Preach Magazine Issue 4 - Preaching in the digital age | Page 46

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FEATURE

The service went down very well.
Some of the comments we received
included:
cg
 eneral appreciation for the
layout
ca
 wareness of the use of all the
senses and the options given for
involvement in the worship
c e ngagement with the visual –
especially during the sermon
ca
 cceptance of the changes to the
liturgy to focus on digital aspects
of the worship.
The key impact of the evening
for most was the partnership
between preacher and illustrator.
In a discussion group the next
day, over 90 per cent of those
present said that it added further
depth to an already good sermon.
Many expressed how it had helped
them to reflect more deeply on
the meaning of the words. Some
said that they took the decision to
focus on the pictures alone, a few
that the pictures put them off. The
majority loved the mixture of word
and art. What we only found out
later was that both preacher and
illustrator adapted their plans,
their words, their brushstrokes
during the worship itself – in other
words, as Calvin preached he
responded to Matt’s drawing and
in turn Matt was responding to
Calvin’s preaching. The preached
Word became the living Word
in a real live interaction which
enhanced the worship and
encouraged both preacher and
illustrator in their God-given gifts.
So, having initially been anxious
about leading an act of worship
specifically from a digital
viewpoint, we found that adhering
to a few key issues enabled us to
do something slightly different,
something creatively exciting, and
something which brought depth
and richness to the community’s
worship life. These were our key
learning points:

c Be authentic, both to the
community you are leading in
worship and to your own identity.
c Make the best use of technology
in terms of creativity, depth
of experience, opening up
opportunities for others to be
involved both locally and from a
wider world church perspective.
c Don’t do technology for
technology’s sake.
c Work with the other creative
people in the congregation and
bring together both traditional
gifts (preaching, worship leading,
prayer) with new digital creativity
(music, visuals, illustration,
presentation).
c Be open about what you are doing
and why you are doing it.
c Allow people to engage with the
service in their own way and make
use of what you have provided to
find their own way into the heart
of God’s presence.
Next time, I won’t be anywhere
near as anxious to develop an act
of worship with a digital dimension.
Working with lots of people in
the congregation, we developed
an act of worship which was
creative, inspiring and responsive
to the Spirit – a truly spiritual act
of worship which we pray was
acceptable to the Lord.
1. bit.ly/d-church

Pete Philips
With a background in New Testament teaching and
research, Pete Philips moved to St John’s College,
Durham in 2008 to develop their cutting-edge digital
theology research centre at CODEC – exploring Biblical
literacy, preaching, discipleship and digital resources
in a digital age. He teaches New Testament in Cranmer
Hall and supervises research students
both in Durham and at a few other
places across the country. He’s a
Methodist minister and is married
to Theresa, who works in the
Department of Theology
and Religion as the
administrator for the
Centre for Catholic
Studies. They have
three grown-up
children and
a little Westie
called Grace.

THE PREACHED WORD
BECAME THE LIVING
WORD IN A REAL LIVE
INTERACTION WHICH
ENHANCED THE WORSHIP
AND ENCOURAGED
BOTH PREACHER AND
ILLUSTRATOR IN THEIR
GOD-GIVEN GIFTS