Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Just for the record...

THE MCMATH'S LOVE WASHINGTON DC!!!
We absolutely love:
Our friends that qualify to be our family.
The pastoral staff and people of National Community Church.
Ebenezers coffee on Capitol Hill.
Hebesha Ethiopian Food.
The District of Columbia and Virginia.
Our friends that qualify to be our family.
Yeah, I said that last one twice because they're the most important.
I'll always remember driving into DC last Monday
night. We rounded the corner and there it all was - the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, and the Capitol building. Warm feelings flooded my heart. Glenda made the comment, 'I could live here again.' And you know what?
She's right.
I could live here again too.
The McMath's love Washington DC!
And I just want to say thank you Jesus for giving us the gift of living here for an entire year - we will treasure the time forever.
BlogBooster-The most productive way for mobile blogging. BlogBooster is a multi-service blog editor for iPhone, Android, WebOs and your desktop

Friday, May 14, 2010

Technology In The Church

I was recently given the honor of speaking at the Arkansas District Section 8 All Church Conference in West Memphis.  

My subject was 'Technology In the Church.'  That's a huge topic - one that I really didn't feel qualified to expound upon, but I simply shared what I've learned along my journey and how it applies to this area of Arkansas.  I was told that it was well received and I appreciate those encouraging words.

Modern technology isn't always welcome in our churches for various reasons .  I believe you can chalk this up to misunderstanding, lack of knowledge, and/or the shortage of funds to equip for this kind of ministry.  Some argue that if we use modern technology in our preaching/teaching then we're using the world's methods to preach the Gospel.  That argument is EXTREMELY flawed and downright hypocritical.  I'll prove my point below.

I like what pastor and author Mark Batterson (theaterchurch.com) said:

'Irrelevance is Irreverence'

In fact, that's one of the main core values at National Community Church in Washington D.C. and I agree with it 100%.  How in the world can I attempt to fulfill the Great Commission if I'm grossly irrelevant to the people I'm trying to reach?  If me and my church look, feel, and sound like were stuck in the 40's - me and my church will not reach the people of our current decade.  It simply will not happen.  This is what Rick Warren said on a recent Twitter post:

'A church stays small when a pastor uses an outdated preaching STYLE. God called u for today's hearers, not 500 or 50 yrs ago.'

Now, don't misinterpret this quote from Pastor Rick - he's not slamming small churches - he's addressing a church/pastor and their irreverence in being irrelevant to the people around them.  Jesus was not irrelevant nor will He ever be, but unfortunately, sometimes we are.  

Just keeping it real.  Don't throw a rock at me yet.

Now, this blog will be a little lengthy because I'm going to present the notes that I used at the conference.  I'm doing this because I know that there are many ministers out there that need some points of reference when they're approaching their deacon boards or finance committees to solicit funds to help present the Gospel via multimedia.  
If you use the below information to do just that - remember, watch your attitude and spirit.  If you walk into the meeting with the mindset that you're going to shove this down their throat.......I'll save you some hurt.......don't do it.
Present the facts with love - leave the rest to the Holy Spirit.  
*** 
(NOTES FROM THE SECTION 8 ALL CHURCH CONFERENCE)
TECHNOLOGY IN THE CHURCH - WHAT AN EXCITING TIME TO BE WORKING FOR JESUS AND USING TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY TO ANNOUNCE THE GREATEST NEWS THAT THIS HELL BENT WORLD HAS EVER HEARD - HERE IT IS:

"JESUS LOVES YOU – HE DIED FOR YOU – HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR YOU – HE WANTS TO TAKE AWAY YOUR SINS – HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE – AND WHEN IT’S OVER HE WANTS YOU TO JOIN HIM IN HEAVEN FOR ALL ETERNITY!"

NOW, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT THE NEWS REPORT I READ TODAY DIDN’T SOUND ALL THAT GOOD COMPARED TO THAT STATEMENT!
I BELIEVE IN JESUS AND HIS GREAT COMMISSION AND I’M GOING TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO BROADCAST HIS MESSAGE – AND IF I DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE IT – I’M GOING TO LEARN OR LET SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO USE IT TO GO AHEAD AND USE IT FOR JESUS!

