needs to be a balance of the ways that we communicate. We cannot use all of our old methods and just add media to them, but we also do not have to trade or change all of our old methods to use media screens in worship. Have you seen clothes in the store that says one size fits all? If so let’s look at the model that is wearing the piece of clothing. Usually the model is skinny and tall. Now imagine that same piece of clothing on someone that is either larger or smaller in size. 21 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 22. 22 Ibid,32. 23 Ibid,32.
  • 14. 14 The piece of clothing will probably not look right on either person. Same goes for the learning styles of the people of the congregation. “A one-size-fits-all approach toward growth will definitely not be the most effective model of the twenty-first century.”24 I find it hard in most cases to recall the sermon that was preached a couple of days ago. A good reason for forgetting the sermon could be that the service did not cater to the major learning styles that I possess. Another way to look at retention is, “This is a simple example of a system within an individual building, but it depends upon a great many other systems for its success."25 Think of something that operates on its own. Is there one thing that you can think about that operates without any help from something else? For example a battery seems as though it could be operating by itself and self-sustaining by the look of the outer packaging, but it has copper and zinc along with some other chemical reactions inside the battery to create power. The outer packaging of the battery could not be full and working without other elements and parts supporting it. The thought can be the same for the way that we learn. There is not one element in the system, on its own, that operates the best. Not everyone will find that listening to a lecture will be the most compelling way of communicating a point. Not everyone will appreciate learning while doing an activity because that is not the style that usually attracts them. That goes for the same with visual learning, since not everyone will best retain by learning visually. These types of teaching are called our learning styles. The way that we will be looking at learning styles right 24 Michael Slaughter and Warren Bird, Unlearning Church: Just when you thought you had leadership all figured out (Loveland, Colorado:Group PublishingInc., 2002),23. 25 Robert Michal Brown,Educational media: a competency-based approach (Columbus, Ohio: Merrill,1973),56.
  • 15. 15 now is, “the way the learner interacts with the learning environment and with instructional practices.”26 Development through Learning Styles “Lovelace stated, ‘results overwhelmingly supported the position that matching students’ learning-style preference with complementary instruction improved academic and student attitudes toward learning.’” This conclusion was done from the point of view of different schools, but can easily be applied to a worship service setting. We cannot just preach on Sunday morning with our mouths only, but also with our music and media screen visuals. The auditory preaching may not be the thing that is connecting some people in the congregation. In fact, “According to Dunn, the learning-style distribution in an ‘average’ group is: 30% to 40% visual, 20% to 30% auditory, and 30% to 50% are kinesthetic/tactual.”27 This statement means that if we have 200 people in a given service only an average of 60 people out of the 200 hundred will retain the sermon that was just merely preached orally. We also see that an average of 80 people will receive and retain the message if it was just communicated visually. If the sermon was just done kinesthetically or tactually (some kind of element that you can touch or specifically do) the preacher would reach on average 100 of the 200 people there. Let’s imagine putting at least visual and auditory 26 Margaret F. Williamson and Roberta L Watson. Learning styles research: understanding how teaching should be impacted by the way learners learn Christian Education Journal 3, no. 1, (2006),29-30. -Included in this learningstyleresearch is the work of theorists,“Canfield and Lafferty; Dunn, and Price;Friedman and Stritter; Goldberg; Grasha and Reichmann; Renzulli and Smith; and Rezler and Rezmovic.” 27 Williamson,Learning Styles research, 33.
  • 16. 16 together. Now the preacher can reach an average of 140 people. That is an average of 70% of your congregation that will be retaining the message if we use both visual and auditory learning. If kinesthetic/tactual is added into the equation the goal is reached for everyone in the room to understand the lesson that is being taught. These statistics by themselves are very poor, but together just like the example with the battery they provide power and usefulness. Research shows that in addition to being taught with all three learning styles to ease their learning, the students began to enjoy learning the information and ideas being taught than when their learning styles were not used.28 In a worship service we are not able to fully cater to one learning style or the other, and that’s ok. We see that, “The use of learning styles should be focused on providing a balance for learners. Learners need to learn within the comfort of their style while still being stretched and encouraged to try other styles as well.”29 Using all of these learning styles is not easy to begin to do in a service and at times we may become frustrated and stop trying to incorporate other learning styles to make it easier on ourselves. “When we decide to make it ‘simple’ on ourselves, we are making a decision to make it more difficult on our congregation”30 Types of learning styles The learning style that is most pertinent to using media screens is the visual learning style. A visual person is usually able to sit for long periods. They write and proof 28 Ibid,33. 29 Ibid,40. 30 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 5.
