Remember the ads where a soprano hits a stratospheric note, a crystal goblet shatters, and the announcer asks, “Is it live, or is it Memorex?”
I recently taught a twelve-week class on “Theology in Plain Language” to the combined junior high and senior high students at our church. Several times during those weeks as I performed mental (sometimes physical) gyrations in an effort to make doctrine come alive for this hard-to-impress bunch, I felt the disadvantages of having to perform “live.”
One drawback, of course, is being compared to the people on Memorex. The class atmosphere would never be confused with the sight-and-sound experience of an Amy Grant concert.
My well-meaning but low-budget (not to mention low-talent) efforts would never be as spellbinding as the professional up-front communicators.
I sensed again what one pastor expressed this way: “It’s tough to preach when I know some big-name preacher has already covered this topic-and done it better than I ever will.” The experience forced me to rethink the advantages of teaching live rather than simply replaying some Memorex recording at our people.
Then I read about a teachers’ conference where a consultant was explaining how videos could improve education. When he finished, one older teacher raised his hand and said, “But a VCR can’t put its hand on a boy’s shoulder and tell him, ‘You can do better, Dave.’ “
The teacher knew that life-long change is more likely when the message comes person-to-person.
My friend Mark is a pipefitter. Two years ago a job took him away from home for a few weeks. Alone in his motel room, Mark turned on the television and found himself watching a TV evangelist. The message got through, and Mark knew he needed to turn his life God’s direction.
But, according to Mark, that decision didn’t “take” until a few weeks later when he injured his back and required surgery. People from the church where he’d begun attending repeatedly visited him in the hospital.
“My wife and I couldn’t believe that these people, who didn’t know us all that well, would care enough to bring us flowers or a book, or simply sit and pray with us. That’s what convinced me of God’s love-seeing it in these people.”
It’s been said, “People don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care.” Live teachers care better than tapes.
But perhaps the greater advantage of live teaching is the long-term effect.
Recently a pastor in Arkansas wrote: “It’s been a hard month. One family is moving away. Another’s business is failing. And Chet died this morning. I’ve been forced to come to grips with the brokenness of life. There is so much pain, and no simple happy-ever-after endings.
“But I’m coming to understand the human struggle and discover God’s presence in it. I hugged my children today, laughed with some friends, prayed with Mr. Aker who continues his struggle with lung cancer, and stood before hurting people to speak a word of hope and encouragement. I think I’m growing up.”
That ministry can only happen live.
Most of us know that the most powerful sermon we preach may not come from behind a pulpit; it may be a marriage well tended-our marriage. The best lesson we teach may not rely on an overhead projector, handouts, or discussion questions; it may be the way we conduct ourselves when we’re attacked, unappreciated, or rejected.
One thing pastors can do that no other media can is to model, up close and personal, the Christian faith in the jolts and jumble of daily life.
Over time, people will see us disappointed and successful, rattled and elated, discouraged and silly. They’ll see how we’re affected by grief and by joy. Perhaps most important, they will see how we handle the routine-the daily chores, purchases, and friendships that occupy the bulk of our lives.
The one thing a local pastor can do better than any media teacher is to be a living example of a godly life, week in, week out, year in, year out. As Woody Allen said, “Eighty percent of success is just showing up.”
This may be the most significant lesson we ever teach. Perhaps being “live” is better than being Memorex.
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At LEADERSHIP, we’re also happy to announce the arrival of a new associate editor, Larry Weeden, who comes to us from Thomas Nelson Publishers in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was involved in book acquisition and editing. In that capacity he worked closely with a number of prominent Christian authors.
We welcome Larry, his wife, Beth, and their son, Matthew, and I know you’ll enjoy Larry’s contributions to the pages of LEADERSHIP in the days ahead.
Marshall Shelley is managing editor of LEADERSHIP.
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