reformation of communication. The first style of communication was certainly oral tradition handed down from the patriarchs to the children over generations. The beliefs and values of the previous generation were passed to the next by example and by stories. Johannes Gutenberg changed life as we know it in 1450 with the invention of the printing press when oral tradition could be cataloged and passed along to future generations in library, universities, and formalized institutions. More importantly, knowledged could be built upon like a house upon a solid foundation.
We are now in what many are calling the third reformation know as "Visualcy". We communicate far more today through the medium of video and pictures than the written word. In John Wesley's day people were use to sitting for 3 hours and hearing a 34 point sermon on the virtue of a simply life. Today, we often use three point sermons that can last no more than 20 minutes and still many think its too long or leave when the hour is up. We include the major points so those with short attention spans can still learn something if they are not auditory learners. For those who are visual learners, we include announcements on the screen, but have not taken the next logical step and share the major Scriptural ideas on the screen... yet.
Does God have preference? I mean the God who created the Heavens and the Earth. Who created otters, penquines, orchids, clown fish, and human beings? The Spirit of God neither inhabits the written word or the visual elements. They are simply tools God can use to enable the worshipper to experience the Holiness of God, the Presence of God, and the Reality of God in a broken and confused world in a real and personal way.
Are we in the Third Reformation of Communication? What effect will it have on how you worship? Why?Email Subscription: