Radio stations had the intent of distributing the message of Christ to the lost across the widest platform possible. Their content and medium have shifted for sure.

With video teaching the content is exclusive intentionally or unintentionally to just churches. There is the assumption that the lost are at church but it seems like video teaching and message sharing might not be the best use of that technology. What if video teaching had no church logo or brand but instead were thought out, scripted, and hand crafted to agitate contemplation and inspiration for people who don't know Christ at all? If someone had this in mind they would not go into churches with that kind of production but instead their content would be sprinkled across the web in ways that did not wreak of insider only content and placating solutions.

Who is intelligently doing this? Please, don't show me a sermon series teaser or bumper.

This all accents one interesting question... is pastor or teacher a spiritual gift or position? If gift, how many in a church have that gift? How does the church integrate those whom God has already gifted in their midst? Does piping in video from another church affirm those in the body who feel gifted with pastoral or teaching gifts or does it discourage them from taking that next step?

Also, if it is a gift like hospitality is a gift then why not bring your social or gathering to another church or go to another church's gathering? I'm really not trying to be a jerk but church surfing or shopping is still something predominately frowned upon. But, it's not the message we are sending to attendees.

I like the unifying sentiment things like One Prayer does for churches but to the attender it must seem strange to them when their desire to get their "worship" at church x and in the same day grab a bite of "deeper" at church y later on that night is met with such resistance. The question they ponder is, "Why is it such a big deal for me to go here in the morning, there on Sunday night, and over there on Tuesday?" What's the difference when we do the same in one house for them verses when it's them doing it for themselves? If the gift pastor/teacher is not present in that body then that body's dysfunction is a greater and more immediate need to address.

I am not anti-video teaching just asking those who have this means to think through their content and channels. Is church to church the best use of this resource? All that energy, effort, and money to convey a message those in that body should be able to convey themselves. Grab your writers, production crews, and teachers and create a modern day conversation targeted and locked in on the lost and where they are watching online video.

- change... creating discomfort or movement away from something dying that people cling to
- poor communication... believing everyone thinks like you
- not leading... passionate people don't want to wait and in the absence of direction misdirection happens
- unresolved conflict... perpetuates conflict and just adds to the tension
- philosophy of relational ministry differences... real vs. really reckless