  • 17. 17 read well. This learner will look up to the left to receive information. They are also easily distracted by movement in the room.31 To help a visual learner retain information a couple of things need to be known. It needs to be recognized that, “looking at material is the ideal way for these individuals to learn, so while you are explaining the idea or concept, draw pictures or use visual representations.”32 If you show a visual learner an example of a talking point then they will more than likely have a higher retention rate.33 Last but not least the media team needs to take advantage that they are visual learning style and use pictures, videos, maps, etc. to enhance the visual learners’ retention. Auditory learners talk a lot even if it is with themselves. They also speak more slowly than visual learners. Some auditory learners have difficult reading after confronting a lot of visual stimulation.34 To help an auditory learner retain information you may have to “avoid unnecessary sounds that could be distracting”35…read aloud or speak orally to them. Learners that have kinesthetic or tactual tendencies, want movement and touch. They attach strong emotions to what they are learning. These students may be distracted by temperature change and other alterations to comfort level. 36 To help a learner like this do hands on activities. Comfortable surroundings should be provided for the learning activities.37 31 MarileeSprenger, Brain-based teaching☺ in the digital age (Alexandria,VA: Association for Supervision and CurriculumDevelopment, 2010),72-73. 32 Ibid,73. 33 Ibid,73. 34 Ibid,74. 35 Ibid,74-75. 36 Ibid,75. 37 Ibid,75.
  • 18. 18 The church has the ability to be creative in the ways that the worship service is run. Preaching does not need to be restricted to an auditory learning style, nor does the singing. There are chances to be creative. Later I will present concrete ideas that can be used to enhance the learning style with the media screen. Knowing your learning style Chances are that when reading the different qualities that each learning style possesses you were thinking I do or don’t do that. It is important that we are able to recognize the way that we learn because that affects the way that we teach others. For the communicator the, “learning style is also the way you prefer to give feedback, or simply your communication style. Just as you prefer either your left hand or your right hand, you prefer one modality or sense over the others."38 Once aware of our learning style we can be ready and able to change up the way that we teach to accommodate others. In the case of a worship service if the preacher is more comfortable giving a sermon without any visuals then they would know that maybe they need to add some visual aid in the sermon and service. A very important thing to remember though is that no one style is better than the other. “Appreciating and honoring another's learning style is a goal that could very well enhance any relationship, raise self-esteem, and contribute to quality communication."39 We cannot become tied down to the way that we learn, because it’s a hard truth but it is not about you. Galatians 2:19b-20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it 38 Ibid,70. 39 Ibid,71.
  • 19. 19 is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” Luke 9:23-24 says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” It is not about what we want. It should not just be about how we learn or see things. It is no longer about pleasing ourselves, but the people of God. We need to begin to embrace ways that other people think and learn to further the kingdom of God. Learning styles presented in the Bible The Bible has many examples of God and Jesus using different learning styles to help the people understand the message. The story of Moses has two major examples of different learning styles. God used the burning bush as a visual to help Moses understand what he must do to save Gods people. Then after Moses spoke to Pharaoh using an auditory form he had to use visuals and kinesthetic plagues to convince Pharaoh to let people of God go. Jesus had a ministry full of using different learning styles. “He used stories and illustrations, parables, questions, discussions, lecture, object lessons, and debates to communicate His message in a way that connected to His learners.”40 In the Sermon on the Mount he addressed the people with lectures. Jesus also washed the disciple’s feet which is an example of a kinesthetic/ tactual learning style. The Lords’ supper was a visual act for the disciples to experience his teaching. These are just a couple of examples 40 Williamson,Learning Styles Research, Pg. 37
  • 20. 20 in the ways that Jesus used different learning styles as he taught, helping them to understand and retain the point of the message. The Early Church and Change The early church has addressed these learning styles with the resources that they had. We are not the early church, which means our traditional service may not be as traditional as we first thought. For the Church to address the learning styles within worship they had to begin to change things when they had the chance. For instance the organ was not always in churches. In the renaissance era, “the development of the pipe organ was to accompany singing and to play purely instrumental music.”41 The organ has the ability touch to on the auditory learning style. The organ also has a visual learning style because the organ is usually large and beautiful. Hymnals became big after “The Wesley brothers in 1745-1746 published collections of hymns for the Lord's Nativity, Resurrection, and Ascension and for Pentecost and other great festivals as well as Hymns on the Lord's Supper.”42 Adding the hymnals helped with the learning styles of visual learners by letting them see the notes and the words and the kinesthetic learners to give them something to hold and use. Most of us would assume that the pulpit was always something that was preached behind when in fact it was created by John Chrysostom who preached from a reading 41 James F. White, A Brief History of Christian Worship (Nashville:Abingdon Press,1993),136- 137. 42 WilliamT.Flynn, The Oxford History of Christian Worship: Liturgical Music (Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press,2006), 785.
