Thursday, December 13, 2007

Wow - this is intense.

I LOVE church production! I love lighting, video, creative elements. I love creating relevant experiences for the churched and unchurched alike. I love taking "the world's" music and using it for our purposes - tying it into themes that serve the purpose of sharing Jesus.

That's my job.

The Meeting House does a pretty good job of it.

So what is it about this video from Buckhead Church (a campus of Northpoint - whom I have alot of respect for) that strikes me as "too much?"

We always tread the fine line between relevant, and over-produced. Maybe it's my evergrowing passion for Africa that makes this seem over-the-top. It's not a secret around here that I'm feeling less passionate about this stuff personally. I know that what I do is very important for The Meeting House to function... but I'm personally less and less excited about "production" in the church context. I'm just becoming more passionate about using my skills to serve people in Africa and helping our community engage with that part of the world, as opposed to pushing the sensory envelope in church here in Canada.

What Buckhead has done here is not at all philosophically different from what we do at TMH. It's just that they have bigger budgets and can do more. Don't misread me - I mean no judgement or disrepect to Buckhead. They, and the whole Northpoint family, are incredible, and passionate about Jesus, and do a great job of moving people into community, doing life together following Jesus.

What do you think?

A fun experiment

Not sure I believe this... but I'm certainly going to try it. I will post my results after I've given it a whirl!

Monday, December 10, 2007

Weekend in Orillia with The Birch Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Reflections on Zimbabwe



A video piece I put together while Arja and I visited Zimbabwe with Joel and Julianne.

Images of Zimbabwe


An African mud hut!



I had to go around the world to milk a cow!



Playing volleyball with some students from Ekuphelini Bible Institute.



Beauty speaks for itself.



Arja and a new friend!



Rebecca - probably one of the most beautiful people I have met. Not long ago, she was on death's door because of HIV/AIDS. Now, thanks to ARV drugs, she is regaining her strength!



I had the privilege of praying for this woman. Unfortunately, she will probably die of AIDS.



At the peak of Lupate - a local mountain.



Arja saying goodbye to the Grade Zero class at Mshtabezi Primary School. There were 83 children in this class with one teacher.



More school kids.



Cynthia - an 11 year old who stole our hearts.



Vuio - the son of our Zimbabwean hosts.



What's in the backyard? Oh, just some clean laundry drying on the line...and cows.



The Danhoundo Family - MCC Country Reps in Zimbabwe, originally from Benin, West Africa.



The pictures that follow are of Shelton, Magret and Concilia - 3 young children (the oldest is 12, I believe) who live on their own. These are 3 kids - kids who have been orphaned by AIDS - that I will never forget.









Halloween 2007

Two princesses and their police escort.
 
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