This is not because I don't like the idea--I very much do like the idea. I just know that decisions that deal with worship style need to come from within the congregation itself if they have any chance of working. Personally, I'm excited about the new opportunities this technology will open up for us but I wanted to touch base before it happens.
Churches have been using projectors and screens since the 1980's. So why has it taken us until 2012 to do this? Firstly, as far as I am concerned, we don't get the technology just because "everybody else" has it. In my opinion that is an adolescent reason. I can hear my dad's voice saying, "If every other church jumped off a bridge would you?" We are getting it because it makes sense for us now. In 2012 it makes sense for us. If other churches had it decades ago then good for them. For us, however, in 1992 and 2002 it didn't make sense. In 2012 it does.
I don't think there is anything wrong with being "late adopters" of certain technologies. Actually, I think that often it is the wisest and most discerning path to take. Every time a new version of the ipad or iphone comes out, people get in line outside of Apple stores days beforehand and camp out to get it. They must have the ipad 3. Their ipad 2 works just fine but it is worth $700 to them to replace it with one that has a few upgrades. They have an iphone 4 but they simply must have the iphone 4S because it talks back to you. Big deal. Maybe you should talk to your kids. They'll talk back to you too.
I've always been a late adopter of technologies. For years it wasn't by choice. When all my friends got a Nintendo, I was still playing the Atari because my parents didn't want to blow a bunch of money so I could play Super Mario Brothers on Nintendo when the original Mario Brothers on Atari was working just fine.
I used to resent that but now I respect it. Most of my friends had a cell phone before I got one. Why? Because they got one when they wanted one. I got one when I needed one, when it made sense for me. I didn't get a laptop when they were new because I didn't need one. When I went to seminary it made a whole heck of a lot of sense so I did it. I didn't sign up on Facebook when I was pastoring a church of 80 year olds. When I changed positions and started working with 16 year olds I signed up. Why? Because it made sense. Being a late adopter gives you time to watch to see whether or not it is something that will be useful to you. It allows you the distance to determine if it is a want or a need, if it is a toy or a tool. I'm not interested in buying toys with our tithes and offerings. Even the ping pong table we just bought for the youth room isn't merely a toy. Have you ever tried to find out what is going on in the life of a 15 year old boy by sitting across from him and asking him how he's doing? You'll get more information out of a captured Navy Seal. But chat with him while you're playing ping pong and you've got a real shot at finding out that he's failing Algebra, his girlfriend just dumped him, and his parents won't stop fighting.And let's be honest, if you are reading this blog post then you are not allowed to say that technology has no place in the ministry and mission of the church. You're participating in it as you read this sentence.
But, you may say, it's different in the sanctuary. Technology doesn't belong in there. At one point in history Christians didn't think any song that wasn't one of the Psalms belonged in worship. At another time Christians didn't want a pipe organ in the sanctuary. What about microphones and speakers? That's technology. Do they belong in the sanctuary? Well, yeah, okay but that's just so people can hear and understand what you're saying up there. It doesn't do us any good to communicate the gospel if people can't understand what we're saying. Ah, now we're on to something here.We are getting screens and projectors because we live in a visual age. Images carry more weight for a large part of our population than words. I am, myself a visual person. This may sound strange coming from someone who writes so much. But I visualize everything before I write it. I can see the movie playing in my head. Then I write it as I see it. I read recently in Larry McMurtry's (Lonesome Dove, Terms of Endearment, The Last Picture Show) memoir that he always watched his novels in his head as he wrote them. Give me written instructions on how to do something I'm in trouble. Tell me how to do it--even worse. Show me how to do it then I'm right there with you. The screens will allow us to communicate the gospel visually. Like the introduction of hymns, of the organ, of microphones, these screens are all about communicating the gospel so more people can encounter the message. They aren't toys; they're tools.
Don't worry, we are not going to get rid of our hymnals. We will use the screens for any song that we now print the lyrics in the bulletin. Most of our songs come from our hymnals and enough of our congregation can read music that having the music with the words is helpful for many of us.
We will probably put the Doxology and Lord's Prayer on the screens instead of in the bulletins. We'll put the final benediction song up there instead of on overhead projectors that belong in a museum. There will be videos from the PCUSA about special offerings to help us understand where our money is going. We will make our own videos about Wednesday night dinners or of church members sharing why they love this church. We will purchase short videos that will help me make my point in sermons. Some of these videos really bring the scriptures to life. It opens up a world of posibilities!So who cares about what other churches have been doing for years or continue to refuse to do. We're doing this because it makes sense for the ministry and mission of this church right now. It didn't make sense in the past and it doesn't make sense to wait any longer. We'll have some glitches at first and most of us will have moments when we think, "Did we do the right thing?" But be patient and openminded. Once we get the hang of it and once we get used to it, it will be like me with my iphone 4 that I waited years before getting--I don't know how I ever lived without it.
