Recently, I’ve seen many social media posts about how modern technology like lighting, fog machines, stage design and more detract from worship. Some have asked if they even belong in a church, and a few question the motives of anyone who even tries these crazy ideas. I understand and am more than interested in any conversation that helps churches focus on the right things.
However, I keep wondering where you draw the line?
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As far back as 1860, Dwight L. Moody’s Sunday School was drawing 1,000 children each week. He eventually built a 1,500-seat sanctuary in Chicago and dedicated it in 1864. But that sanctuary was destroyed in 1871 during the Great Chicago Fire. So, they launched a campaign to build a new building with 10,000 people. It was renamed Chicago Avenue Church in 1876.
But at that time, microphones hadn’t been invented, and there was certainly nothing you could call professional stage lighting.
Around the same time, in London, Charles Spurgeon preached to capacity crowds everywhere he went. At the time of his death in 1892, the membership at his church, The Metropolitan Tabernacle, was over 5,300.
But again, there are no microphones, electric instruments, or stage lighting.
Drawing the line
So my question is — where do you draw the line?
Stage lighting, which has the purpose of helping focus attention on the speaker or preacher, is a good thing. But where do you draw the line? What is too much?
Incredibly, Spurgeon and Moody had the vocal capacity to preach without microphones, but there’s no question that audio technology has been a great help to churches today. But once again, where do you draw the line?
Do we limit pastors to microphones on a stand? Lav mics? Headset mics?
And let’s not forget pianos and organs.
To my knowledge, the early church didn’t have them, so maybe that’s way over the line as well. But then we get into the pesky territory of guitars, electric pianos and the horror — drums!
Technology is amazing and can be an enormous asset in helping a pastor or teacher share their message with a congregation. But at what point is it doctrinally, theologically, or scripturally wrong?
Toning down ‘the attitude’
Until we can answer that question, I’d suggest we hold the ugly social media posts and actually encourage the Church’s creative and technical people to experiment and see what works and what doesn’t — what enhances the worship experience and what detracts.
At the very least, maybe we could have a mature conversation, tone down the attitude, and focus more on how technology can help impact the culture with the gospel.
Of course, critical social media posts get more clicks, but I’m not sure they help the cause of Christ.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was originally published by philcooke.com.
