What we lose

As an old dinosaur, perhaps, I am particularly pained and puzzled by the move away from Bibles as books to Bibles on screens, phones, and computers. Now to be clear, I am not against using these resources when they can be a help – but, like Dustin Benge (a younger person and also an educator), overall, I see the switch is a loss rather than a gain.

What we lose when the Bible is only on a screen:

1. You remember where the verse lives on the page and aids memorization.

2. The page shows you much more at once. You see the context, not just a few verses at once.

3. The page keeps your notes. Years from now they will still be there, in your own hand.

4. The page cannot distract you with a notification. It only asks to be read.

5. The page is something your children watch you open and they know it’s the Bible.

The screen gives much. The page gives more.

- Dustin Benge

AI Worship (and Preaching)

“Can a soul-less artist produce a soul-full act of worship?”

I am very concerned about AI in general, and when it invades Christian preaching and singing, so much the worse.[i]

In 1996, I wrote an imaginary “Possible Scenario – Any Church, USA,” lamenting how some churches were projecting music and preaching on screens instead of having real people lead their worship. In the “possible scenario” the church pews became people-empty, but filled with cassette players. The silence was broken only by an occasional electronic “amen.”[ii] Not as good as Orwell’s book 1984, yet my “1996” has become “2026.” Except perhaps the members now won’t even bother with a source for electronic amens. Now here is this.

“How does Ray feel about this sudden success? He doesn’t. Because Ray doesn’t feel anything. His voice, his songs, his music, his appearance and even his ‘Mississippi Soul’ branding are entirely AI-generated. The current No. 1 ‘Christian artist’ is not a person. It is a product.”

The No. 1 “Christian artist” is neither Christian nor an artist. “He” is not even human.

We can complain about it – and rightfully so – but modern Christians have been headed toward this path for years. We just didn’t have all the technology previously (and don’t have all the technology now that we will have).

Disclaimer: I first saw this report at Baptist New Global (BNG), which I have linked to, and have not looked elsewhere for a better source. This link is definitely not a recommendation of BNG or the author of this piece. Nevertheless, we agree on the problematic nature of “AI worship.” “My real concern with AI-generated worship music is not so much that AI songs will ‘infect’ Christian worship, but that Christian worship already has drifted into a thin, commercialized space where emotional accessibility is mistaken for spiritual depth.”

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[i] We have to wonder how many sermons are now created by AI rather than study, sweat, and prayer – and the Holy Spirit.
[ii] Yes, that was a few years ago! I updated it in 2016 to “CD players, DVRs and such like,” but I think that is mostly out of date now too.

1st Century Churches - 21st Century Practices

POSSIBLE SCENARIO - ANY CHURCH, USA
At X Baptist Church in Technology, TX, the ‘minister of music’ had for several years provided all musical accompaniment and some complete musical selections by electronic media. The pulpit minister, inspired by his example, determined to record a sermon to be shown on the big screen while he was away on vacation. He eagerly returned the next Sunday, hoping all had gone well. To his surprise, the pews were empty! Curious, he stepped into the aisle. He discovered the pews filled with CD players, DVRs and such like. The silence was broken only by an occasional electronic "amen."

Invention and advance in technology have revolutionized our world. We possess many revolutionary toys unknown to our Baptist forebears -- cars, planes, electricity, televisions, telephones, satellites, computers. Ease, convenience, instant communication, knowledge of world events, and rapid transit abound. These advances affect our churches. Few have stopped forward to advise us on what is lawful and expedient. Many advocate the churches should embrace most or all that technology has to offer. Absolute acceptance is not the answer — else we will destroy the biblical concept of church and worship. Total abstinence is not the answer, else we would still meet in log buildings with mud chimneys. In the absence of nobler minds giving counsel, I will attempt some exhortations, hoping this will spur the wiser to contribute dialogue toward resolving the problem.

