7000 miles in one click
Those of you who read yesterday’s blog post will know that this morning a seven-year long relationship with a church 7000 miles away in the Philippines took a new turn. Today I was invited to preach, from my own home, via Skype to their afternoon service. This is how it went…
0440: Up and dressed
0500: Head to the study with cup of tea and boot up computer
0501: Speculatively turn on Skype to check it is working, to be greeted by sound of singing and Pastor Barquito’s smiling face telling me they are ready to hear the Word of God if I am to preach it.
0502: Start to preach, consciously slowing down as I do so, and trying not to look away from camera too much when reading notes and quoting scripture verses:
0530: With the sermon over, I pick up my cup of tea, only to discover it is luke warm. Just then, Skype rings again, and Pastor Barquito greets me out in the glorious Filipino sunshine before ‘taking’ me back inside to meet the congregation:
I am moved beyond measure to see their smiling faces, and feel overwhelmingly privileged to have been invited to their church today.
As preaching experiences go, it was certainly an unusual one. For the first few moments the video signal was patchy, and even after that the image on half the laptop screen (with my notes on the other half) was not clear enough to really see faces. For a preacher, such a disconnect can be a real problem. After all – a sermon is an act of human communication, and we love to see each other when we communicate. At this point I was grateful for all the time I have spent in radio studios broadcasting to those whom I cannot see. Preaching seated was also unnerving. I like to move (at least a little) to give emphasis to what I say – but also to feel for myself the dynamic impact of God’s active word. Preaching seated felt almost lazy – although it was necessary for the camera to function.
Overall, this was a good experience. I believe passionately that technology is as good or bad as the uses to which we put it. Ever since Caxton first started using printing presses to print the Bible we have realised that. Of course the best kind of preaching is embodied and organic, as I said yesterday. For the most part it is best done in a context where both preacher and congregation must live the rest of the week with the consequences (for good or ill) of what has been preached. Once in a while, though, it is good to don the seven-league-boots which technology has given us, tuck the Word under your arm, and cross an ocean or two with it.
Can’t wait to do it again…
