Comments on: VideoTeaching.com Launches, Raises Questions http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/ Exploring the Intersection of Church and Technology Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:25:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: tomesnyder http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39375 tomesnyder Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:36:04 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39375 Some posts have already mentioned One Prayer but let me give a link (http://2009.oneprayer.com/). With One Prayer LifeChurch.tv posted messages from unknown pastors as well as well-known, small churches as well as large. Knowing LC.tv like I do I suspect the same will be true of videoteaching.com. LifeChurch.tv is attempting to empower other churches. They are not forcing anyone to use video teaching. They have been giving away their own resources for some time. This is a way to help other churches do the same who might not have the money to do so. If your audience is mainly church members they can tolerate an inexperienced speaker knowing it is helping him for the future. But if you audience is 25% or more seekers, is that what you want? Suppose you have the heart of a pastor and have great people skills but you're not a good speaker? This gives you an option to fill your dream. Video teaching is not for everyone, but I thank God for churches like LC.tv who are willing to share what they have--for FREE. Some posts have already mentioned One Prayer but let me give a link (http://2009.oneprayer.com/). With One Prayer LifeChurch.tv posted messages from unknown pastors as well as well-known, small churches as well as large. Knowing LC.tv like I do I suspect the same will be true of videoteaching.com. LifeChurch.tv is attempting to empower other churches. They are not forcing anyone to use video teaching. They have been giving away their own resources for some time. This is a way to help other churches do the same who might not have the money to do so.

If your audience is mainly church members they can tolerate an inexperienced speaker knowing it is helping him for the future. But if you audience is 25% or more seekers, is that what you want? Suppose you have the heart of a pastor and have great people skills but you're not a good speaker? This gives you an option to fill your dream.

Video teaching is not for everyone, but I thank God for churches like LC.tv who are willing to share what they have–for FREE.

]]> By: tonysteward http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39371 tonysteward Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:27:49 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39371 Hey John, thanks for the post! There are many different ways that VideoTeaching.com can be used, and our passion in offering it comes from many of the learnings we've had leveraging it here at LifeChurch.tv. One key learning is that the campuses that are having the largest growth (life change and attendance) for us are ones that get their primary teaching via video. It is awesome to hear the stories of life change from the campus pastors and local ministry teams from these campuses! VideoTeaching.com is supported the same way that the rest of our initiatives are through the stewardship and resources of LifeChurch.tv. That has already included OPEN, YouVersion, ChurchMetrics, Babelwith.me, and now VideoTeaching.com. Craig Groeschel is actually doing a series of messages in September about the heart and passion of LifeChurch.tv for these initiatives - something I think this community would connect with. Most of all I am thrilled to see the passion for teaching and preaching I see here in this conversation. The power of God and his Word effectively preached into people's lives is our passion as well and part of why we want to make these messages available for everyone to use as it meets their church's needs. Tony Steward Online Community Pastor for LifeChurch.tv Hey John, thanks for the post!

There are many different ways that VideoTeaching.com can be used, and our passion in offering it comes from many of the learnings we've had leveraging it here at LifeChurch.tv. One key learning is that the campuses that are having the largest growth (life change and attendance) for us are ones that get their primary teaching via video. It is awesome to hear the stories of life change from the campus pastors and local ministry teams from these campuses!

VideoTeaching.com is supported the same way that the rest of our initiatives are through the stewardship and resources of LifeChurch.tv. That has already included OPEN, YouVersion, ChurchMetrics, Babelwith.me, and now VideoTeaching.com. Craig Groeschel is actually doing a series of messages in September about the heart and passion of LifeChurch.tv for these initiatives – something I think this community would connect with.

Most of all I am thrilled to see the passion for teaching and preaching I see here in this conversation. The power of God and his Word effectively preached into people's lives is our passion as well and part of why we want to make these messages available for everyone to use as it meets their church's needs.

