Preach Magazine Issue 4 - Preaching in the digital age | Page 4

4 WELCOME From your editor… COUNCIL OF REFERENCE David Bracewell – Zoe Ministry (zoeministry.co.uk); author; and previously Rector of Saint Saviour’s Church, Guildford. Kate Bruce – Director of the Centre for Communication and Preaching, Deputy Warden and Tutor in Homiletics, St John’s College, Durham University. Charlie Cleverly – Rector of St Aldate’s, Oxford and author of several books, most recently Epiphanies of the Ordinary. Ian Coffey – Vice Principal (Strategy) and Director of Leadership Training, Moorlands College. ENGAGING WITH THE DIGITAL AGE AS A PREACHER IS ABOUT MORE THAN SHOWING YOUTUBE CLIPS TO BREAK UP YOUR MONOLOGUE, OR RUNNING A LIVE TWITTER FEED ON THE SCREEN BEHIND YOU AS YOU TALK. E ngaging with the digital age as a preacher is about more than showing YouTube clips to break up your monologue, or running a live Twitter feed on the screen behind you as you talk, or posting a recording of your sermon online. David Stout argues digital preaching is a genre with a number of characteristics including ‘rhythmic and repeated word patterns, numerous layers of strong visual content with an emphasis on contemporary digital fashion and additional musical elements, [usually lasting] 3 to 10 minutes’. It is a new world and sometimes a scary world, but as long as we have the foundations laid, as Kate Bruce reminds us, digital tools have huge potential to enrich our communication of the gospel, from the pulpit but also from our laptops and smartphones. The winter issue of Preach is about preaching to the unconverted, and I’m thrilled to tell you that it includes a feature from the legendary evangelist Michael Green, an interview with Amy Orr-Ewing from the Oxford Centre for Apologetics and a brand new columnist, Rev Dr Calvin Samuel, academic dean of St John’s College, Durham University. We’ve been so encouraged by your comments and suggestions for improvements. Do keep them coming. And if you like what you see, we’d be really grateful if you’d spread the word and help us reach the people we’re here to support. Malcolm Duncan – Chair of the Spring Harvest Planning Group; Senior Minister of Gold Hill Baptist Church; Founder and Director of Church and Community. Andy Frost – Director of Share Jesus International. Ruth Gee – President of Methodist Conference 2013/14 and Methodist minister. Richard Littledale – Baptist minister, author and broadcaster. Mark Meynell – Associate Director, Langham Partnership International; author and cultural commentator. Calvin Samuel – Academic Dean of St John’s College and Director of Wesley Study Centre, Durham University. Preach resources, available in print and online, are provided by LWPT. Editor Jo Swinney Design Adept www.adeptdesign.co.uk Printing Moorleys Print and Publishing Editorial office The Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust PO Box 2352, Watford, Herts WD18 1PY T 01923 231811 F 01923 296899 E [email protected] W preachweb.org The Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust is an ecumenical Trust (Charity No. 1107967) Jo Swinney Editor Copyright the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust 2015. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for the reproduction of text from this publication for the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust promotional use only. For all other uses, please contact us.