  • 21. 21 desk instead of remaining seated in the, “Presider’s chair.”43 This I believe would have become more visually pleasing and interactive with the congregation. “For well over a thousand years, the posture of worship was standing”44 in the Beginning of the 14th century pews began to be introduced.45 Pews could have been introduced because people were tired of standing, but could also have filled the need for a kinesthetic learner to be comfortable. Through all the changes in the church we can see that the church has never stayed stagnant, but has adapted to the time and the resources that they had. It is now time for us to adapt to our time and the resources that we have which is integrating media screens into worship. If we don’t I am afraid that we may become stagnant and content with what we are already doing. Instead let us look forward for the future and see what we can do to enhance the worship service. Media Screens use in Traditional vs. Contemporary worship service Now there are many obvious differences between a traditional service and contemporary service, but the way that we use media screens should be different. The reasons that we use a media screen should not change either. The reason that we use these media screens is to be able to effectively communicate the Gospel to all types of people with different types of learning styles. So, as we go into ways to plan to use media, how 43 White, Brief History of Christian Worship, 69. 44 Ibid,72. 45 Ibid,101.
  • 22. 22 we can learn from media, and concrete examples, know that they all apply to all types of services. Planning Worship Planning a worship service will take many parts coming together. One of the parts is implementing the use of the media screens. The media screen should have its own ministry that contributes to the whole of the service. In the book Sanctuary as Cinema they called this team a Creative Art Team or CAT for short. This team, “would read through the file, jotting down ideas that came to mind for each text-- ideas on how the congregation could touch taste, see, hear, and smell each week in worship through songs, images, movie clips, poems, or foods.”46 The CAT team is responsible for coming up with different ideas to implement on a media screen. Knowing that this is not the only ministry team that helps create the worship service means that all of the people involved need to know the theme well in advance to begin to brainstorm. "Everyone is pretty much an expert in mass media, having been exposed to it in one way or another since early childhood."47 We may be experts, but we just don't know it yet. When we watch TV we become ingrained in the shows like How I Met Your Mother, CSI, The Walking Dead, etc. because we become attached to the characters and can relate it to life story in some way. We watch late night talk shows or news stations and are drawn into the way that they present their material. When we take a step back and 46 Martin Amber Bergeson, "Sanctuary as cinema?: Ignore learningstyles atyour own risk"Word & World 32, no. 3, (2012):302. 47 Brown, Educational Media, 148.
  • 23. 23 look at the reasoning we are drawn to these shows we have the potential to become experts in communicating using visual media because we see what works. For our expertise to come out we need to take a step back and ask questions. For example in talk shows we should ask, “How do Fallon, Letterman, and Conan engage the audience visually? Do they use video clips, and if so, what do they say? How do they work?”48 These are even some of the same questions that we can ask when we watch TV shows or the news stations. Engaging the Congregation with Visual Media Something that is important when we begin to watch analytically is this: we see that there are trends, “One trend is the pace rule. Never take too long to say any one thing; as a rule, keep the camera moving, because we are the attention deficit generation.”49 For example watch your favorite movie or trailer and count how long it takes for the camera angle to change. Most angles will not last more than 5 seconds. Keeping the shot changing is just one of the many ways that the shows keep our attention. Everything that we do needs a purpose and a point. If something was created or shown because it looks cool then the piece that was created may need to be re thought. If something is in a way that will enhance the message of the worship service then it was probably done right. 48 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 47. 49 Ibid,50.
