Sermon with a view

***crossnote*** · Nov 9th 2009, 06:26 AM

I am a little perplexed and maybe some of you with some experience at this can help explain.

At a Church I visited today the pastor while preaching his sermon kept using pictures and writings that were shown on a big screen behind him. This was somewhat distracting because he would often turn around to read and make comments on the visuals.
What is up with this? Is this a new trend for preachers? If so, why?

***-SEEKING-*** · Nov 9th 2009, 01:39 PM

Well using a screen has been going on for years as far as I know.

**Slug1** · Nov 9th 2009, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by crossnote

I am a little perplexed and maybe some of you with some experience at this can help explain.

At a Church I visited today the pastor while preaching his sermon kept using pictures and writings that were shown on a big screen behind him. This was somewhat distracting because he would often turn around to read and make comments on the visuals.
What is up with this? Is this a new trend for preachers? If so, why?

Our worship ministry attempts to use the screen to put the words of the songs up but this doesn't work all the time cause many times they're led to sing other songs then what "they" expected to sing... the Lord usually has other plans and not all the songs are the ones expected

As for our pastor, this would never work cause the Lord impresses the scripture upon his heart and then he's inspiried to speak. To many times he's told us that the words he speaks surprise him as the Holy Spirit places them upon his lips. In the last two years, I've seen him use notes maybe twice but this was as the Holy Spirit led him to what to research but when the speaking started, he really never reffed the notes.

As one of the elders in our church we have prayed with our pastor for God's will because here it is 30 minutes before service and the Lord hasn't pressed upon his heart the message. After the prayer with us all, he'll go into prayer alone and when I see him stand back up with a smile, I smile cause the Lord has begun to fill him with a message.

No way a screen would ever be able to be used.

The only time the screen is truly used is for Bible Studies, seminars, classes, and stuff like that.

***crossnote*** · Nov 9th 2009, 04:17 PM

Let me clarify a little.
The screen did not have sermon notes but part of the 'sermon' and slides to help visualize by photos/cartoons what was being talked about.

**Slug1** · Nov 9th 2009, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by crossnote

Let me clarify a little.
The screen did not have sermon notes but part of the 'sermon' and slides to help visualize by photos/cartoons what was being talked about.

Hooah, only for classes would this work in our church. The Lord runs the show during service so pre-planning... hard to do

***markedward*** · Nov 9th 2009, 05:57 PM

The pastors at the churches I attend each use their big-screens to show the Bible verses they read (in case anyone forgot to bring their own Bible), or quotations that are relevant to the topic.

Only on rare occasions do they show a picture, or a video, that helps get their point across.

***RabbiKnife*** · Nov 9th 2009, 10:25 PM

I have been using both audio files and visual files in my sermons for years.
Nothing new.

***crossnote*** · Nov 10th 2009, 04:41 AM

Maybe eventually we can replace the preaching pastor with a video show?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
(1Co 1:21)

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
(1Co 2:4)

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
(2Ti 4:17)

But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
(Tit 1:3)

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
(Rom 10:14)

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
(Rom 10:17)

Aww, I guess I'm just old fashioned.

***RabbiKnife*** · Nov 10th 2009, 02:14 PM

So, having something visual that helps people understand the words of the preacher is somehow not "preaching"?

What did Jesus write in the sand with the woman caught in adultery? Pretty clear visual aid, in my opinion.

***Steve M*** · Nov 10th 2009, 02:34 PM

Even in a strictly Spirit-led church, you could probably use visual aids. You'd have to have a quick-footed young person running the visual aids, ready to throw whatever scripture the preacher is referencing up there, or throw any one of a number of pre-selected pictures up there whenever the preacher found it appropriate, etc. etc.

If it works in classrooms to help people retain information, why not in the pulpit?

***RabbiKnife*** · Nov 10th 2009, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Steve M

Even in a strictly Spirit-led church, you could probably use visual aids. You'd have to have a quick-footed young person running the visual aids, ready to throw whatever scripture the preacher is referencing up there, or throw any one of a number of pre-selected pictures up there whenever the preacher found it appropriate, etc. etc.

If it works in classrooms to help people retain information, why not in the pulpit?

"'Cause we ain't never done it that way."

**Slug1** · Nov 10th 2009, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Steve M

Even in a strictly Spirit-led church, you could probably use visual aids. You'd have to have a quick-footed young person running the visual aids, ready to throw whatever scripture the preacher is referencing up there, or throw any one of a number of pre-selected pictures up there whenever the preacher found it appropriate, etc. etc.

If it works in classrooms to help people retain information, why not in the pulpit?

Our pastor waits for everyone to turn to the scripture in their own Bibles. If you don't have one, use one in the church or shimmy up close with who's next to you

***Steve M*** · Nov 10th 2009, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by Slug1

Our pastor waits for everyone to turn to the scripture in their own Bibles. If you don't have one, use one in the church or shimmy up close with who's next to you

True... but, again, the classroom analogy.

Did you know that in most scientific studies, people remember things better when they're presented in multiple colors on a whiteboard as opposed to a single color on a chalkboard? Wacky fun!

...we don't have any such projector at my church, and have no plans to get one. But I think it would be nifty to have.

**Slug1** · Nov 10th 2009, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Steve M

True... but, again, the classroom analogy.

Did you know that in most scientific studies, people remember things better when they're presented in multiple colors on a whiteboard as opposed to a single color on a chalkboard? Wacky fun!

...we don't have any such projector at my church, and have no plans to get one. But I think it would be nifty to have.

Well, I guess I'm old school... I take notes and write all inside my Bible or notebook. Highlight in each even

I've upgraded though also... I plant my MP3 Recorder on the table in a classroom and record as well.

Classroom environment... we do use the projector allot.

***thepenitent*** · Nov 10th 2009, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by RabbiKnife

I have been using both audio files and visual files in my sermons for years.
Nothing new.

If used skillfully, a powerpoint presentation can be powerfully integrated with a sermon. It's just a hi-tech version of George Whitefield acting out scenes from the Bible during his sermons. Studies show that people better remember and are more influenced by what the see than what they hear. Thus, incorporating visuals with a sermon that emphasize the message can be very persuasive.