A few years ago, one of the members of my Church, John Pillay, taught the men how to cook a traditional Indian dish called chicken biryani. I asked for the recipe and posted it on our church website along with a brief write-up on how by learning to cook, it empowered men to help their wives.
Here’s where it gets interesting. I started to notice that the recipe page outperformed the other “religious” pages. This lead to the realization that few people are actively looking for God’s Word. However, many are looking for lifestyle orientated information. Who’d thought, right? ????
Let’s consider the fact that Jesus spoke in parables which were relatable to the audience. The parables were involving agriculture and other common practices but had a deeper meaning.
However, the parables are foreign to modern man. What do we know of sowing seeds in a field? We might understand the concept intrinsically but we have no working knowledge of it.
What’s required is a change in our thinking. Instead of merely listening to the Word, we need to be focusing on really understanding it with the intent of repackaging the Word for redelivery into our World. What “parables” can you create to explain God’s Word? If you’re an engineer, then you are best suited to minister to Engineers. If you’re a chef, you can minister to other chefs. You’re able to explain God’s Word in a more palatable format to your world. That’s why the Bible says, Go into all the world and teach the good news. You are fully equipped to minister to “your world”.
This is not a foreign concept. Many public speakers, consultants, and gurus deliver Biblical truths to their audience. But it’s repackaged into a secular format. The crowds are amazed and in awe of their brilliance, yet it’s information that’s been in the Bible for the last 2000 years.
Keep in mind that every piece of media that you consume has some bias in it. It’s impossible for human beings to be totally unbiased. Content creators steer their projects according to their own beliefs so why shouldn’t we? Think of the last documentary that you watched. How many documentaries are called, “The Atheist’s Guide to Planet Earth“? None, right? Instead, it’s just called, Planet Earth. And within it is the Atheist views of there being no God, repackaged as “science”
The problem with Christians is that we want to remain hidden away until our Lord comes. We focus on developing media that primarily serve ourselves instead of the world.
We need to be creating secular works and inject the Word into it. People may not be looking for Jesus but they could be looking for a way to save money. What better way to give the Gospel that Jesus saves than through a lesson on how to save?
We need to rethink the purpose of the media department in our churches. We should look at it as a way to harness the gifts of the people in the congregation and launch them into places of prominence. Remember, your gifts will bring you before great men.
Just food for thought. It’s my desire to redefine the media department in Churches and how it fulfills the mandate of going into all the world and preaching the gospel.
Let me know your thoughts.
My goal is to emulate Jesus and follow his example but if all else fails, I’ll be like David. A writer, a man after God’s own heart and someone not to be trifled with.
I believe in discussing life in a candid (unfiltered), no holds barred manner that stimulates personal growth.
I spend my spare time creating content that is informative, entertaining and that will help others in their personal development.
The Hustle is a project that focuses on career and purpose.
I also have a cooking vlog called Passing it on which is on Facebook and YouTube.
In matters of faith, I contribute to this ministry.