How one arrives at the church -- whether by foot, wagon, auto or train -- is immaterial to the discussion. It is the practices that materially affect the church and its services that must come under scrutiny. These comments are mostly confined to the ever-increasing use of audio and video in church services -- television, video recording, radio, audio recording, live streaming, etc. The study of these areas should yield principles that can be applied to other usages that are rapidly advancing. No straw men have been built for the sake of argumentation. All cases come from actual church practices (thus some are a little outdated).

THE USE OF VIDEO AND AUDIO IN GENERAL
These concepts will help us judge the general use of video and audio -- gathering vs. scattering, worship vs. entertainment, simple vs. complicated.

Preachers and churches have for years used radio and television to proclaim the word of truth (and a lot of untruth for that matter!). These resources may be legitimately tapped by a church to proclaim the gospel beyond her four walls and her little “parish”. Yet there is a subtle problem related not to the resource, but its use. “Radio churches” and “TV Congregations” violate the gathering principle of the New Testament (Matt 18:20; 1 Cor. 11:18; etc.). It is fine to listen to a preacher of truth on the radio, but it is sinful when we substitute this for church. A radio pastor sees his congregation as all who listen, while a New Testament church is composed of those who gather in one place. An absent minister who has no personal contact with his “church”, plus a detached Christian who makes no commitments, does not equal scriptural criteria for a church. The personal relationship, interaction, and one-anothering are displaced by a far-away fantasy world.

A Christian sitting in front of a TV builds a spectator mentality. Christianity should be an active participation in service and worship - it is not about being entertained! A real church service involves Christians serving and worshiping their God in gathered capacity. Much so-called Christianity reveals a passive spectator being entertained by someone who is theoretically worshiping God. Use of audio and video remove an active participant and substitute an inanimate object. Recorded music is sometimes used to accompany a singer. Why must we introduce a foreign element from outside the gathered church? The recording may even include background vocals. Who are these people? Did they come together to record their worship of God, or are they in business to make money? If we are to have canned music, why not just play a tape of the vocals also? (My preference is that all music would be a cappella congregational singing.)

In 1996, I wondered how far churches were from just showing a prerecorded service? It’s done, but that’s really old news now, isn’t it? I wondered how far we are away from “churches” who “meet” via conference call. We are there in 2016, in a much more sophisticated manner -- the “multi-campus church” that meets via live streaming. The preacher is in one place, and the so-called congregation is in many other places. Not only does this destroy the gathered congregational relationship and defy Baptist views of the church,  it reveals a certain degree of ministerial arrogance.

The introduction of technological advances into our churches is in great contrast to the simple, unadorned worship of the New Testament church, and follows man’s sinful tendency to complicate that which God has designed (Exodus. 20:25). Even when considering things that violate no scriptural principle, it is better to keep worship plain and direct rather than complicated and confused. Do not become dependent on things to mediate our worship to God — whether it be an instrument, hymn hook or whatever. Do not rely on things external!

THE USE OF VIDEO AND AUDIO AND PULPIT AFFILIATION
Pulpit affiliation is the practice of a church inviting a unorthodox preacher from an unscriptural church into her pulpit. Churches which adamantly condemn pulpit affiliation may unwittingly practice it. Those who would not invite a Southern Baptist Convention preacher to fill the stand might show a video of Billy Graham preaching; or, a congregation might be subjected to a Protestant such as James Dobson piped in via satellite. Many popular radio and TV preachers are thereby given a forum to come in and speak to the church, though they would not have been welcome in flesh and blood! We have churches who insist that a certain type of preacher will not be invited to their pulpits, who, through audio and video, bring in the same preachers that they deny physical access. Whether a preacher is literally invited, or given more electrical access, such is still in kind the same pulpit affiliation.

THE USE OF VIDEO AND AUDIO AND WHAT IS APPROPRIATE
Some things that may not be improper outside the church can be improper when brought into the church gathering. One might not see too much wrong with certain Walt Disney movies. To watch them when we meet to sing the songs of Zion or hear God’s Word preached is certainly not appropriate. One thing popular today is to watch the Super Bowl in church capacity. One East Texas church advertised her Super Bowl Sunday services thusly: Super Bowl on giant screen, Half-time testimonies, Food and Fun, 5:00 p.m. (They had corn dogs and baked potatoes for $1). Football is so important to many Christians that they will not attend their services on Super Bowl Sunday. To compensate, many churches (so-called) offer the Super Bowl, with amenities, and reserve halftime for testimonies, worship, and probably more food and fun! Oh, the worship of it all! Would New Testament Christians even recognize who we are if they showed up for our services!