  • 24. 24 Concrete Ways to Engage the Congregation There are a many ways to enhance the message throughout a service. Enhancement can be done through video announcements, countdowns, background slides, scripture graphics, visuals during the sermon, visuals for the sermon series, main image of the service, video testimonies, and street interviews. looking at this list of ways to use media could be a little daunting. The good thing is that there are a lot of ways that a media screen can make a positive impact. Video announcements can be used, “During the announcement time of worship, tell the story,”50 of the reason why the announcement is important, “on video and give the details in the bulletin.”51 Pre service countdown can be used for people to prepare for a time of worship. “The catch, however, is that you actually have to start the service as soon as the counter reaches zero.”52 Background slides need to communicate the theme and point of the service. Many churches use the, “Holy Blob of Color,’ which is a term we use to describe eye candy that says nothing in particular.”53 A way to use a scripture graphic is to, “Find and element, character, or environment present in any given scripture and illustrate it with an image on screen, without ever typing a character.”54 There should be two or three illustrations for the sermon that points back to the point of the sermon and theme of worship. There should be visuals for the sermon series. This image should not stay the same, but build on itself. When the image is the same for multiple weeks then the congregation will begin to ignore it. The image should either have something added to it every week during the series or be change every time.55 The main image may be the most important for each service that is created. If the goal is for people to retain what they had just experienced, then this image should represent a metaphor. The image would appear anytime there is not another image showing.56 The use of a metaphor will be discussed later in the paper. 50 Ibid,47. 51 Ibid,47. 52 Ibid,63. 53 Ibid,22. 54 Ibid,60-61. 55 Ibid,61. 56 Ibid,60.
  • 25. 25 Has there ever been worry in a time when someone gets up to say their testimony, which you know they will be up there for the whole service? Or has someone froze and completely embarrassed themselves while being up on the stage sharing their testimony? Video testimonies are a great way “to hear a two minute personal faith story through the medium of video”57 Lastly, a lot of times talk shows will do street interviews and have a specific question to ask these random people. This is an “effective way to set up a theme and get a feel for real-world opinion of topic.”58 These examples here are just to get people used to thinking about how to use media in worship. If you are looking for more detailed examples look in the book Wired Church 2.0 to find more examples and more detailed ideas of the ones presented here. Untalented with visual media development? All of these ways to use media take some type of skill to be a reality. If you are not talented in using the programs to create these images and videos, there is luck! There are places that have already created theme images and videos for churches that are not able to create their own media. For example at midnightoilproductions.com there are visuals and videos that have already been created for you. If we create an image, “halfheartedly messages come out under our breath, slurred and monotone”59 It is worse for the services if these images that we create distract from the original message than not having images at all. There is hope though for creating a top tier image and or video. YouTube has lots of different instructional videos on steps in which to create images and videos. Use YouTube as a resource it is a great source and FREE. Almost anything that will need to 57 Ibid,20. 58 Ibid,66. 59 Ibid,21.
  • 26. 26 be known will be on YouTube. So, do not fret or become frustrated because there is help available. Preaching Style To help the media screens be successful, the preaching style may have to change some. If the preacher gives people too much to remember they will have forgotten everything. The message has to be narrowed to one point.60 For example if the sermon is on forgiveness that may be too broad. What kind of forgiveness is the preacher talking about? It could be a complete kind of forgiveness, it could be an undeserved forgiveness, it could be what does it mean to forgive, or even how do you forgive. Forgiveness is too broad of a topic and when preaching there has to be a since of not moving on to many different things that the congregation has to remember.61 Having the topic being broadened also is like if I tell you a bunch of numbers to remember. 47,65,85,65,59,38. No repeat those without looking back at the paper. If I had just put 47 then being able to remember that one number is easier than remembering the 2nd through the 6th number.62 Doing this also helps give the media team a central theme and point to create their images and video around. Every thought and example that is brought up should all point back to the theme. To narrow the topic here are some questions to ask before preparing the sermon. “What do they need to know? Why do they need to know it? What do they need to do? 60 Stanley, Communicating For a Change, 39. 61 Ibid,40. 62 Ibid,39.
  • 27. 27 Why do they need to do it?”63 This will help break it down into one topic for the sermon. After breaking it down into one topic/theme it will help the media team come up with something that relates to the topic of the sermon. Not only will narrowing the topic help the media team, but it will help the worship team to pick contemporary songs and or hymns to sing in the service. A preacher is not there to just inform the congregation. In a classroom, “The teacher is often "teaching" by standing up and giving a presentation of some sort to their students. Even when a presentation is done well, there are often students who are disengaged from the learning process.”64 Look at this as a sermon. The content is no longer just being presented to the audience, but has to engage the learner (congregation) and facilitate the process. Preaching is not something to just present the content, but a time to be actively involved in the learning process. The focus is not on presenting the content, but the focus in on the learner also known as the congregation. Although the pastor cannot come down and address each person in the congregation during the sermon, the pastor can relate the message to the members of the congregation. The relational aspect that the book Flipped Learning gives is still there. This, for us is congregational engagement. The way most preach and the way we teach looks much like a pie chart that has, “roughly 80% is focused on content and the other 20% is focused on relationship and 63 Ibid,81. 64 Johnathan Bergmann, Flipped Learning: gateway to student engagement (Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education,2014), 8.
