Technology and the megachurch
Inside the control room at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo. Thought to be one of the most powerful and important megachurches in the United States, its lead pastor says that if churches don't embrace new technologies, they'll be left behind.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET)COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--If you're in charge of what is thought to be one of the most powerful, influential and important megachurches in the United States, if not the world, how do you make sure that your message is reaching the largest possible audience?
To Brady Boyd, the lead pastor at the New Life Church here, the famous, 10,000-plus member nondenominational church that's directly across Interstate 25 from the Air Force Academy, the answer is technology.
It's not that the New Life Church is light years ahead of anyone else--in fact, it may well even be slightly behind some other churches--but to Boyd the key is that he and his large support team are philosophically open to technology.
As part of Road Trip 2009, I stopped in at the New Life Church for an interview with Boyd. I wanted to know how this megachurch uses technology, and just how important tech is considered. The short answer? A lot.
"Churches have to stay current. We're in the communications business," Boyd told me. "The whole purpose of a church is to communicate a message of truth....We have to stay informed and we have to realize that most of the world is rapidly advancing in their ability to communicate."
In particular, Boyd pointed to Web 2.0 technologies like Facebook and Twitter. He said, in fact, that he Twitters constantly and recently maxed out his number of friends on Facebook.
"Advancing with the culture"
It may surprise some who think of churches as musty, behind-the-times institutions that a place like New Life Church, as well as others, are putting so much emphasis at staying on top of Web 2.0 and other technologies.
Indeed, Boyd even alluded to that point himself, suggesting that there are plenty of pastors out there who have fallen behind the times.
"Pastors have to embrace this," he said. "It's a generational gap. A lot of pastors over the age of 50 cannot embrace it, and they have stopped advancing with the culture. I think it's a mistake."
Boyd said it's crucial that someone in his shoes listens closely to what's going on in the world of communications, especially as that world is evolving so quickly. To that end, he said, he has people who give him monthly updates on where technology is going so that he, and New Life Church, don't fall behind.
The New Life Church, in Colorado Springs, Colo.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET)One technology Boyd is fond of is podcasting, a medium he has been using to gain a global following of tens of thousands of listeners.
"I have to be aware, when I'm speaking, that I'm not just speaking to the people in front of me," Boyd said, "I'm speaking to people from all over the world, from various cultures, who are going to be listening to me through this Web technology."
But producing such podcasts--both audio and video--is expensive, and Boyd said that worrying about such costs may be another thing holding some churches back.
"It's very expensive, so I think what happens with churches sometimes," Boyd said, "is that because technology is so expensive, churches sometimes stay put. They stop advancing, because cost-wise, it's just so difficult to keep up with the latest technology."
He pointed to the costs of converting New Life Church's video cameras from analog to digital. He said that operation was extremely expensive, and had to be done piecemeal, over time. In addition, the church recently added a 70-foot high-definition screen to the back of its sanctuary that cost more than $100,000, something that had to be planned and budgeted for.
During big events inside the New Life Church, the atmosphere is much like a rock concert--and sometimes it is a rock concert.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET)Next up, he said, will be getting to the point where every New Life Church event is live-streamed to the Web. Other churches, he admitted, have already gotten there, so he knows he has to play a little catch-up.
And while an institution like New Life Church, which has thousands of congregants and visitors from all over the world, may be able to afford such a move, that's not necessarily true for other churches, even ones that fall under the category of megachurch.
"Especially in the economic downturn," Boyd said, "I think churches are challenged" with keeping up technologically.
And there's no time to waste, he suggested. Churches, he reiterated, are in the business of communications, and cannot allow themselves to stop spreading their message, no matter what the economic circumstances are. "We have a message that has to be communicated," he said, "and we have to do it well."
Living in fascinating times
As someone who has taken his message on the road, Boyd said he's been amazed watching how technology can help people in the ministry get their word out, and into the most remote places, so much quicker than in the past.
"We're (at) the point now where real-time communication is possible just about anywhere in the world," Boyd said. "I was in a remote place in Africa this past year, and there were people with cell phones out in the bush getting real-time downloads. So for the church, I think we're living in a fascinating time. We used to have to send missionaries around the world and it would take three months by boat to get to the country, and it would take them 20 years to reach every single person in the country. Now we can do that in a matter of minutes and hours."
While Boyd touts the virtues of being up-to-date with technology, no one is claiming that institutions like his and others are breaking ground no one else in the message-spreading business--whatever the message might be--has covered. A case in point is the music industry, where the technology in play at live concerts by big-name acts would put even a megachurch like New Life Church to shame. The same would be true of the film and television industries.
