Mixed Reactions to Closed-Circuit Preaching
Many new and growing seeker-sensitive churches advertise their worship services as a fun and entertaining way to meet God and learn about their own spirituality. Their techniques focus on drawing the non-Christian out from their apprehensive shells and inviting them to learn about God and the bible. Their services often include cutting edge-technology, such as video and audio clips within the sermon, and have even included laser-light shows. One form of technology drawing people to services is video sermons, which broadcasts the preacher’s sermon to an audience either feet or miles away.
The idea of the video sermon is to broadcast the preacher and his sermon onto a television screen in a room outside of the main chapel. Traditionally, these rooms have been set up as overflow rooms in instances where the main chapel is full. But today, the video rooms are becoming popular in their own sense. Comfortable as a café, with tea and coffee and muffins on the side, they are providing to young people a relaxed place from which they can attend service.
Walter Jones, a member of New Life Christian Church in Centerville, Virginia, says that his 15-year old son prefers watching the sermon on video. He says that his teenager would not attend service at all if it were not for the televised sermons.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“Most people would say, ‘Well, that’s crazy. Why would you want something on a screen when you can see someone live?’” Jones said. “But my son plays a lot of video games, he goes online, he does his schoolwork on the computer, so he’s used to it. It’s very relaxing for him.”
Reactions to the video-sermons have been mixed however. Although many growing churches have used the closed-circuit broadcasts to increase their church capacities beyond the chapel room, there are some that criticize the untraditional approach.
“The New Testament image of the body of Christ is a fellowship of believers where I am known at church and if I’m not there, I’m missed,” said Eddie Gibbs, professor of church growth at Fuller Theological Seminary, an evangelical seminary in Pasadena, Calif. A video venue puts the focus on just one person, he said.
“It’s a cold medium. ... It can feed a celebrity image,” he added. “You can build a sort of celebrity focus, and the pastor becomes a celebrity because (he or she) is distanced from the congregation. ... But pastors should know the people they are preaching to.”
Some members of congregations using video-sermons are also finding difficulty embracing the new technology. Beth Cygon, 39, a member of New Life Church, says that she just cannot get used to her church’s new video café room.
“I love the direct connection with the person up front,” she said. “As a minister you might be moved to speak about a certain thing. You can cue off how a crowd is reacting and change the direction of what you are doing. That’s ... impossible with a video service.”
However, the fact remains that video sermons are a growing phenomenon. More and more people are being drawn to services, either for the first time or as returning members, and expressing interest in faith through this new medium. Time will judge whether the new technology is merely a fad in the ever-growing field of new worship, or if it will remain as a medium for spiritual growth and edification.
