The Lausanne Global Conversation is on the World Wide Open Network
Author: Lars Dahle
Date: 25.10.2010
Category: Media and Communications
What a privilege to have been part of the Cape Town Congress 2010! Together, as representatives of the global church, we have listened to the Word of God, prayed, shared, discussed and partnered.
As point person for the topic Media and Technology, I have deeply appreciated the many comments in the Global Conversation as well as the many encouraging responses after the multiplex session Media Messages Matter and the various related dialogue sessions. All this indicate the need to take “media and technology” forward as a key topic in the Lausanne context beyond the Congress.
As shown in the advance paper Media Messages Matter: Christ, Truth and the Media, this must include at least three key areas:
1. Media Ministries: We need to encourage and enable each other in the global missional community to use all available media technologies appropriately and creatively for apologetics, evangelism, discipleship and Christian community-building. The arrival of the internet and the social media is now transforming every church and Christian ministry into media outlets. We need to use any and every opportunity in this exciting new area.
2. Media Presence: We need to encourage and enable each other as a global missional community to equip talented young Christians to enter the news and the entertainment media with Christian integrity. There is an urgent need for a credible Christian presence in the public square of these influential media. This is true whether this is in the fields of news, documentary, creative programming and entertainment – or as debater and commentator. We need to engage key issues publicly in these media as evangelicals, in professional, creative and appropriate ways.
3. Media Awareness: We need to encourage and enable each other in the global missional community to take this forgotten dimension in mission seriously. The Global South is facing globalization with IT technology and media as key channels. Wherever technology goes, the news and entertainment media follow, with underlying secular and religious worldviews. The church in the Global South needs to prepare itself for a missional encounter with globalization in general and technology and media specifically. This includes the urgent need for strategic worldview resources for media awareness and media critique.
Therefore, we have already launched a pilot version of a new global resource site called www.EngagingMedia.info, equipping churches to be involved in media awareness, media presence and media ministries. We invite others in to participate, share and contribute. More about this key development later!
However, I have become increasingly convinced, as a result of a number of dialogues during the Congress (both with the Lausanne leadership and with a number of delegates), that we also need to focus on a fourth issue:
4. Word and image: We need to reflect together on the theological, philosophical and practical dimensions of "Word and image". This relates to such key issues as our cultural analysis, our view of the Bible in a visual cultural context, and our use of various visual images in our communication of biblical truth (including in services, bible teaching and evangelism).
As a global missional evangelical community engaging the world of media, we need to be committed to the Truth of Christ, critical thinking, and creativity. I am convinced that the new Cape Town Commitment will become a key resource for all of us also when engaging media.
Keywords: media presence, media awareness, media critique, media ministries, truth
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Comments: 5
Recommendations: 0
Conversation Post Comment
United States
Equipping the young talented Christians is a must in our Churches for the fact that they have the skills and ability to use it to the highest level of communication. This is indeed, one of the areas that we as Christians have failed to to so far. And, if we all contribute to the improvement of ways to share the gospel through media, we will reach a lot more people for Christ. Therefore, we have the huge task of encouraging the young people and at the same time we also need to explain to the older generations of the urgen need to update our knowledge of how the media can and will be used for the glory of God.
22.10.2011
United States
Lars, I totally agree with you when you said that we need to encourage and equip young talented Christians to get involved in the media. Their prescence would definitely make a huge difference for the Evangelicals in general. Even though I am not an expert on this topic, I do Believe that we need to motivate the young people from our churches to step up in order to be better witnesses of Christ thourgh the news and media as well. good job Lars.
11.10.2011
United States
I am glad to see that not only is attention being brought to the lack of Christian engagement and awareness with media and popular culture, but resources for learning how to think critically about popular culture are becoming available. Having studied media and popular culture as an undergrad and talking to my friends outside of the program, it was clear that not everyone knows how to approach this sort of analysis. I’m encouraged that there are resources for people wanting to learn more about this area.
09.03.2011
Norway
@ abenfield:
Thanks for your affirming comment!
As a follow-up, may I direct your attention to the following:
Do spread the word about such helpful material!
Every blessing - Lars (Dahle)
10.03.2011
South Africa
Thank you, Lars. I have certainly learned a lot from your Lausanne Conversation posts. Media is a big mystery to me. I dabble in it and recognise its potential, but there is so much more that can be done. And of this need, you have made me more aware. Your point 4 - Word and Image is crucial and needs a lot more unpacking. I look forward to your thoughts as they crystallize post-Congress.
25.10.2010
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