Tony Steward

Online Community Pastor for LifeChurch.tv

]]> By: Gregory Davis http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39379 Gregory Davis Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:53:34 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39379 Good points and healthy debate / discussion for sure. I believe we are at a crossroads of history where the church will either adapt to the communicating in methods that the culture around us is moving or we will be left behind with no one to tell the life-changing story of Jesus to but ourselves. I think it really helps to have big-picture perspective for conversation on this subject. What if the church was so stubborn that it never changed from 1st century tools and practices of preaching? We'd still be mostly outside and without the use of any audio or video equipment. While some may like that idea or want to return to it, I don't think those far from God would be listening. If the church is to be more than a resounding gong or only a noise in the wind that no one is listening to we need to understand and leverage the tools for communication that God places around us. We should not care about method but instead about results in terms of life change and people becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Everything else is details. I applaud LifeChurch.tv for being forward thinking and radically shaking up the model of how we "do church". In the world outside of church, organizations learn to adapt and change or they die. Why do we think the church should not change as well? Sometimes we reject ideas simply because they are too big or too radical for us to adjust to all at once. This might be one of them, but in time, I sure hope we see more churches using the technology that the culture is already immersed in. Can you imagine the arguments about the printing press? What about all of those capable young writers / scribes out there? How will we ever train a new group of scribes if we rely too much on books (bibles) printed from this machine? How crazy is that? What are we more concerned with, the careers of preachers or life change in those far from Christ? Good points and healthy debate / discussion for sure. I believe we are at a crossroads of history where the church will either adapt to the communicating in methods that the culture around us is moving or we will be left behind with no one to tell the life-changing story of Jesus to but ourselves.

I think it really helps to have big-picture perspective for conversation on this subject. What if the church was so stubborn that it never changed from 1st century tools and practices of preaching? We'd still be mostly outside and without the use of any audio or video equipment. While some may like that idea or want to return to it, I don't think those far from God would be listening.

If the church is to be more than a resounding gong or only a noise in the wind that no one is listening to we need to understand and leverage the tools for communication that God places around us. We should not care about method but instead about results in terms of life change and people becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Everything else is details.

I applaud LifeChurch.tv for being forward thinking and radically shaking up the model of how we "do church". In the world outside of church, organizations learn to adapt and change or they die. Why do we think the church should not change as well?

Sometimes we reject ideas simply because they are too big or too radical for us to adjust to all at once. This might be one of them, but in time, I sure hope we see more churches using the technology that the culture is already immersed in. Can you imagine the arguments about the printing press? What about all of those capable young writers / scribes out there? How will we ever train a new group of scribes if we rely too much on books (bibles) printed from this machine? How crazy is that? What are we more concerned with, the careers of preachers or life change in those far from Christ?

]]> By: @chadkello http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39378 @chadkello Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:04:08 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39378 PART TWO Many, Many, Many people use to go to record stores and search through records and tapes and purchase their favorite music. So why is it that, people love music, however record stores are closing down all over the country. Certainly it is not because people stop listening to music! In fact, in many cases the convenience of getting the product without leaving your home has caused sales to increase. The record industry ignored this. In fact I have read many articles from music executives that just flat out said it won’t happen. Now, they have either lost the battle or they are rearranging everything in a mad dash to try to hang in there. So with all that said, here’s the question? If more people have a relationship with God and that number is increasing because they are only one click away from the resources to make them grow spiritually, then is it a bad thing if the attendance is going down in the local church? Lastly, do you still love music? When’s the last time you bought from a record store? Like it or not, with or without our leadership vote, things change. Thanks for your time. PART TWO
Many, Many, Many people use to go to record stores and search through records and tapes and purchase their favorite music. So why is it that, people love music, however record stores are closing down all over the country. Certainly it is not because people stop listening to music! In fact, in many cases the convenience of getting the product without leaving your home has caused sales to increase. The record industry ignored this. In fact I have read many articles from music executives that just flat out said it won’t happen. Now, they have either lost the battle or they are rearranging everything in a mad dash to try to hang in there.

So with all that said, here’s the question? If more people have a relationship with God and that number is increasing because they are only one click away from the resources to make them grow spiritually, then is it a bad thing if the attendance is going down in the local church?

Lastly, do you still love music?
When’s the last time you bought from a record store?

Like it or not, with or without our leadership vote, things change.

Thanks for your time.

