Last summer, 1 million Christians from 1,800 churches united together for outreach and a month long sermon series called One Prayer.

Start planning for the next One Prayer that will take place June 7-28, 2009. I will be taking part, and I hope you can, too!

For more information, visit www.OnePrayer.com.

QUESTION:
We are planning a “contemporary” service at our church for February 2009. When trying to reach unchurched people with a new service, is it better to give it a different name (e.g., “Lifestream” or “Gathering”) or to just call it “Contemporary Service?” Which would be better marketing for reaching unchurched people?
-Roger :: Oklahoma

ANSWER:
There is no black and white answer.

During the past two decades, it has been popular for churches to avoid bad naming stigmas by not using common and traditional church names that are likely to have hurt or offended people over the years. So many churches replaced denominational affiliations with new, more friendly and “safe” words like community, crossroads, harvest, life, and grace. And as the number of Harvest Community Churches and Crossroads Christian Centers multiplied, there has even been a new surge of fresh names in recent years such as H20 Church and Elevation Church and even some uber-churchy yet cool names such as Kaleo Church and Ecclesia.

Also in recent years, it has become popular for churches to change their terminology to be less churchy and more understandable and “safe” to the unchurched. While there is validity in the pursuit of avoiding words such as apostolic, exegesis, hermeneutics, and liturgy, I think within the context of most churches it is going too far to avoid using words such as service and Sunday school.

To determine what terminology is right for your church, look at your church culture (your brand) and the culture of the people you are trying to reach.

Bias & Stigmas

Overall, I do not think it matters much whether you choose to use the word service, gathering, experience, or lifestream.

• Faithful churchgoers probably care the most because they are more likely to have a dogmatic preference and a dislike for anything but their preference.
• Previously churched people may like the word service if they have fond memories of church, or they may hate the word service if they had a negative experience. Either way, their bias hardwires a preference into their minds.
• True unchurched people, who are completely unfamiliar with church, care the least about terminology. As long as it makes sense and is not too bizarre, true unchurched are likely to be the most accepting of any term.

Marketing Pizzazz

A word like service is a little bland, but it is well known, accepted, and universally understood. Gathering and experience add some trendiness but can also leave some cultures scratching their heads. Lifestream’s primary disadvantage is it requires new people to be educated about what it is. And since a church cannot possibly at every touch point to educate people about lifestream, it is guaranteed to cause confusion, particularly in a growing church.

Cathedrals vs. Contemporary Church

Recently, LifeWay Research discovered that unchurched people prefer cathedral architecture more than contemporary church designs. Why? One respondent stated:

I don’t like modern churches, they seem cold. I like the smell of candles burning, stained-glass windows, [and] an intimacy that’s transcendent.

While architecture is certainly not language, I do think the research offers insights into the unchurched’s preference for warm, intimate places of worship. With that in mind, I would recommend using the word gathering or service.

But ultimately, each church reaches a unique cultural mix. Study yours. Pray about it. And determine which word will be most appealing.

For Discussion:
- What word for “church service” do you think most appeals to the unchurched and why?
- What are some words that other cultures prefer?

If you have a question you want Church Relevance to answer, submit it via our Q+A form.

Last week, I used Adobe Photoshop to illustrate how people can be blinded by tech novelty. To recap, tech novelty is a self-coined phrase I use to describe:

Tech Novelty is:
Being blinded by the novelty of an exciting new technology and consequently misusing the technology for novelty’s sake. Misuse of technology may be caused by lack of training and/or from the inability to focus on anything except the novelty.

We are all susceptible to tech novelty. But perhaps the area of the church that is most prone to tech novelty is church worship. With so many innovations in audio, video, lights, music, and other resources, it is easy to become overwhelmed and blinded by the excitement of it all.

WORSHIP ENVIRONMENTS - A CHURCH EXAMPLE

Some describe the responsibility of a worship leader as:

Leading worship is the art of removing distractions.

