Bible meets technology

Published 12:00 am Saturday, February 8, 2003

Telling the old, old story of Jesus and His glory no longer requires a kindly Sunday school teacher.

Neither does it demand a stern-faced pastor at Bible study.

More likely, it's told on computer with interactive communication capabilities or with a joy stick and a Play Station, Xbox or some other gaming system.

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Maybe, it's a television monitor's small screen depicting a timeless story that can be fast-forwarded or rewound innumerable times to make a point.

While technology may have crossed the minds of yesterday's Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders in some form or anther, it's a necessary tool to attract and keep today's, shall we say, distracted religion studies audiences.

Julie Lura has been teaching Sunday school classes for 20 years. The Westminster Presbyterian Church member has taught sixth and seventh graders for the last three years.

Last year, the church's Christian educator director recommended a new curriculum: a video series based on a popular television show from the 1960s.

"We jumped at the opportunity to try something new," Lura said. Although Lura's middle school-aged students had never heard of the "Beverly Hillbillies," the teacher said, "They really liked it."

As Sundays with the Clampett family continued, the students enjoyed it even more until their teacher was moved to observe, "It was a great way to get them to open up."

The Gospel according to high technology

The Rev. Debbie King-Quale, director of the Christian Education Center, says more and more churches are finding videos, CDs and CD roms to their liking.

Her advice: "We can't be afraid of the technology."

"If it can be used by the whole family, my feeling is the Spirit will do the rest," she said.

King-Quale points to the use of e-mails to keep college students connected to their family churches after they leave home as another example how technology is being embraced by more and more churches.

The "Veggie Tales" series of videos remains hugely popular among religious education leaders. There are other, newer series of videos tempting the curiosity of church curriculum directors every day.

A video series telling the stories of the Old and New testaments relies upon cartoon characters and state of the art animation.

The "Little Dogs on the Prairie" series uses music and, King-Quale said, "snippets of humor" to teach the lessons of Christianity.

What's next? DVDs, of course. The CEC director is already receiving requests for the new video format.

Everywhere and in virtually all denominations, more and more churches are finding new ways to share the news of the Bible.

There are Bible football, baseball and basketball video games all designed to "communicate with kids from a different perspective," King-Quale said.

CEC provides new religion education tools

The Christian Education Center is in the middle of the revolution in religion education.

It's a provider. Before it makes anything available, the materials are carefully screened.

King-Quale insists some of the materials are better used with adult Bible studies or with family members of different ages watching.

That means a new kind of "parental guidance suggested," warning label because kids may need some help finding the moral of the story among the full-color, animated characters in the space-age dog and pony video show that is becoming a substitute for the human element.

For example, consider the Beverly Hillbillies Bible Study produced by The Entertainment Ministry and Steve Skelton.

Or check out the Mayberry Bible Study, Skelton's first entry in the new technology meets the Bible marriage.

Skelton said many Bible stories "transcend social, racial and cultural barriers today do so because they contain spiritual truth for which all people have a God-given hunger."

Skelton's endeavors seek to promote a "grassroots approach to using popular entertainment to engage a Christian world view."

"To that end, we hope these Bible studies not only provide a time of good fellowship, but also continue to equip the church with ways to reach the world beyond," he said.

Skelton will soon be releasing new Bible studies based on television classics "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Bonanza."

Parables, moral lessons, classic television shows

The first video series based on the "Beverly Hillbillies" and "Andy Griffith Show (Mayberry RFD)" have been huge hits. Both are available at the CEC.

"Often Jesus made His point with a parable, an exciting story with a heavenly meaning," Skelton said. "By using real-life situations, His lessons became more relevant and memorable."

In the "Beverly Hillbillies," a simple family copes in a complicated world obsessed with money.

Instead of Abraham, David, Noah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and other Bible notables, the new studies use Jed Clampett, Granny, Ellie Mae, Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee and Opie to make their point.

Skelton draws a comparison between the hit television series moral lessons and the Bible's Good Samaritan, Lost Son, Unforgiving Servant and other parable characters.

Also, Skelton maintains there are many examples how the Bible used stories as a tool for testimony. His favorite: I Corinthians 15:33. "When Paul said 'Bad company corrupts good character,' he was quoting a line of dialogue from a theater play: the Greek comedy 'Thais' written by Menanden," Skelton said.

"One fundamental way to use popular entertainment to engage a Christian world view is to evaluate the story events from a scriptural perspective," he said. "Even a casual conversation about a TV show can offer an opportunity to witness."

Skelton also sees the video studies reaching non-church members as well as adults and young people.

On that point, the CEC's King-Quale concurs. She said the video series may appeal to the unchurched or "those people who are intimidated by traditional, mainstream worship experiences and the language."

And, one Sunday school teacher, Lura, has been won over by the new religion education technology.

"I think, what I like about the videos is that they don't talk down to the students," she said. "The moral lessons are made clear to them in a manner in which they can understand."

Would she recommend the video and other electronic tools to other Sunday school teachers?

"I would recommend they take a look at them and see for themselves," Lura said.

Whatever the results, at this very moment in Sunday morning adult forums, Bible studies and Sunday school classes, someone somewhere is using new technology to engage and energize audiences.

"There was a time in churches everywhere when the microphone was considered new technology," Skelton said. "That was revolutionary. Congregations thought a minister should simply project his voice throughout the church. That speakers and choirs and others speaking God's word would do the same. Then along came the microphone and public address system and that revolutionized everything."

Today, everything is changing again and telling the old, old story is getting a new, new technological twist.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com