Then again, those industries have catering budgets nearly as big as what almost anyone else can afford when it comes to technology. The point, really, is that each type of business--film, music, news, churches--has upper limits of what's possible economically, and what's important to them is to be as efficient as possible.
"The American church can't measure its success now only by who...comes on Sunday," Boyd said. "Our message is being broadcast more and more through digital means, and they may not ever come to our building, they may never sit in a chair in our church. But they are certainly listening and receiving ministry because of the technology that's available. So the scope of your influence is really unlimited if you're willing to invest the time and money."
Daniel Terdiman is a staff writer at CNET News covering games, Net culture, and everything in between. E-mail Daniel. 
I actually draw custom graphics for my church every Sunday to go with the music we're singing this week, and to be honest it's far less distracting than a million moving pictures.
Oh... also that Church is insanely homophobic, so I guess I'm glad they're throwing their money away on higher end tech than they need, less money going toward hurting gay people, since we know they'd never bother with helping the poor or something.
Next time, do your homework and read the Bible before making uninformed statements like this. Here, let me help you and provide you the passage from the Bible that churches base the stand on homosexuality.
1 Corinthians 6:8-10 (New International Version)
8Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.
9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
It's good to know you're not homophobic at all. Lumping homosexuals in with thieves and murderers is very accepting.
I think perljim10 would put himself in the same lump because true Christians don't consider themselves any better than anyone else.
They well may be taking a principled stand based on their understanding of scriptures.
the bible is... the bible...
the religion is what it interpret the bible to be... no? don't all of the religions that depend on the bible just... describe it differently? let just hope the pope don't try to take over the world again like in the middle ages(?)
coming back to the topic, u should ditch the church ur currently going to if they don't conform to ur views and just for another church that does, isnt that easier? this could go on and on so im gonna stop there
btw i believe in god in a vague way so im neither christian nor am i buddahism, i have my own set of beliefs, and let me just say i don't believe in "religions" if you know what i mean...
It's nice to see this church has the money to waste on lights, sound, video and rigging. It's clear what's important to these people.
You mean the organisation led by James Dobson? That fella vehemently denounces anyone whose beliefs do not agree with his biblical view. He's a shining example of one who preaches religious and ideological intolerance. Indeed, it would actually be a good thing if his hateful message gets watered down.
I'm not against organized churches or even those who spend lots of money on technology. I for one go online every week for a church "presentation", but for me that's NOT church (except that my family watches also, so call it a semi-church). My question is, what else are they doing? What else do I do as someone who participates? If the online presentation or even the onsite service (entertainment) overshadows the mission, then the money is wasted. If the fact that I've participated in an online church somehow satisfies my "requirement" for service, I'm of all people the most diluted. If I'm motivated to go out and DO SOMETHING for good, then the technology has purpose and is effective.
IF THE MESSAGE is truth, then I say Go-for-it. But if their message is entertainment or "Truth watered down", so as to not offend anyone, then they are misguided.
You can't water down the FACT that homosexuality is strictly Biblically forbidden and is a sign that a person is in sin, just like murder, slander, habitual lying and so many other things (many of which I myself commit.... often).
The deal about homosexuality, is that it's a sin that when a culture embraces it, the Bible indicates without controversy, THAT SOCIETY IS ON THE BRINK OF SELF DESTRUCTION. History is on the Bible's side on this issue. So regardless of your opinion, you can't change what the Bible says about it. Agree or not, don't try to label those who believe the Biblical passages as homophobes. We aren't afraid of sinners, we consider ourselves sinners also, we just don't want ANY sin to be made acceptable in our society. Remember when a handshake was acceptable for a business transaction? Why do we need contracts? Because we have, as a society, accepted little lies as acceptable in our culture. I speak out about not lying with my children all the time. They would like to join a special interest group for liars and get everyone to believe that parents are liarphobes. I'm not afraid of my children because they lie, I'm afraid of the outcome of such habits, so I speak out to them and I try to instruct them of their error..... for their (and mine) own good.
We believers struggle with our own sins and we ask God to help us live the life He wants us to live. We fail, but we know what the goal is. The closer that we as a society can get to the goal, the better our lives will be, that's why we voice our opinions and try to keep our culture from slipping down the slippery cliff that will destroy us. But still, God loves the homosexual and I'm trying.
I wonder how many hungry kids we could feed with the cost of the DLP projectors used in this Colorado Springs church? I don't think this is how Christ would choose to engage in fellowship....I don't think the creator of the universe needs an multi-million dollar sound system that would put a Rolling Stones stage to shame to get the message of Christ's grace across.