Today’s worship leaders can choose from a wide variety of tools. And in the tools’ defense, most do offer some type of benefit if used correctly. Often by themselves, the tools are beneficial, but when gluttonously used all at once, they can overstimulate worshippers’ senses and distract them.

You need to understand the pros and cons of the individual tools you use, as well as, what happens when you mix a bunch of tools together. In The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture, Shane Hipps offers this warning:

An extensive use of video clips and short films in worship turns the congregation into an audience expecting to be entertained. When electronic media are taken to extremes, we become spectators of the gospel rather than participants in the kingdom of God.

When used correctly, I think modern worship environments can spark wonder and awe in the beauty of God’s creation much like the architecture of Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals did. Or when used correctly, worship environments can help, often through simplicity, guide worshipers’ attention to what truly matters - God. When used improperly, worship environments distract worshippers from God and even at times focus their “worship” on the worship leader, another church “celebrity,” or even technology itself.

Whether you like it or not, we are biologically wired to be influenced by our environment. What this means is your worship environment is a factor (not the factor) that influences if a person “feels” like worshipping. If you disagree, study color psychology and atmospherics and read Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, Underhill’s Why We Buy, and Rushkoff’s Coercion. The problem is many worship leaders do not realize how each worship element influences their environment.

Unfortunately, sometimes worship leaders become blinded by tech novelty. They use technology for novelty’s sake. Symptoms include stages overwhelmed with elaborate sets, strobe lights, ellipsoidals, subwoofers, high decibels, fog, guitar solos, jumbotrons, and projection screens with lyrics on top of fast paced video loops. I think there are exceptions, but in most cases, using all of these is more than the congregation can handle.

On a personal note…

Speaking personally, my best moments of worship are when I am alone driving. In the simplicity of the car, I find it easy to focus and own the words I am singing. In a church setting, I have also experienced incredible worship in almost every type of worship environment imaginable. But typically, the ideal environments are the ones that remove distractions while subtly using technology to create an intimate, relevant (in alignment with the tone/theme of worship songs), and often beautiful environment.

The key is to keep the worship environment subtle enough that it is not a distraction. Determine the sensory threshold of the congregation within the context of the songs being sung. For example, combining fast lights with fast video could be a dangerous mix.

As with Adobe Photoshop, do not get caught up in the excitement of what technology can do. Instead, focus on what will remove distractions and enhance the experience. Usually, it requires subtle finesse.

FOR DISCUSSION:
- These are my rough and imperfect thoughts. I want to hear what you think about tech novelty and worship.

There are still many areas of technology left for children’s ministry to explore. One technology that I am sure will eventually find its way into Sunday school classrooms is interactive tables.

Scheduled for a spring 2009 release, SMART Technologies has created a SMART Table for primary education that is similar to Microsoft Surface. Its initial cost is expected to be $8,000.

The table allows kids to collaborate together using a variety of tools such as sketching, moving, and scaling objects. It also appears the platform is open for developers to create new applications for the SMART Table.

Such innovations in children’s ministry curriculum are not expected anytime soon, but it is fun to dream of what could be.

[via Engadget & Engadget]

What is tech novelty? It is a self-coined phrase I use to describe:

Tech Novelty is:
Being blinded by the novelty of an exciting new technology and consequently misusing the technology for novelty’s sake. Misuse of technology may be caused by lack of training and/or from the inability to focus on anything except the novelty.

Tech novelty is something that we all must guard against. Just because a cool technology exists does not mean we should use it for cool’s sake. And just because everybody uses technology a certain way, does not mean you should copy them. Here is why…

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP - A NON-CHURCH EXAMPLE

A great example of tech novelty is the history of Adobe Photoshop. In the 1990s, Photoshop was unquestionably new, unusual, and innovative. It was novel. And it did not take long for tech novelty to take effect.

Professionals and amateurs alike both used Photoshop tools and plug-ins to bevel, drop shadow, and create thousands of other novel designs. Everybody loved them then. But today, many designers find them repulsive, tacky, and ineffective.

Why the change?