  • 28. 28 curiosity.”65 What if content, relationship, and curiosity could all be equally important? What would that look like if our goal was not to teach people the content, but the goal was to see their lives changed to reflect the love of Christ? This means that the content can no longer be the center; content by itself does not connect to the listener. We need ways to tell stories and be relational. We need ways to help the congregation connect and become curious. Through these things the congregation can realize that they need to hear the message. Whatever we are preaching and teaching we need to make sure that the sermon is the message we want to show. To do act upon this we need to understand how people learn and begin to incorporate different styles of teaching to reach the most people in the congregation. Using Metaphors The images that will be created for the services will relate back to the metaphor for the service. Usually creating the metaphor around household items will be the best for retention. Using a house hold item is best because people see these items in their homes and will be reminded of the metaphor.66 These metaphors used by the preacher are enhanced by the media screen and other elements of worship. Metaphors can really impact the way that the congregation engages and understand the point or theme of the service. There may never be a perfect metaphor, at some point it will break down, but “The stronger the metaphor, the stronger the sticking power.”67 So, make sure to work at 65 Bergman, Flipped Learning, 22. 66 Bergeson, Sanctuary as Cinema, 304. 67 Wilson,Digital Storytellers, 35
  • 29. 29 creating a metaphor with a team of people. When thinking about the metaphor you’re your team, complete “this sentence: this biblical story/concept/message is like_________ (insert a visual idea)”68 The Bible is full of metaphors itself. For instance, in the story of Moses God is like a bush that won’t burn. The Holy Spirit is often referred to like a dove. We are compared to lost sheep, children, brothers and sister, etc. since the Bible has used so many different metaphors for explanation, I am not sure we can get around the fact that metaphors are an important fact in relating the message that the preacher has to offer. The Naysayers There are people that are against adding a media screen into worship. I will call them the Naysayers. It is important to realize that at most churches there will be at least one Naysayer to adding the media screen. “Be willing to take risks...Be tenacious in the face of miscues and naysayers...Change never comes without resistance.”69 Don’t give up or lose faith in engaging the Gospel in new ways. These Naysayers will be worried about the cost, if the screen is distracting or takes away from worship, they will not want to change the way that they have always done it. They are completely justified in wondering and thinking all of these things. They should be worried about cost because it is not smart to invest in something that is not going to work. It is important for the vision and ideas to drive the thought to purchase media screens. 68 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 51. 69 Ibid,The Wired Church 2.0, 33.
  • 30. 30 Answering some of the Common Concerns Now it is true that a large media screen can be distracting in worship, but if used correctly it will not hinder, but help guide the ideas of the service. The media screen could be distracting if the media is not at an excellent production level. So if the permission is granted for media screens make sure to make a good first impression. It is hard for someone to change a tradition and thought. So the question, “What is wrong with the way I’ve always done it?” is a valid question. Matthew 14:22-33 Peter attempts to walk on water. If he had never stepped out of the boat he never would have had the life changing experience. Sometimes we have to take that next step even though it will be hard, even though it is out of our comfort zone, even though it is no longer a place that we know and have rehearsed well. We are worried about the unknown. The creation of images can come from other sources on the internet. We may never be able to do anything if we are worried about the unknown. I would never leave my house, go driving, be with friends, etc. because I would be worried about what may happen, but in many cases the unknown has to be explored. Having a Team There is a point when one person can only go so far. A media presentation cannot just be one person coming up and presenting media screens, but a team of lay people
  • 31. 31 definitely helps. “One way to avoid a rift is to enlist lay leadership to assist with vision casting. Key leaders can turn a programmed mandate into a grassroots movement. This difference in perception can go a long way to overcoming negativity.”70 Working with a team of people will not only make the cause seem more legitimate, but the lay people are the real voices in the church that can make a change. After the escape from Egypt Moses and Aaron recruited more people to help them. The story of Moses shows that we can’t do projects like this alone, but need help in the process. After the media screen is accepted and ready to be put into the sanctuary, a team for creating the media is ready to be developed. The team that is created should consist of lay people who are not employed by the church. It is nice to find lay people without a preconceived notion about how to do the media, but are willing to learn. 71 It is easier to teach a new dog a new trick than an old dog a new trick. The people in charge or participating in this ministry do not have to be trained clergy or even paid. When Jesus picked the disciples he did not pick big religious leaders for their knowledge on the scriptures, but instead he picked people that didn’t know a whole lot about them. The same thing can be done with creating a visual media team. Budgeting There needs to be a budget for spending money on this equipment that is going to be used. “So put a major percentage of whatever money you have into a sound system; for example, if given $50,000, you may invest $20,000 in video projection and or/ 70 Wilson,Digital Storytellers, 136. 71 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0., 95.