Christ changed the world with a pair of sandals, a handful of 12 social and cultural misfits, and a deep understanding that God saves and loves ALL (regardless of what they do in the bedroom). Period. The love of God is greater than you or I can conceive. You might not get it but God does.
This church should sell its possessions and use the money to send its self-indulgent, self-righteous, narcissistic congregation out into the world to do the true work of Christ - defend the weak, heal the sick, and feed the poor.
Or maybe you should stop being a hypocrite and realise that the Church uses technology to communicate just like you do. The difference with this church is that they have 10,000 people that they communicate with in their city, and countless more around the globe. So yeah, it takes a lot of money to reach that many people.
It isn't a question of modernization - to be honest, the core beliefs and teachings espoused by the Bible are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. If you require flashing lights and megabuck effects to learn these messages, then you're most likely getting fed propaganda and not the message.
Most folks eventually grow up, and start seeking answers from the book (and studies made of it), and not from slick productions that water things down and rely more on fog lights than on faith.
As for the whole pro/anti gay thing? Love the sinner, detest the sin. But hey, straights don't get off light either - according to JC himself, even so much as looking at a member of the opposite sex with lust is a fatal sin. It's more a matter of, say, disrespecting the person by treating her as an object to be used, and not as a human being to love and respect.
The real funny thing is, the danger of disrespecting the other person and turning them into disposable objects to be used and disposed of at whim (especially with men doing this to women), was a major subject of discussion and philosophy for nearly thirty years now. You'd think this was something started by an offshoot of the feminist movement, or by maybe a more modern protestant or even new age religion...
...but it was one that was started by Pope John Paul II in the early 1980's. (ref: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0055.html )
Food for thought. :)
I would hope that the simple yet paradoxical yet revolutionary message of Christ would grab your attention.
What does your pastor drive? Mine drives a 91 Toyota and always takes the parking spot that is furthest away from the church. Saves the premium parking for folks who, for example, can't walk.
I think the megachurch phenom. with its overpaid pastors and congregants who think the only way they can love and worship God is with the help of millions and millions of dollars worth of AV equipment is not moving forward but is instead counterproductive to the real work of Christians.
Simply because your church does send out missionaries and raise money for charity doesn't account for the disproportionate amount of money spent on AV.
Next time you're in church ask yourself "I wonder what the wireless mic set up my pastor is wearing (with matching skin tone mic) could buy in Uganda?" Then ask yourself whether or not it's necessary. I've been to Africa too. I could send a village of kids through a missionary school (K-12) with the money your church spent on a mic system that matches your pastor's skin color.
Question: Do you respond to anything that arrives at your ears in less than 110dB?
I know what you're getting at - I was a kid myself a long time back. Sure it grabs the attention and all, but ask yourself something: Does it lead you to looking deeper, or just dance to it to impress babes and keep your parents happy?
"raised $68,000 and more to build orphan homes and homes for widows out there"
That's about the price of a single decently decked-out high-end server, or a new pro-grade sound board. How do they decide at the budget meetings where the dough goes?
"there is nothing wrong with moving forward."
No, there isn't - but don't confuse gimmick for glory, eh?
Granted, it's easy for churches (and other organizations) to be sold more than they need or know how to use, but sometimes that's part of the process of learning what's most effective,
It also takes money to help the poor, so don't get frustrated when churches grow and get 'too' wealthy, they need those resources to make a difference.
Another thing you shouldn't forget is that the United States is currently the richest country in the world right now and has been so for a few decades, and there's a reason for that. America has been used to send out the gospel into all the world because she has been granted the resources to do so. The next super power that comes after America will also play that same role.
And as for homophobia, homosexuality, etcettera, my own analysis is that we're all sinners and that none of us, by our own strength and goodness, is worthy of heaven. If anybody wants to know what is a sin and what isn't, you can find all of that information in the bible.
"Tell me how much time you spend alone with God and I will show you how spiritual you are" -
Ravenhill
- by mikeradcliffe July 27, 2009 2:35 PM PDT
- As Lead Pastor of Destiny Church, Bristol, UK, (destinyuk.com) I agree with Pastor Brady Boyd's thoughts and comments especially the fact that we cannot measure success merely by the number of people we have physically attending our services. We are a small church in the South West of England and doing all we can to grow. Our vision has always been to build a church that reaches people beyond the four walls of a building - especially those who are unable to physically attend because they live in other countries. We Podcast, Vodcast, Stream and have a well-designed website because we realise the importance of staying relevant and using technology to do so. We reach tens of thousands of people every month and have a huge amount who download our messages via the web. We could never reach these people without embracing technology and using it to our advantage to make God famous!
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