As the novelty wore off, it became easier to recognize how to use principles of design and marketing to master Photoshop. Instead of aggressively using Photoshop’s powerful features to create brash, cluttered designs, artists used subtle finesse to create more appealing and effective designs.

At first with tech novelty, people actually enjoy seeing the technology being misused and abused because they want to see everything that it is capable of doing. But once the novelty wears off, most people just want to see the technology used properly.

POWERPOINT - ANOTHER EXAMPLE

PowerPoint slide transitions are another example of tech novelty. When first available, most people were eager to see all the ways a PowerPoint slide could fade in, spin out, and flip around. But once the novelty wore off, many people found them tacky and annoying. Now people prefer subtle transitions that enhance the presentation rather than distract from it.

A CHURCH EXAMPLE…
I will post a church example very soon.

For Discussion:
- What is an example of tech novelty that you have noticed or experienced?

Reader’s Digest has a fascinating article on how boys and girls learn differently. It asks the opinion of David Chadwell, South Carolina’s coordinator of single gender education.

BOYS TEND TO PREFER

Boys interpret the world as objects moving through space. The teacher should move around the room constantly and be that object.

Colors that appeal to males are cooler colors such as silver, blue, black, grey, and brown.

Boys respond better to speaking that sounds matter of fact and more forceful. This is because, for boys, stress increases the blood flow to their brains which helps them stay focused.

The ability to stand or move also helps them to be more alert by increasing their blood flow. And a room temperature of 69 degrees Fahrenheit creates optimum alertness.

Boys will rise to a risk and tend to overestimate their abilities. Teachers can help them by getting them to be more realistic about results.

So when teaching boys, stand and move around while speaking forcefully and realistically. Allow the boys to occasionally move and keep the room at 69 degrees Fahrenheit. Use cooler colors in your environment and teaching.

GIRLS TEND TO PREFER

Girls work well in circles, facing each other. Using descriptive phrases and lots of color in overhead presentations or on the chalkboard gets their attention.

Colors that appeal to females are warmer colors such as reds, yellow, and oranges. The female eye also tends to prefer textures and visuals with more details (e.g., faces).

Girls have more sensitive hearing than boys. They interpret speaking in a loud tone as yelling and anger, which can cause them to shut down. Stressful environments make girls feel nervous or anxious because stress sends their blood to their guts.

Girls focus better while sitting down. And a room temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit creates optimum alertness.

Girls at this age shy away from risk, which is exactly why lots of girls’ programs began in the private sector. Teachers can help them learn to take risks in an atmosphere where they feel confident about doing so.

So when teaching girls, sit in a circle with the girls and speak descriptively and in a nurturing tone. Keep the room at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Use lots of colors, particularly warmer colors, and use visual and/or tactile textures. Create a secure yet stimulating environment where they can feel comfortable in taking risks that you encourage them to take.

For Discussion:
- What tips do you have for teaching boys specifically or girls specifically?

In case you wondered why my blogging was slim last week, it was because of this little guy. His name is Eli Shaffer. And my wife and I are thrilled about his grand entrance into the world on October 28th.

I think he is a future blogger.

It is nice living in an age with innovative, cool tools being created every week. In case you have missed them, here are 5 new church tools that you should know about.

1. ChurchMetrics
   Just released from beta testing, this new free web-based application helps you keep tabs on attendance, giving, salvations, and baptisms at your church.
2. Donor Tools
   Donor Tools is simple, inexpensive, and online donor management software for non-profits.
3. Jarbyco
   Jarbyco is a customizable mobile application built around text messaging that lets your church (1) quiz, poll, and survey the congregation, (2) message people, (3) create audience interaction, (4) leverage your website, and even more.
4. Unifyer
   Unifyer is a web-based application that unites online communication, online networking, and dynamic media content for your church community. In other words, it is like having a custom social network for your church.
5. AspireOne Media Player
   Granger Community Church (Granger, IN) and AspireOne teamed up to offer a very innovate church website media player.

What are some new cool church tools that you would add to the list?