NOW, USING TECHNOLOGY IS NOT USING THE WORLDS METHODS – IF WE ADOPTED THAT PHILOSOPHY THEN:
-       WE CAN’T DRIVE OUR CARS TO CHURCH.
-       GET RID OF THE HEAT, THE AIR, THE CARPET, AND THE LIGHTS.
-       WE CAN’T USE A BOOK TO SING OUT OF OR A WALL TO SING OFF OF.
-       WE CAN’T USE THE SOUND SYSTEM BECAUSE TAYLOR SWIFT USES ONE - CAN’T USE A COMPUTER – WHY?  BECAUSE BARAK OBAMA USES ONE - THE WORLD TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THESE THINGS – SO WE CAN’T.

WE BETTER PUT ON OUR SANDALS - WALK TO THE NEAREST FIG TREE – UNROLL THAT BIBLE SCROLL WRITTEN IN HEBREW AND GREEK – AND SCREAM REAL LOUD SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR US – AND THEN WALK BACK HOME TO EAT LUNCH BECAUSE BUFFETS ARE NOTHING BUT A WORLDY ATTRACTION!

HMMMMMM.  WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT – WE’VE BEEN USING THE WORLDS METHODS/TECHNOLOGY IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES AND INSIDE THE WALLS OF OUR CHURCHES FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

WHEN IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO IT - PERHAPS WE JUST HAVEN’T BEEN KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY LIKE WE SHOULD!

THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY!
This is a massive subject.  This topic could go in several different directions and cover many topics:
-       Equipment – what to use, how to use it, and why to use it.
-       Video projectors
-       Sound systems
-       Photography
-       Computer software
-       Should I use a Mac or a PC?
-       Videocameras
-       Podcasting your messages
-       Should we put our videos on YouTube or the Christian version they call Tangle?
-       Should we use FaceBook, Twitter, other social networking avenues?
-       Hundreds of topics could be covered and I don’t know that much stuff – so I’m not going to pretend that I do.
-       THERE ARE SOME IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE MORE QUALIFIED TO TALK ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.

NOW, WHAT I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE LAST DECADE IS LEARNING MORE - EXPERIMENTING MORE WITH VIDEO AND VIDEO EDITING IN MINISTRY.

PASTORS, YOUTH PASTORS, LAY LEADERSHIP ARE ALL AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN THEIR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT – WE WON’T BE ABLE TO COVER THE WHOLE THING TODAY – IF YOU’RE HERE AND YOU’RE ALREADY ADVANCED IN WHAT I’M GOING TO BE DISCUSSING – PLEASE ACCEPT MY SINCEREST APOLOGY – I DON’T WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME – BUT I DO HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SHARE THAT I THINK YOU’LL FIND INTERESTING!

WE’RE GOING TO DISTRIBUTE SOME ‘HOW-TO INFORMATION’ TO IF YOU WANT TO START OR YOU’RE JUST GETTING STARTED WITH THIS.
AND I’M GOING TO SHOW A VIDEO AT THE END ABOUT A PASTOR THAT’S 59 YEARS OLD – HE WENT INTO AN ULTRA TRADITIONAL ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH SETTING – MOVED THE CHURCH ORGAN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE - PUT A 65 INCH FLAT SCREEN TV ON THE PLATFORM – HOOKED IT TO A COMPUTER – USES IT WHILE HE PREACHES – HE’S ONLY BEEN THERE 2 YEARS - AND HE’S LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT – YOU’RE GOING TO HEAR HIS TESTIMONY IN A FEW MINUTES AND IT’S A GOOD ONE!

NOW, LIKE I SAID EARLIER – I AM MORE FOCUSED ON THE AREA OF USING VIDEO AND VIDEO EDITING TO ENHANCE – NOT REPLACE – BUT ENHANCE OUR METHODS OF COMMUNICATING THE GOSPEL TO THE:
-       UNCHURCHED
-       THE DE-CHURCHED
-       THOSE THAT ARE IN CHURCH AND THEY DON’T KNOW WHO IN THE WORLD JESUS IS AND THEY COULD CARE LESS.

