.: pastor technology :.

This past weekend, a friend of mine and I watched a sort of responsive documentary towards NOOMA Films and the videos that they are producing. So much of the commentary was personal praise and commendation of the teaching videos that Rob Bell is found on. Our own Youth Ministry has been impacted several times over by these films; specifically because of the way that Rob approaches teaching the truth to his viewers through such visual medium. But even more than that, these DVD’s are incredible because, as one viewer responded on the documentary, it is “Christian art that doesn’t suck”. All of us have been more than inculcated with Christian videos that have a 3 piece suited senior (age, not position) pastor reading his sermon from a cue card, with a white sheet as a background, random posts and pedestals strewn about the stage. NOOMA is producing films that are powerful, to the point, and rich for any and every place where people desire to have their hearts stirred towards Christ and deeper faith. Rob Bell is deeper in those 10 minutes of video than anything I ever used with our Junior High Youth Ministry… and the kids get it! I mean, they really get it, and even more, they want to see them again and again.



Now I do realize that NOOMA is not the only business producing such films. Media X is also a great place that is making videos that actually have an effect upon our PoMo youth. But I use NOOMA as an exemplarily basis for the question that my friend and I thought through – will we be talking about these videos in five years the way we are talking about the poorer contrastive films that I related to earlier? And even more, once everyone gets on the bandwagon, what will be the next step? Is this one more stride in making our ministries fully dependent upon technology? Should our schools and seminaries be adding a video class to their bible curriculum, understanding that both will be used in the near future (say, two minutes from now) in our churches? The NOOMA films are great as long as they compliment our ministries, but not replace our ministers. I use these films to open up discussion for the classes that I lead in, but never have they been the only thing. Any thoughts? You know what to do.