  • 32. 32 cameras, $10,000 in computer editing, and $20,000 for upgrades to your sound system.”72 Even if a church does not have a budget of this size they can still use the same principles. If the church cannot afford a projector and a screen, get a TV screen instead, and the size of the screen will be determined by how large the space is.73 There are always “affordable solutions to a problem, even if nobody knows what it is yet.”74 Do not fret, but look at what the church can afford and purchase. Having a Plan/Failure All of these things are important for the ultimate plan of action. Planning for the integration of media screens is like preparing for dinner. These are the things that have to be done to take place for dinner: “decide on menu, obtain ingredients, prepare ingredients, set table, persuade guests to come to table, eat dinner, and clean up."75 If the integration is not planned with careful consideration then it could set back the progress. Nobody wants to hear that dinner is going to be late. Integrating a media screen is not an easy task. There many things to remember and do. When things get hard and difficult don’t give up, but continue looking toward the future. “Jesus was right there with them, walking on the water...Peter did the impossible because he responded to the voice of Jesus instead of listening to the storms and the fears 72 Wilson,Digital Storytellers, 144. 73 Wilson,Wired Church 2.0, 143. “Formulated by SMPTE, or the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, the ruleis called the2x6 rule: the screen width should equal the distancein feet to the firsttwo rows of seats, divided by two, and equal the distanceto the lastrowof seats divided by six. In casethe two are not the same go with the larger figure.” 74 Ibid.,55. 75 Brown, Educational Media, 69.
  • 33. 33 of others.”76 In this story even though Peter doubted and began to sink that doubt should not be labeled as failure. “If anyone failed, it was the eleven who stayed in the boat, waiting to see if it could be done.”77 So, do not be worried, but rejoice in the fact that you are out on the water walking towards the example that Jesus has set through the scriptures. In John 20:21 Jesus tells his disciples, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” This change in using media screens is not for our benefit, it is not about us. It is going as Jesus has told the disciples to go and spread the word of God. 76 Slaughter, Unlearning Church, 25. 77 Ibid,26.
  • 34. 34 A New Way of Seeing A PowerPoint Presentation on use of digital media
  • 35. 35
  • 36. 36 Before the Presentation: How to present your point Going into a presentation with an administration board is a hard thing to do. Especially when you have a new idea. This Presentation has to be well informed and interesting. Just like we talked into the paper you have to be able to engage and educate them for the listener to fully grasp what you are talking about. In this instance we are going to be talking about electronic visual media being added to the worship service. Presenting this to someone that does not agree and has already experienced this in a different cultural arena will be harder to convince. This presentation is not one against the other, but somewhere where you have to work together to make this happen. If you go in thinking that you are right and you will not accept anything less then you may not get anything at all. Not doing the presentation alone As we talked about in the paper this presentation cannot be done without support from other counterparts especially the lay leadership. The administration board wants to do what is best for the church and what the overall church wants. So, if you know of lay leaders that want something like this to happen then have them as a reference or even in the room during the presentation. Having others with the same ideas as you will give you confidence during the presentation and the continuation of the media ministry.
