Visual Worship in the Global Church
4 Comments Published by Camron Ware - Visual Worshiper June 2nd, 2009 in Visual Worship
PLEASE watch this video interview of my good friend Stephen Proctor and “Biscuet“. Biscuet lives in China, and is a visual worshiper. Take a few minutes to listen how he describes how the worshipers in China don’t have any of the lights or the projection or the media or the sound system…they just WORSHIP. It’s incredibly humbly and encouraging. (If you want to cheat, skip to minute 15 of the full-length video for what I’m talking about)
Hearing what ‘Biscuet’ has to say almost frustrates me to a point of leaving the US, moving overseas, and helping the global church dive into visual worship using technology.
Why? Because I feel like a lot of churches in America are just “missing it”.
I feel like us that are in American churches are stuck and stale…and trying to us all this production technology to try and ‘fix’ it…I feel that we have put the icing before the cake, and in some cases, just have the sprinkles on the icing…and no cake at all. Hearing that interview about how the the Chinese Christians worship, and how they don’t have any production technology but STILL fall down before God and worship makes me realize that they are focusing on what needs to be focused on FIRST.
It’s like they GET IT. They GET what is means to worship our God authentically, holistically, and without the use of “attention grabbing devices”. They don’t need it. Now, what if they had the chance to experience visual worship using technology?? (done well of course)
I have no idea.
What if they were so in tune with what worship was REALLY all about, that they realized they didn’t WANT it? Hmm. Now I know that a lot of American churches “GET IT” too, but in general, I just see how more churches in the rest of the world don’t have ANY production technology, but are WAY more authentic in their worship than western churches are who have a million dollars worth of technology.
There is so much to discuss here; I know I’m leaving out a lot of the conversation. But I am literally frustrated right now.
Hey man, thank you for your kind words about the interview. Day in and day out i’m blown away by the authentic worship that i see around me here in China. I think your frustration is okay. It always takes a righteous discontent inside of us before we will be moved to make a difference. I’m thankful for the discontent that you have, but i want us to be careful about getting out measuring sticks to see who has it more figured out. If people watch the video they will see that i am deeply passionate about pushing the Church forward and in no way do i ever want to put down what others are doing. I believe God is in it all and i believe God is calling some of us to be passionately discontent until we are moved to make a difference. Thank you for your heart for the Church and what this blog stands for. I’m looking forward to meeting you soon.
@Biscuet: Looking forward to meeting you too!
And you’re right, I too in no way want to put down what others are doing. I believe that God uses a multitude of people and gifts to further the Kingdom. I guess I just need some time away from production; I keep seeing so much emphasis put on HAVING production, I just get frustrated and want us to strip it away for a while.
You’re a blessing!
hey bro.
something just hit me in watching and then reading this.
what if… and its just a thought and not a debate… but what if we are fighting 2 internal selves. what i mean is, what if our technical and mechanical self is trying to MAKE our audience worship while the artist side is wanting to just be creative so that actually inspires people and INVITES them to worship with you (us)?
after rereading this, it can open up a WHOLE new can of discussion…. or more same old…
get viz-y with it.
reece
@Reece: Oh totally! It’s a constant, and healthy, tension. I think it’s good that we are constantly reminded about both sides of ourselves. It helps keep the balance of less of is more, and knowing when to use technology and when not to. I think if we don’t have ANY kind of struggle in what we’re doing, we become complacent and content with doing what we have been doing just because it’s what we’ve done before, or what we’re used to.
And the conversation continues.
Get viz-y with is…I like it!