]]> By: @chadkello http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39377 @chadkello Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:03:28 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39377 Part ONE Hey John, I appreciate your post but I think that there are even bigger things going on here. I got a good bit of feedback not to long ago because on twitter I stated that I was amazed that many pastors have expressed their concern over how the average length of time a senior pastor was at one church is dramatically decreasing. I am amazed by that because in my opinion, there is nothing to be amazed by that. The only reason that stands out to ministry workers is because many times those that work in ministry are using a different measuring stick then those of the outside world. We have forgotten that someone who is far from God looks at churches and the endless amount of structures around town the same as they do a strip of fast food chains on the main drag. "If you don't like one, you can go to another one." I am not saying that I agree with that, but I am saying that we have to be aware of this. Part ONE
Hey John, I appreciate your post but I think that there are even bigger things going on here.
I got a good bit of feedback not to long ago because on twitter I stated that I was amazed that many pastors have expressed their concern over how the average length of time a senior pastor was at one church is dramatically decreasing. I am amazed by that because in my opinion, there is nothing to be amazed by that. The only reason that stands out to ministry workers is because many times those that work in ministry are using a different measuring stick then those of the outside world. We have forgotten that someone who is far from God looks at churches and the endless amount of structures around town the same as they do a strip of fast food chains on the main drag. "If you don't like one, you can go to another one." I am not saying that I agree with that, but I am saying that we have to be aware of this.

]]> By: kevincooper http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39376 kevincooper Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:49:05 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39376 Tony your last sentence is the key. John Piper has said that preaching/hearing the word of God changes lives. And honestly, some do it better than others. If VideoTeaching.com can bring great preaching to local churches by being a supplement to local pastors, then I say what a great resource. I'm more interested in seeing people in my local church have their lives changed and not so concerned whether ego's of local pastors are dinged. Tony your last sentence is the key. John Piper has said that preaching/hearing the word of God changes lives. And honestly, some do it better than others. If VideoTeaching.com can bring great preaching to local churches by being a supplement to local pastors, then I say what a great resource. I'm more interested in seeing people in my local church have their lives changed and not so concerned whether ego's of local pastors are dinged.

]]> By: human3rror http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39374 human3rror Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:04:05 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39374 one would probably point to scripture that suggests the typical "duties" of a pastor and/or teacher... and then people would argue about that interpretation... one would probably point to scripture that suggests the typical “duties” of a pastor and/or teacher… and then people would argue about that interpretation…

]]> By: human3rror http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39373 human3rror Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:03:11 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39373 scott, good thoughts here, i'm checking out your post. scott, good thoughts here, i'm checking out your post.

]]> By: stephenbateman http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39372 stephenbateman Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:01:42 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39372 churches <2000 people aren't generally resourced w/ staff/volunteers and equipment to create really great recordings. It becomes less about teaching quality (high all around) and more about recording quality. Here's my big ridiculous question: What if 75% of the time, a church used <strong>video teachers</strong>, freeing up money/time for pastors and everyone else to lead a church towards serving. churches <2000 people aren't generally resourced w/ staff/volunteers and equipment to create really great recordings. It becomes less about teaching quality (high all around) and more about recording quality.

Here's my big ridiculous question: What if 75% of the time, a church used video teachers, freeing up money/time for pastors and everyone else to lead a church towards serving.

]]> By: chad swanzy http://churchm.ag/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39369 chad swanzy Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:47:29 +0000 http://churchcrunch.com/2009/07/22/videoteaching-com-launches-raises-questions/#comment-39369 Radio stations had the intent of distributing the message of Christ to the lost across the widest platform possible. Their content and medium have shifted for sure. With video teaching the content is exclusive intentionally or unintentionally to just churches. There is the assumption that the lost are at church but it seems like video teaching and message sharing might not be the best use of that technology. What if video teaching had no church logo or brand but instead were thought out, scripted, and hand crafted to agitate contemplation and inspiration for people who don't know Christ at all? If someone had this in mind they would not go into churches with that kind of production but instead their content would be sprinkled across the web in ways that did not wreak of insider only content and placating solutions. Who is intelligently doing this? Please, don't show me a sermon series teaser or bumper. Radio stations had the intent of distributing the message of Christ to the lost across the widest platform possible. Their content and medium have shifted for sure.

With video teaching the content is exclusive intentionally or unintentionally to just churches. There is the assumption that the lost are at church but it seems like video teaching and message sharing might not be the best use of that technology. What if video teaching had no church logo or brand but instead were thought out, scripted, and hand crafted to agitate contemplation and inspiration for people who don't know Christ at all? If someone had this in mind they would not go into churches with that kind of production but instead their content would be sprinkled across the web in ways that did not wreak of insider only content and placating solutions.

Who is intelligently doing this? Please, don't show me a sermon series teaser or bumper.

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