I FIRST STARTED USING VIDEO WHEN I WAS A YOUTH PASTOR AT HUNSTVILLE FIRST A/G – KIDS LOVED IT – DREW THEM IN – VIDEO TOOK OUR YOUTH MINISTRY TO ANOTHER LEVEL BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO NOT ONLY TELL MY KIDS ABOUT JESUS – I COULD EXPLAIN HIM TO THEM PREACHING OUT OF THE WORD AND BY USING ILLUSTRATIONS ON THE SCREEN.
HAD MY BIBLE IN ONE HAND AND MY REMOTE IN THE OTHER.

I BECAME LEAD PASTOR AT THE SAME CHURCH AND WE USED VIDEO IN OUR ADULT SERVICES.
FAST FORWARD 10 YEARS – I CONTINUED TO CREATE VIDEOS TO HELP COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL – HELP TO INSPIRE AND INFORM.
AND THEN BEFORE I KNEW IT I HAD ACCEPTED AN INVITE TO NATIONAL COMMUNITY CHURCH IN WASHINGTON DC TO JOIN THEIR PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR – SPECIALIZING IN THE AREA OF MULTI MEDIA AND I’M STILL LEARNING TODAY!

CURRENTLY WE’RE ITINERATING AND ON OUR WAY TO MADRID, SPAIN TO WORK WITH INTERNATIONAL MEDIA MINISTRIES – THAT TEAM IS USING TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCING VIDEO THAT REACHES 53 DIFFERENT LANGUAGE GROUPS WITH THE GOSPEL.

SO, WHERE DO WE BEGIN?  I’M GOING TO START WITH THE FOUNDATION OF MY PHILOSOPHY FOR USING TECHNOLOGY IN THE CHURCH ESPECIALLY VIDEO AND VIDEO EDITING.

    JESUS’ METHOD OF USING PARABLES - d) a parable: an earthly story with a heavenly meaning:

MATTHEW 13:34
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,

NLT
34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.

HE STOOD IN THE MIDST OF THOSE CROWDS AND HE PAINTED HIS PREACHING WITH STORIES AND PARABLES AND IT CREATED A VISUAL IMAGE IN THEIR MINDS.

JESUS BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF STORY TO COMMUNICATE HIS MESSAGE.  I BELIEVE WE NEED TO DO THE SAME THING.

HOW DID THE PEOPLE REACT TO JESUS’ MESSAGE?


    I LIKE WHAT THE TEMPLE GUARDS THAT WERE SENT TO ARREST JESUS TOLD THE PHARISEES IN JOHN 7:

4    ….. “No man ever spoke like this Man!”
     MT. 7:28-29 
     28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

     I KNOW THAT THAT VERSE IT TALKING ABOUT HIS AUTHORITY – BUT I BELIEVE THAT HIS AUTHORITY AND CREATIVITY WENT HAND IN HAND.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I’M DOING MY BEST IN FOLLOWING JESUS EXAMPLE WHEN IT COMES TO PREACHING AND TEACHING.

THIS IS A PRECIOUS MESSAGE – HOW AM I COMMUNICATING IT?

BRAD – I WANT TO USE TECHNOLOGY IN MY CHURCH.
WHERE DO I START?

