Using AV to tell God’s Story-Part3

AV Tools & Conclusion

Now the next big question may be:

Not everyone is digital! So the latest fads are only hindrances in telling God’s story

Well, the answer is simple. Follow God’s way! So what is God’s way – using the right tools for the right audience at the right situation!

But how?

Using the right audio-visual tool for the audience in a given situation!

But isn’t all audio-visual – digital? NO.

Digital is simply the name given for the latest audio-visual development on the planet. Audio-visual communication as you have seen from the above pages, started at Creation. It is the way God communicates! Now we as his children, his image need to go to him, ask him for wisdom, that we may borrow his creativity and use the right audio-visual tool to tell His story.

So what tool can you use?

I would like to broadly divide audio-visuals tools as:

1. No technology
2. Low technology
3. Medium technology
4. High technology

No technology:

This includes

Biblical storytelling ² – telling the exact stories of the Bible, without any changes (Except in word placements to aid telling – 95% context accuracy and 75% verbal accuracy)

Contemporary storytelling – using stories from our present age to share the message from the Bible

Drama / Skit / Play – acting out the story of either the Bible or a contemporary story relating to the Bible (using different characters, props, costumes etc)

Puppet show – using puppets – string puppets, sock puppets, shadow puppets, rod puppets, Object puppet, Finger puppet etc to tell a pure Biblical or contemporary story using mime, animated acts and dialogues

Comics ³ – using Biblical stories, created in the form of comics to share God’s story; Using cartoons to reflect on a message from the Bible; Using mainline comics to dig out God’s message.

Low technology:

This includes

Whiteboard / Blackboard drawing – drawing a story in sequence or random to tell a story – fully Biblical or contemporary

Flipchart drawing – drawing a story in a page-roll format

Post-it storyboard – creating a storyboard with lots of interactions and questions, weaving a story with audience participation

Medium Technology:

This includes

View Master ⁴ – this is a simple viewing device into which a circle shaped disc called Reel is inserted. The reel has a story in sequence which can be seen by clicking one image at a time.

Slide projector – a simple tool used widely before the advent of movie projectors. You can use it to show 35mm film strips.

OHP projector – a projector which can throw visuals onto a wall using a lamp and a mechanical projection system. Stories can be created on transparencies and compiled together to form a sequence.

Visual Presenter – the big brother of OHP. The main advantage is that you can project any object, even a pen or paper or photo by placing it on the presenter. Stories can be drawn on it and emphasized by adding relevant photos or objects.

High technology:

This field uses a combination of photography, video techniques, computer and the web to create a series of stories – creativity and knowledge of relevant tools, is used in submission to the sharing of the message.

This includes

Camera – Film and Digital – the idea is to make a picture with sequenced still images, using a storyboard

Video camera – capture moving images to form a movie

LCD Projector – to throw visuals – still and moving onto walls

Computer – to edit the different visuals and audio and to create a work of synergy

MP3 Player – record a story with dialogues, sounds and music; used for podcast also

Telepresence – a advanced web broadcast technology which can project a very good image of people from different parts of the world, so they can communicate together in on place, without being there in person. This takes us back to sharing with No technology using the advanced high technology.

Now, that you have got a fair idea, of the great variety of tools that form a part of Audio-visuals – you must now make choices: Which tool can I use for which audience? How can I use the creative wisdom, God has given me to tell His story?

Finally the action question is:

What must I keep in mind when using Audio-visual to communicate?

God is the Equipper:

All communication must bring glory to God. That is what Jesus (as an example for us) did and that is what we are expected to do. The key is to surrender to God and ask Him to give you the creative wisdom, so you can produce powerful audio-visuals which can tell His story.

Message is primary, Entertainment is secondary:

In our zeal to create and produce audio-visuals, there is a big danger that we should not fall over into the pure entertainment segment. The core message of each audio-visual is vital. The word must be presented clearly, over and above every perception that audio-visual has.

God holds us accountable for what He has given us:

We were created in His image and as Christians our mission is to tell others about our Jesus Christ. You may not have a camera, or a high tech tool, or even a medium tech tool, but still you can use your memory, voice, visual (facial expression, gesture etc) to share the story of God. The challenge is to learn and develop your talents daily.

Everything we have comes from God! To the one who chose to die for us, and save us from eternal punishment, we must bring all glory and honor.

Now that you know the real meaning and power of Audio-visual – Use this God’s method of communication, using the right tool, developing daily your gift that many will come to know the true story of God.

God bless You

References:

¹ A Young Earth as mentioned in the Bible http://www.answersingenesis.org/

² Biblical Storytelling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_storytelling

Tom Boomershine http://gotell.org/

Network of Biblical Storytellers http://nbsint.org/

³ Japanese Biblical comics http://www.nextmanga.com/

⁴ View Master Christian reels http://www.3dstereo.com/viewmaster/vvr-bib.html