I’m haunted by something Seth Godin wrote a few weeks ago:
The skeptics said that people wanted to watch videos, not make them. Nearly everyone with a phone is now a self-published media creator. The combination of production tools and free distribution has completely upended the media, which in turn has upended the culture.
65,000,000 people have uploaded a video to YouTube. In 1980, there were 8 movie studios actively producing mass market movies. – Seth Godin, May 6, 2025
In other words, it’s becoming a participation culture. I’m wondering how to tap into that kind of participation and creativity in the church, which has evolved so far to be a passive activity, “people who watch videos, not make them.” People who “go to church” – a finite number of churches, a place where one goes to see something put on for them, a worship experience, perhaps. But the real energy of the Kingdom is ALL the people participating.
Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. (Acts 11.19 – 21, NKJV)
The Church at Antioch, the church that sent out Paul and Silas in Acts 13, was founded by laymen who didn’t wait for permission! More to follow tomorrow…stay tuned.
I know our small group leader is always encouraging our group not just in “being” a small group, but to be “doing” the Word. Then we look for some service we can do together. Sometimes it is serving at Station Church that offers meals for the homeless two times per week. Last Saturday and some had been out previously, we searched a widow who Who almost lost the use of her eye 3 weeks after her husband’s death. She is severely limited from bending over lifting, crying and other activities. We went out and cleaned her yards and I worked on the blinds inside. Apparently I was being too meticulous, so they sent in everybody to help me after they finished in the yard. Humiliating!
Twice some of the group have gone to Houston to help with a huge homeless breakfast ministry that occurs in a park every Saturday. And then individually, we also look for ways to serve. It’s been encouraging.