1.  PRAY
        
-       ASK THE LORD OF THE HARVEST HOW HE WANTS YOU TO WORK HIS FIELDS.
-       WHAT DOES HIS TIMING LOOK LIKE?  NOT YOURS – BUT HIS?
-       DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE BELLS AND WHISTLES BECAUSE THAT GETS EXPENSIVE.  IT’S BETTER TO SEE WHAT GOD THINKS YOU SHOULD DO FIRST INSTEAD OF HAVING $10,000 WORTH OF EQUIPMENT JUST SITTING THERE THAT YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE AND ALL THE DEACON BOARD SEES IS THE $10,000.....SITTING THERE.
-       WHAT DOES GOD THINK ABOUT THIS AND DON’T BUY OR DO ANYTHING UNTIL YOU HEAR FROM HIM – BECAUSE EVERY CHURCH IS DIFFERENT. 
-       DON’T RUSH OUT AND BUY IT JUST BECAUSE WILLIE GEORGE AND JEANIE MAYO BOUGHT IT.  
-       WE NEED TO PRAY.  THIS IS HIS MONEY THAT HE’S ENTRUSTED TO HIS PEOPLE THAT THEY TRUST US TO USE WISELY!
-       NOW, I’M IMPULSIVE – A LITTLE IMPATIENT – I HAVE TO FAST AND PRAY BEFORE I WALK INTO BEST BUY – I’LL NEVER FORGET ONE WEEK WHEN I WAS PASTORING – I WANTED TO GO FORWARD IN MY VIDEO MINISTRY BUT I HAD NO VIDEO CAMERA – NO MAC COMPUTER – NO PC – JUST HAD THE CHURCH VIDEO CAMERA – THANKFUL BUT I WANTED SOMETHING MORE PROFESSIONAL.
-       I FELT LIKE I WAS BEING LED TO TAKE THIS VIDEO THING TO THE NEXT LEVEL – WE’D BEEN DOING VIDEO PROJECTS FOR 6 YEARS AND I TOLD GOD THAT I DIDN’T KNOW HOW I WAS GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL – I DIDN’T EVEN PERSONALLY OWN A CAMERA.
-       MY SPIRIT WAS WILLING BUT MY BANK ACCOUNT WAS WEAK!!!
-       1 WEEK LATER I GET A CALL FROM A MAN IN OUR CHURCH – HE SAID, BRAD I BELIEVE THE LORD WANTS ME TO BUY YOU ANYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR VIDEO MINISTRY.  WHAT DO YOU WANT?
-       I SAID – BROTHER, YOU HAVE JUST ASKED ME A DANGEROUS QUESTION – AND THEN I SAID SOMETHING THAT I COULDN’T BELIEVE CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH.  I SAID – OK, BUT LET ME PRAY ABOUT IT.  HOW STUPID IS THAT – THE MAN JUST OFFERED ME HIS WALLET AND I SAID WAIT.
-       SERIOUSLY, I WANTED TO TAKE SOME TIME AND SAY LORD, WHAT DO YOU THINK?  I DID THAT.
-       I CALLED HIM BACK THE NEXT MORNING AND TOLD HIM THAT GOD SAID YES.
-       BEFORE I KNEW IT – 1 WEEK LATER AFTER I PRAYED – I WAS SITTING IN MY HOME AND I WAS HOLDING IN MY HAND A $5,000 VIDEO CAMERA THAT THE LORD GAVE TO ME AND I’VE BEEN USING IT FOR HIM EVER SINCE.
-       IF HE DID THAT FOR ME – HE’LL DO SOMETHING FOR YOU.

PRAY.


2.  ESTABLISH A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE THAT WILL EMPOWER YOUR VISION.
    -  I ALREADY GAVE IT TO YOU - MATTHEW 13:34.
       -  MT. 28:19 – THEREFORE GO MAKE DISCIPLES.
-  HOW DARE WE TAKE THE GOD BREATHED – HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED SPECTACULAR WORD OF GOD……..AND MAKE IT BORING, CONFUSING, AND COMPLICATED?
- PENTECOSTALS SHOULD BE THE MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
-  JESUS USED PARABLES – I LIKE TO USE POWERPOINT TO ILLUSTRATE HIS PARABLES – AND WHEN I LOOK AT MATT. 13:34 I BELIEVE HE’S OK WITH THAT.  (KEYNOTE FOR THE MAC PEOPLE).
-  I LIKE TO READ A SCRIPTURE ABOUT GIVING AND THEN SHOW A 3 MINUTE VIDEO CLIP THAT SHOWS THEM WHY THEY SHOULD TITHE.  DON'T JUST TELL THEM - SHOW THEM.
- MAKE SURE YOU ESTABLISH A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE WITH WHOMEVER IT NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED WITH AND THEN TELL THEM YOU’VE PRAYED ABOUT THIS AS WELL.

ESTABLISH A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE THAT WILL EMPOWER YOU.

