Flutterby™! : Multimedia for Jesus 2004-06-08 16:10:50.010914+00

Multimedia for Jesus

2004-06-08 16:10:50.010914+00 by Dan Lyke 8 comments

Scoble has a fascinating bit on the IT infrastructure of a major church.

[sarcasm=on] Jesus needs to be 'current' and be at the same media intensity levels as the WWF and Nascar to be effective. [sarcasm=off]

Nancy's church is impressive in it's austerity and simplicity. Enough so even I feel comfortable there.

I remember when (198?), the largish (1000+ members) Presbyterian Church I had attended 'computerized' their membership list for doing mailing labels and keeping track of donations via an 8086 PC and PC-File (crude flat file database). It was all a church needed.

My thoughts when I enter one of those "jumbotron" churches: "There better not be anyone hungry within 50-100 miles". I attend a small church, and while I'm a geek, I really cannot stand to be in a church where you have to read the hymns off of a 20x20 screen. I thought church was about getting the message to the people, not building larger congregations.

As an experiment..lets all go panhandle in front of a 'JumboTron' church and see what happens. And no geek-panhandling like: "Will work for plasma screen monitor"

i looked at the fellowship church website. it's an innovative way of getting the masses in and apparently is working. my small methodist church(200 members) is struggling because they have difficulty getting *new blood*. a church has financial needs and it takes people to support it. at what point do the church leaders decide to get up to speed to bring the *masses* in by utilizing technology? there isn't anything wrong with technology when it is used to meet the needs of the people and the church.

church leaders have to make the decision to do what is necessary and i think that is what fellowship church did. my church is still struggling. the founding members of the church have deep pockets and right now that is what is keeping our church floating. but our church was created in 1958. the founding members are dying out quickly. unless a lot of new blood is brought in this church will not float for long. church buildings do not last forever, our roof replacement cost $30,000. there is a loan on the church (for building it) that is very expensive. the only salaries that are paid is the pastor, assitant pastor, and day care manager. we don't have a custodian, can't afford one. so a lot of church members volunteer to make repairs. we do have a cleaning service that comes in 2 times a month.

the churches do get the message out...it just takes money to keep the doors open to allow the churches do to their job.

there are many churches out there and each one meets specific needs. we can choose the church that is right for us. apparently fellowship church is meeting a lot of needs for their members.

reading through the comments to Scoble's post I'm struck by the similarities between that church and Microsoft

: Both have lost track of their original core meanings, both have embraced flash and appearance over inner workings, both feel that attracting people is more important than believing in anything...

belief is wonderful but who is going to pay the bills for the church building upkeep?

I like churches that meet outdoors, especially in nice weather. God = GOD = Great Out Doors.. They also have very low fixed overheads, which I like. :)

Just one thing y'all need to remember, or understand, all these Christian "churches" are not "The Church" referred to in the new testament. They are actually more social clubs and support organizations for Christians. Now that doesn't mean that they don't have a role to play in "The Church", they do but they aren't "The Church".

"The Church" is simply Christians working together to further God's Will. The Luthern church down the street from you, or the Methodists or Episcopalians may have wonderful programs and sponsor magnificent charities but it's what the members of that church do that make up "The Church". If an organization with the word "church" in it's name and a Jumbotron above the alter inspires some of it's members to futher God's Will then regardless of what hypocrisy may also reside within its I've got no complaint about them.