  • 37. 37 Notes for slides Slide one/Slide two: These slides are pure introduction. The countdown will become relevant late in the PowerPoint on slide #19. See Printed PowerPoint pg. 1for a visual. Slide three: Media is something that connects us as one. Also, it is something that we should be able to communicate with. This communication goes from one person to the other. Pg. 1 for a visual Slide four: Begin to describe the first picture the best that you can it will be the angry cat. For example this cat is not happy with what you have done. The feeling I get from this cat is that it is plotting to kill you. (After saying something like this go to the picture) Pg. 1 for a visual Slide five: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as you had described it. Describe the next picture: Happy and playful Cat Pg. 2 for a visual Slide six: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as you had described it. Describe the next picture: This one needs to not reference the apples, but the act of putting up a fake persona. Pg. 2 for a visual Slide seven: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as you had described it. Describe the next picture: boy full of sorry and anguish, sitting on a curb on a street. Pg. 2 for a visual Slide eight: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as you had described it. Describe the next picture: Happy laughing baby Pg. 2 for a visual
  • 38. 38 Slide nine: After seeing this picture ask the people if it this picture looked the same as you had described it. Pg. 3 for a visual Slide ten: You all had ideas in your head about what I was explaining, (click next) Pg. 3 for a visual Slide eleven: But not a full or detailed picture of my description. In our head some of us assume that the left side of the bottle will look like the right, but what if we think a little more abstract. This bottle could be like God’s plan for your life. I always assume that I am going to do this, but when in reality God wants you somewhere else. Our plan for this bottle is to look like the right side, but our plan may not always be the right plan. There are more possibilities for this bottle than just looking like the right side. Pg. 3 for a visual Slide twelve: (Transition slide) Pg. 3 for a visual Slide Thirteen: These Pictures that we had just looked at is a very common way to transmit a message in an electronic or digital from. Pg. 4 for a visual Slide fourteen: -We do not use media to entertain. If we were using media to entertain we might as well continue just to watch it in our homes, at movie theaters, etc. -We want to engage the congregation -We want people, after they leave the church to remember the message. Pg. 4 four a visual
  • 39. 39 Slide fifteen: These are not good reasons to get a screen in the worship service. These things may or may not happen if a screen is in worship, but none of these options should be the reason why to get a screen. Pg. 4 for a visual Slide sixteen: (Read slide twice and emphasis on the bold words) Pg. 4 for a visual Slide seventeen: ‘There are many avenues in which we can communicate through digital media and I am about to show you a couple.’ Pg. 5 for a visual Slide eighteen: (Transition slide) Pg. 5 for a visual Slide nineteen: The countdown at the beginning of the video sets a specific time and place for everyone to be ready to worship. In the background of the countdown I put a border of a projection screen. The screen symbolized what we were talking about today. Pg. 5 for a visual Slide twenty: The Main Image comes up when there is not another image to be put on the screen. The main image should represent and follow the metaphor of the message. In this case it is looking more abstractly at communication. We do not always have to follow what our mind knows, but begin to look at the ability for more effective ways to communicate. Pg. 5 for a visual Slide twenty one: First invite them to watch the video, but while watching count how many seconds it took to switch to a new and different camera angle.
  • 40. 40 -After the video explain how this story is a metaphor for family and friends coming together and having each other’s back. This metaphor and story is how we relate to this this video. Pg. 6 for a visual Slide twenty two: To completely finish the bottle…to bring everything together there has to be elements of the major learning styles. As we go through some of the traits of learning styles I invite you to try and pick a learning style that you are most like. Pg. 6 for a visual Slide twenty three: (Just read the slide) Pg. 6 for a visual Slide twenty four: (Just read the slide) Pg. 6 for a visual Slide twenty five: (Just read the slide) Pg. 7 for a visual Slide twenty six: Ask them “which one are you the most of” and to raise their hands while looking around the room to see whose hands go up. Pg. 7 for a visual Slide twenty seven: This is not gender specific, but an overall average. Pg. 7 for a visual Slide twenty eight: This slide represents 200 congregation members on a given Sunday. If 30%-40% are visual then you will only reach (Go to next slide) Pg. 7 for a visual Slide twenty nine: This is 40% of the congregation the change here is pretty drastic. Pg. 8 for a visual Slide thirty: This slide represents 200 congregation members on a given Sunday. If 20%- 30% are auditory learners then this means that… (next slide) Pg. 8 for a visual
  • 41. 41 Slide thirty one: You now have 30% of the congregation you lose 140 congregation members if the service and or sermon are just auditory. Pg. 8 for a visual Slide thirty two: This slide represents 200 congregation members on a given Sunday. If 30%-50% are Kinesthetic and tactual learners then this means that (next slide) Pg. 8 for a visual Slide thirty three: This is 50% of the congregation the change here is pretty drastic. Pg. 9 for a visual Slide thirty four: You may not be able to reach all two hundred every time, but you will have a better chance of reaching more people if you use all of these learning styles together. Pg. 9 for a visual Slide thirty five: Now since we have talked about the practical application we will now look at where to spend our money. Pg. 9 for a visual Slide thirty six: -Sound system includes speakers, cables, audio mixer, and possibly someone to install it for you. -Video Projection could include Tv’s, Projection screens, Projector, cables, etc -Computer Editing could include editing software, Projection/Presentation software, and Computer to run these programs. This part of the budget could also include a video camera and equipment to do some shooting yourself.