3.  WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?
a.    DO YOU NEED A LARGE FLAT SCREEN TV TO HANG ON THE WALL IN ORDER TO PUT SCRIPTURES ON, PICTURES, VIDEO ILLUSTRATIONS. 
b.    DO YOU WANT TO BEGIN RECORDING YOUR MESSAGES ON VIDEO OR AUDIO AND THEN CREATE A PODCAST SO YOUR CONGREGATION CAN GO ONLINE AND WATCH OR LISTEN TO YOUR MESSAGES. 
c.    I LOVE THIS BECAUSE NOW LOCAL PASTORS IN ARKANSAS ARE ABLE TO HAVE A MINISTRY THAT CAN REACH AROUND THE WORLD AND IT COST THEM VERY LITTLE FINANCIALLY.
                                             i.     LUCAS ALAN CRUIKSHANK – 16 YEARS OLD – LIVES IN COLUMBUS NEBRASKA – HE CREATED A CHARACTER ON YOUTUBE CALLED FRED FIGGLEHORN BACK IN 2005. *WIKIPEDIA.
                                          ii.     AS OF FEB. 2010 – 462 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE WATCHED LUCAS LITERALLY ACT LIKE A 6 YEAR OLD WITH ANGER ISSUES.
                                        iii.     IF LUCAS CAN ACT SILLY AND OFFER UP CHEAP COMEDY.  YOU AND I, WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – CAN HAVE A MESSAGE THAT OFFERS MIRACULOUS HOPE.
                                        iv.     BY THE WAY – IN CASE YOU DON’T KNOW YOUTUBE IS FREE AND I BELIEE IT’S FORMAT IS THE FUTURE OF TELEVISION.
d.    DO YOU WANT TO REACH OUT TO YOUR AUDIENCE WITH VISUAL IMAGES THAT WILL KEEP THEM FROM TUNING YOU OUT?
                                              i.     TESTS SHOW THAT A FOCUSED ATTENTION SPAN (a short-term response to a stimuli that attracts attention.) CAN BE AS LITTLE AS 8 SECONDS.
                                             ii.     SUSTAINED ATTENTION SPAN (the level of attention that produces the consistent results on a task over time.)  IN HEALTHY TEENAGERS AND ADULTS CAN BE UP TO 20 MINUTES AT A TIME.*
1.   SO IF YOU DON’T GET SOME OF THEM IN THE FIRST 8 SECONDS – THEY’LL TURN YOU OFF, START MESSING WITH THEIR CELL PHONE, PLAYING WITH THE BABY IN FRONT OF THEM, OR READING THAT WEEKS EDITION OF HICALL.  AND YOU’VE SPENT 10 HOURS ON THAT MESSAGE.
2.   SPEND $10 AND AN EXTRA 10 MINUTES GETTING AN ILLUSTRATIVE VIDEO.
                                           iii.     ALL OF THIS IS SUBJECT TO FATIGUE, HUNGER, NOISE, AND EMOTIONAL STRESS. 
                                           iv.     YOUR CONGREGATION EXPERIENCES ALL OF THOSE EVERY SUNDAY.  IF YOU’RE PREACHING FOR 45 MINUTES YOU BETTER HAVE JESUS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THAT HOMILETICAL TRUCK!
                                            v.     *Dianne Dukette; David Cornish (2009). The Essential 20: Twenty Components of an Excellent Health Care Team. RoseDog Books. pp. 72–73. ISBN 1-4349-9555-0.

