“The day has arrived. Tell all your friends…Tweet and Re-Tweet. VideoTeaching.com is launching!” With that announcement, delivered during the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing, LifeChurch.tv premiered its new video teaching/preaching platform for churches.
The concept, generating a lot of discussion, has brought the Church to a crossroad.
In his post VideoTeaching.com Launches, Raises Questions, John Saddington praised the new teaching resource but wondered if church leaders would agree with the new philosophy of ministry.
Where’s the disagreement?
Using video in place of live preaching is still a relatively new concept, but it is gaining ground. Thousands of churches are employing a multi-site approach and using video technology to expand the impact of their local teaching teams. The model is still growing.
So if video teaching, by itself, is not what’s stirring the debate, what is?
It’s this: a network of teachers/preachers brought in from around the world via video, so churches can permanently expand, or temporarily replace, their local teaching team. Distance preaching on a permanent or semi-permanent basis is the part of the strategy that some are questioning.
FAQ’s about the new strategy
–Is there a theological match between the distant pastor and local congregation?
–Should the distant pastor or his church experience negative publicity, how will it affect the local congregation?
–Can distance preaching be effective over the long term?
–Will it elevate the distant teacher to star status?
–Will young teacher/preachers be discouraged from getting involved?
With such large and necessary questions looming over distance preaching, one wonders if enough churches will go for the LifeChurch platform to justify the investment of their resources. They’re giving the service away to churches for free, by the way.
Lessons from the Moon
The questions weren’t about church doctrine, but when Americans were debating about whether we should go for the Moon, President Kennedy said, “The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not.”
The same is true in this case, actually. The use of information and communication technology to connect the world is going to go forward whether the church gets involved or not.
Just a few years after the Moon landing, America’s evangelical leaders were wrangling over another developing technology. The questions then were about whether the Church should widely utilize radio and television for preaching the gospel.
With the advantage of hindsight, it seems strange to think about now. It wasn’t then. The Church had come to a crossroad.
Dr. Kenneth L. Chafin, then associate professor of evangelism at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary had this to say about that juncture reached 40 years ago:
The Church, in short, must adapt current technology to the evangelization task. Those who make a diligent effort to bring together their knowledge of God with the age in which they live will be blessed for their efforts. Twentieth-century man, buffeted about by the processes of urbanization and secularization, desperately needs Christ to be presented to him.
Those leaders from the past believed sophisticated communications systems could — in fact, must be —adapted to the task of evangelism by Christians who think creatively. Many built national media platforms still operating today. Millions of people around the world have been (are still being) reached for Christ as a result.
One bold project
Distant video teaching won’t be for everyone. The LifeChurch model may not have wide-scale application. But just as the Mercury and Gemini projects paved the way for the Apollo Moon landings, VideoTeaching.com is one bold project for “adapting current technology to the evangelization task.”
LifeChurch is to be commended for their vision and courage.
Whether churches go for the LifeChurch model or whether they choose to help build new platforms to fulfill The Commission … VideoTeaching.com has brought the Church to a crossroad. Now the question is … which way will your church choose to go?
Question: Would your church consider utilizing VideoTeaching.com or a similar network of distant video teaching?