  • 42. 42 This example of things that you will buy is just an overview of some things you may think about purchasing. You have the ability to decide exactly what you church can use and what it needs. It is ok to dream big. Pg. 9 for a visual Slide thirty seven: (same as above) Pg. 10 for a visual Slide thirty eight: (same as above) Pg. 10 for a visual Slide thirty nine: This process should probably max get done in a year and a half. Pg. 10 for a visual Slide forty: It is time to make a difference, to go and spread the Gospel as effectively as possible. Pg. 10 for a visual Slide forty one: In this you should be well prepared if you have read the paper with it. Especially if you read the section on ‘Answering some of the Common Concerns’. Pg. 11 for a visual After the Presentation: Creating a detailed plan After the presentation is over and they have accepted your idea it is now you and your teams, responsibility to come up with a more detailed plan in how to begin to implement this ministry. You team should be meeting at least once a week to begin to discuss the beginning stages of implementing your media ministry. Once the equipment
  • 43. 43 is in and installed it is time to begin to learn how to use it and join the worship planning team. Joining this team is to not to just help plan worship, but to use it as a resource strengthen your visual metaphors, videos, and pictures for the worship service.
  • 44. 44 Bibliography Bergeson, Amber Marten. "Sanctuary as Cinema?: Ignore learning styles at your own risk." Word & World 32, no. 3, (2012):83-96 Bergmann, Johnathan. Flipped Learning: Gateway to Student Engagement. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, 2014. Bradley, Randall. "Worship and Learning Styles: Practical Applications for Worshipers and Worship Leaders." In We'll Shout and Sing Hosanna: Essays on Church Music in Honor of William J. Reynolds, edited by David W. Music, 82-91. Fort Worth, Tex.: School of Church Music, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1998. Brown, Robert Michal. Educational media: a competency-based approach. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill, 1973. Byassee, Jason. "Eight minutes of wisdom: the 'Animate' video series." The Christian Century 130, no. 20, (2013):1-24 Flynn, William T. The Oxford History of Christian Worship: Liturgical Music. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Kimball, Dan. Emerging worship: creating new worship gatherings for emerging generations, edited by David Sanford, 39-48. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2004. Lenwilson.us/creativity-worship midnightoilproductions.com Moore, Jason and Len Wilson, Design Matters: Creating Powerful Imagery for Worship. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2006. Ogawa, Matthew S, and Vern Rossman. “Evangelism Through the Mass Media and Audio Visual Materials.” International Review of Mission 50, no. 200, 1961. Postman, Neil. Amazing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Penguin Books, 1985. Rienstra, Ron. "Audio technology in worship: keeping the central things central." Cross Accent 21, no. 3 (2013):19-42
  • 45. 45 Sample, Tex. The Spectacle of Worship in a Wired World: Electronic Culture and the Gathered People of God. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 1998. Shuster, Marguerite. "People of the words: why the pulpit and not the screen--still belongs at the center of our churches." Christianity Today 58, no. 8 (2014): 44-62. Slaughter, Michael and Warren Bird. Unlearning Church: Just when you thought you had leadership all figured out. Loveland, Colorado: Group Publishing Inc., 2002. Sprenger, Marilee. Brain-based teaching☺ in the digital age. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2010. Stanley, Andy and Lane Jones, Communicating for a Change. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Multnomah Books, 2006. Stephens, Mitchell. The Rise of the Image, the Fall of the Word. New York: Oxford, 1998. Stringer, Martin D. A Sociological History of Christian Worship. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005. White, James F. A Brief History of Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993. Williamson, Margaret F, and Roberta L Watson. “Learning styles research: understanding how teaching should be impacted by the way learners learn.” Christian Education Journal 3, no. 1, (2006). Wilson, Len and Jason Moore, Digital Storytellers: The Art of Communicating the Gospel. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002. __________. The Wired Church 2.0. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008.