Barna on How Technology Impacts Your Church Experience
April 28, 2008
An article was released this morning by the Barna Group detailing the use of technology by churches to “influence people’s lives and enliven their church experience.” According to George Barna, “The internet has become one of the pivotal communications and community-building tools of our lifetime. Churches are well-advised to have an intelligent and foresighted Internet strategy in order to facilitate meaningful ministry.” The survey touched on eight technologies and applications and the percentages of churches that have implemented the use of these emerging tools. Today let’s look at the first two: large screens and movie clips.
Two-thirds of the churches surveyed by the Barna group now have large screens in their church. The most common use is to project the words to worship songs. I have found that having the words on a screen allows me to raise my head from the dusty hymnal and participate in corporate worship in a new way. For me it is not just about seeing the words on a screen, but also seeing the people in front and to the side of me making a “joyful noise”, as well.
At many mega-churches the screens are used to allow those that are too far away from the stage to look on the screen on the right or left to see the pastor during the sermon. In addition, churches are using screens for announcements before and after the service.
Finally, the are a number of churches that are using the large screens for movie clips during the sermon, Barna’s second area of discussion. I have seen this method used in a number of churches and my concern is that often the medium becomes the message. I have seen pastors do a series on a particular movie, where the movie’s theme or plot becomes the primary focus and then the pastor seeks to find Scripture to support the point of the movie. If movie clips are used, they should support a message that is based upon Scripture and not vice versa. Please, no more exegesis of Forrest Gump - Yes, I have actually seen this done.
Tomorrow, I will discuss Barna’s article further, specifically the new ways that churches are communicating with their church family.
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