4.  INVESTIGATE.  WHAT DO YOU NEED?
a.    A FLAT SCREEN TV, A VIDEO PROJECTOR, CABLES, A SCREEN ON THE WALL, A COMPUTER, WORSHIP SOFTWARE, EDITNG SOFTWARE?
b.    VIDEO CAMERA?
c.    KNOWLEDEGE ON HOW TO USE THIS?
d.    SOMEONE TO TALK TO YOU AND GUIDE YOU?
                                              i.     SIDENOTE – IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN THIS TECHNO STUFF TO YOU – THEY’RE PROBABLY IN YOUR YOUTH GROUP AND THEY WILL WORK FOR FOOD.
e.    NOW, I’VE PREPARED SOME THINGS IF YOU’RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
f.     IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS – MY CELL PHONE, EMAIL ADDRESS IS INCLUDED – I’M ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
5.  CONSIDER THE COST!
a.    DO YOU HAVE A BUDGET FOR THIS?
b.    IS IT DEPLETED?  PROBABLY.
c.    DO YOU NEED TO PLAN A FUND RAISER THAT DOESN’T INTERFERE WITH SPEED THE LIGHT?
d.    IN MY OPINION – WE SHOULD NEVER SPEND THE MONEY THAT’S GOING TO SPEED THE LIGHT OR BGMC ON OUR TECHNO GADGETS.
e.    JUST REMEMBER MY STORY ABOUT MY CAMERA – GOD CAN AND WILL PROVIDE.
f.     DON’T ROB BRO. DANE AND BRO. RON SO YOU CAN MAKE A VISA PAYMENT!
g.    I’M SORRY FOR BEING SO BASIC BUT YOU’D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY WELL MEANING CHRISITANS FORGET THE BASICS WHEN THE BELL’S AND WHISTLES BEGIN TO BLOW!

6.  IF YOU GO TECHNO - WATCH OUT FOR THE NO-NO!

THERE COULD BE SEVERAL NO-NO’S SAID HERE BUT I ONLY HAVE TIME FOR ONE. AND IT’S A BIG ONE.

DON’T ALLOW TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR SERVICES TO BECOME A DISTRACTION.

THIS IS WHERE MANY CHURCHES THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER – I DIDN’T SAY IT’S GOING TO DISTRACT – JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN’T.  ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN.

I WENT TO A CONFERENCE AT A CHURCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA LAST YEAR – THE CHURCH WAS MEDIUM SIZE – AMAZING FACILITIES – IT WAS A  CONFERENCE ABOUT CHURCH TECHNOLOGY.

THEY STARTED THE CONFERENCE WITH WORSHIP – THE WORSHIP LEADER WAS A YOUNG MAN WITH AN ELECTRIC GUITAR – THEY HAD 3 SCREENS GOING AND HE WAS ON EACH OF THE SCREENS – AND THEY WE’RE RUNNING SOME KIND OF SOFTWARE THAT WAS TURNING HIM INTO SOME KIND OF PSCYCHODELIC SWIRLING MASS COMING RIGHT AT YOU – I DIDN’T KNOW WHETHER TO PRAISE THE LORD OR DUCK AND COVER.
WAS HE DOING WRONG – NO!
I BELIEVE IT COULD WORK IN SOME SETTINGS – OUTDOOR CONCERT OR SPECIAL SERVICE FOR THE UNCHURCHED AND DE-CHURCHED – AND HARD CORE FANS OF JIMMY HENDRIX - IF ITS PROPERLY FOLLOWED UP WITH THE POWERFUL MESSAGE OF JESUS.

BUT I WAS DISTRACTED – HERE’S WHY – I WALKED AWAY NOT GOING – ‘WOW WHAT A SAVIOR’  - I WALKED AWAY SAYING - ‘WOW – WHAT A SHOW.’ 
ANYTIME THE METHOD COMPLETELY DISTRACTS FROM THE MESSAGE THEN WE HAVE TO STOP AND RECONSIDER OUR METHODS.

IF WE PUT MORE TIME INTO THE LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION INSTEAD OF PRAYER AND MESSAGE PREP - THEN WE’RE IN TROUBLE.

IF AND WHEN WE USE HIGH IMPACT TECHNOLOGY – WE BETTER FOLLOW IT UP WITH THE HIGH IMPACT TRUTH OF JESUS – BECAUSE IF WE DON’T – WE JUST END UP ENTERTAINING THE CROWD.
AND WHEN THE MUSIC AND LIGHTS GO OFF – THE CROWD GETS UP AND WALKS OUT INTO ETERNTIY.


1.  PRAY.
2.  ESTABLISH A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE THAT WILL EMPOWER YOU.
3.  INVESTIGATE.  WHAT DO YOU NEED?
4.  CONSIDER THE COST!
5.  IF YOU GO TECHNO - WATCH OUT FOR THE DISTRACTIONS!