PowerPlane?

[myrthman]

What's the next step for presentation software? How would a traditional, pulpit-and-Bible pastor approach a world enamored with holographic, full-immersion, or VR presentations?

[torainfor]

I was going to say Ray Bradbury's story walls from Fahrenheit 451, but the truth is, most pew-sitters would like less involvement, not more.

Perhaps some way for each person to choose which type of message they get. Fluffy? Application-heavy? Greek and Hebrew-intense? All on the same subject, but they hear and see different specifics. Maybe each person comes with a Nook-like tablet that includes a Bible and downloads notes and images from the A/V booth with different links depending on how in-depth they want to go. Interactive "Pop-Up Sermon."

Actually, that sounds really cool and now I want it.

[newburydave]

Given the way our pastor uses the LCD projector at our church to incorporate graphics, video and text into his sermons, I think that Holographic images and Holographic video would be the logical next step.

If it were available and our church could afford it I'm sure we'd have sermon illustrations of holographic nature hanging overhead or marching up and down the asiles.

However, he ministry still has to be of the Word and the central means of grace still have to be the first century tech of Baptism and the Communion bread and wine. I don't think that those will ever be replaced; if they are we won't have Christianity any more.

Our pastor made the statement last sunday that despite all the changes over the last two millenia our worship is still centered around eating bread and drinking wine. That is the essential thread that runs through all Christian worship.

But I could see him standing in line outside of Circuit City to get the first Holo-Video projector in our district, and our youth pastor would be trying to hook it up to play video games. . .

SGD

[newburydave]

Oh and most of the real community stuff, where you really make connection and grow spiritually, really happens in the small groups. Once again back in first century tech of talking and touching.

Of course our men's leader is hanging posters for this year's interdenominational Christian Film festival coming up in April. He's got the sign-up sheets posted for volunteers to be seeker counselors at the movie theaters.

And my wife and I are part of the prayer team at our church after every service. And our youth pastor had the young peoples group do a very powerful, physical mime of the temptations that try to keep modern teens from connecting with Christ.

Once again I see the mixture of 21st century tech and 1st century human spirit tech of tears, hugs and shared prayer.

. . . But I still vote for Holograms to get people's attention so they'll come to the mercy seat.

SGD

[waldenwriter]

I actually read a futuristic Christian comic book series called PowerMark that dealt with this very issue. The main sort of Christian organization in the series realized that kids were getting bored with church, so they recruited kids from all over the world who knew the Bible well and had skills in VR (which in this comic's world is a rather easy thing to program) to come on board a special ship to create VR versions of Bible stories. I thought it was a really cool idea. I wouldn't mind doing something like that in a sci-fi story, if I could work it in.

You can find out more about that series here: www.powermarkcomics.com/

[newburydave]

That could be a powerful thing.

The treasurer of our church (he doesn't look at all like a bean counter) has a unique ministry. He has set up a server for online gaming. It is specifically pitched for Christian teens.

They just had a big meet at our church this past fall. There were kids from all over New England that came in for the day. From the reports I heard the "hall" (what we use for the sanctuary on Sundays and everything else the rest of the week) was filled with networked computers and big screen displays for the entire day.

Our Youth Pastor has set up the lower floor of the parsonage (where he and his wife live) with VR and gaming stuff.

However, I thought the Mime that our young people did was particularly powerful. It is amazing to see the kids that you know acting out the temptations that teens actually face in the world and the final struggle to break through to Jesus (Played by the Youth Pastor). It really shook the church up, and made a lot of people think.

As a school bus driver I see it all every day, those kids acted out true to life stuff, not marshmallow cream Sunday school stories.

As an interesting note, six of those young people were baptized two Sundays ago. Only one of them, who were baptized, is a "from" our church; but they all attend.

SGD