My mother-in-law has talked with me about her disapproval of her new minister's frequent usage of video clips in his preaching (and by frequent I mean every single Sunday). Even though the frequency is an issue, it isn't the main issue with her. Her main problem is the content. Apparently he uses clips from TV shows such as "The Office" or "Family Guy" a lot.
Now I have seen snippets of both shows and know just enough to know that they aren't exactly family friendly entertainment. Although the clips he chooses to show do not have questionable content per se, the issue is the directing someone to a show that isn't necessarily helpful to one's spiritual maturation process.
I am as techy as the next guy (I maintain a blog for crying out loud!) but I don't see a need to have video medium in every single sermon. I feel to do that would be first of all, lazy on my part because I can just find a nice 6 or 7 minute clip and then fill in the rest with Bible stuff and, "Viola!" I have a sermon!
No. I think video is a compliment. Using it so frequently can be dangerous. The church (little "c") is already biblically stupid enough. We don't challenge the mind anymore, it seems. We rely on technology and media to continue the media-induced stupor. Our job it seems has become wiping drool off the chins of our crowds we have gathered so that they are coherent long enough to continue to help us build monumental Super-Churches.
But that is not what God has called us to do. It was through the non-powerpoint, non-video-projected medium of preaching that God chose to save men's souls (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Our over-reliance on video has added to our dumbing down.
Now, that said, I don't necessarily swing the pendulum all the way over and see no value in it whatsoever. In a recent interview John Piper stated that, "the use of video and drama largely is a token of unbelief in the power of preaching." You can read the whole interview HERE.
I do see the value of video...just not every Sunday. One can have incredible impact with the right complimenting video to drive home a point that has been preached! Using tact and decorum, videos are awesome and add an amazing dynamic to worship and preaching.
But let's choose the right video and let's show it at the right time.
1 comment:
Yeah I agree with you some pastors use it way too much, and I would disagree with Piper - with the caveat that it isn't overused and misused.
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