Monday, April 23, 2007

Online Presidential Debates?

Now, no matter where the presidential candidates are, they have the power to debate one another. Thanks to YAHOO!, Huffington Post and Slate Magazine, who are hosting the debates, a web page will be dedicated strictly to this. The pages will be opened around Labor Day. The moderator will be the PBS host Charlie Rose.
The pages will consists of blogs where voters and post questions and respond to current situations. The voters are able to have a cyber conversation.
In addition to blogs there will be video debates available for viewing. In the past, according to an article in the Yahoo! News, debates have gotten various responses depending on the medium used. During the Kennedy-Nixon debate apparently people that listened to the debate on the radio thought that Nixon won, and those that watched the debate felt that Kennedy won.
The online only debates will bring a new genre of people to the presidential debates.
The blogs and online debates will not be a rebroadcasts, they will be specifically be only online. Cyber politics. Anyone surprised it took this long?

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Contemporary Worship

Across the nation there is the phenomenon of 'mega churches.' They are popping up everywhere giving the members the contemporary worship with the best technology and presentation material. Pastors are using everything from Power Point to arena style sound systems in order to spread the word of God.
There are some people that love this style of fellowship. Think about it, you are surrounded by thousands of believers praising LORD Jesus, for some people that is powerful. Jade Love a member of a 3,000 member church in Kannapolis, NC said 'I like it becasue the sound quality and it just really sets the mood.' Love's opinion is not a minority in these worship services. Churches are finding that these types of services really attract the younger worshipers that do not necessarily like the tradiational church practices.
There are those that are not fond of this style of worship. Some parishioners feel that all it feels like is a concert.. How could they praise the LORD 'correctly' while singing at the top of their lungs, with surround sound and flashing slide presentations going on? Some feel that technology takes away from worship services. There main argument is that you are not there for your enjoyment, but for God's, to praise him! Now, everyone does things differently in life, why not worship?
Traditionally, when it is time to sing, heads would be in the Hymnals, and everyone is looking down. However, with the technological advancements the words are projected on a screen. Now, everyone that has the ability to read can look forward and experience the singing with everyone around them.
Technology has defiantly changed the way people can worship. Who is to say that one way is better than another? I feel that as long as it is bringing different into worship, what is the problem? After all, it is not about 'us' it is all about Jesus.