We must understand that, though we have the technology to do it, many things are not appropriate (proper, fitting) to listen to or watch at the Lord’s house.

THE USE OF VIDEO AND AUDIO AND SEPARATION
Modern churches are especially susceptible to trying innovations to “keep the young people.” Many who would not for themselves advocate such things will promote them for various youth meetings and activities. Movies are often shown at youth meetings. This will bring up the question of what is fitting, but often goes beyond that. Churches will show a secular movie because it has some moral to it, or just because it appeals to the youth and will assure their attendance. But by many such movies inappropriate dress, suggestive scenes, unscriptural theology, and off-color language are all brought within the walls of the church sanctuary. This should be unthinkable! Are we so absorbed in modem culture that we cannot discern good and evil? When we ought to be separating ourselves to God and removing such trash from our homes, some are instead bringing abomination into the house of God. God forbid!

WHAT CAN WE DO?
Shall we leave all the advances for the devil’s crowd to use, and hold ourselves aloof from all modem technology?

Many things can be adapted for use apart from our worship services. While we do not wish to pipe in unscriptural ministers into our churches, we can use radio, TV, e-mail and internet to reach places we cannot go. Churches from plain to hi-tech engage in such ministries. This can provide assistance to people in extenuating circumstances -- isolated, incapacitated, etc. We should try to make use of these resources in ways that do not violate the Scriptures.

When we gather in church capacity, we must be careful. Perhaps these questions will help guide us: 1. Will it violate the concept of the gathered church? 2. Will it hinder or help worship? 3. Will it introduce some element that we would otherwise reject? 4. Does it meet standards of propriety? 5. Does it substitute for something God intended? 6. Will it change any element of the actual worship? 7. Will it cause division? 8. Will it complicate our worship? 9. Would it be good if applied generally?

There are many things that we will reject as obviously unscriptural; some that violate no scripture, but are not expedient: and some things we may be able to use to enhance our services. Let us use wisdom in searching these new things and reject anything that will negatively affect our church gathering and our worship of God.

Adapted from “1st Century Churches - 20th Century Practices” in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. IV, No. 3, May-June 1996, p. 3-4

The age of electronic friendship

Once upon a time we read in our Bibles statements such as "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly" and "A friend loveth at all times." In the new age of electronic friendship it seems to be "to have friends a man must be on Facebook" and "one may be friended and unfriended at any time."

Computers and electronic media are wonderful tools, but have we fully considered the implications of "electronic friendship"? Just what is it, if it is anything at all?

According to the urbandictionary.com, electronic friendship is a "friendship that is defined by communication ONLY via electronic devices. i.e. AIM, facebook, myspace, text messages, etc." Furthermore, this type of friendship generally does not even include phone calls. Such friendships are most common among high school and college students and help exlude the awkward moments of contact face-to-face.

Before the advance of social networking media, a friend was a person that you actually knew -- came in contact with face-to-face -- with whom there was an attachment of mutual affection and personal regard. Now we click the "Add Friend button" on someone's profile and instantly we are friends. No fuss; no mess. It's true, electronic friendships go bad, but all you have to do is choose "Unfriend." No fuss; no mess. Real face-to-face friendships are much more fussy and much more messy. Are they worth it? Yes!

The age of electronic friendship is not going away anytime soon. Let's use what is good in it and leave off the bad. Let's not abandon the "face-to-face" and let's not be the couple seated across the table in a restaurant, each ignoring the other while "talking" to friends via text, twitter, and twenty ways to Tuesday. The sympathizing tear, the hand of fellowship, the firm embrace, the holy kiss and sweet communion are best experienced warmly and in person.

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.