So, recently I attended a conference in Florida where my dear friend and mentor Dr. Len Sweet addressed some 850 or so pastors regarding the use of "words" and how to present the stories of the Bible through alternative creative ways without the use of words. It was a very fascinating presentation and probably the best talk I've ever heard Len give. He is a remarkable futurist. The basic premise of his talk was that new media and marketing groups are presenting "stories" in video without the use of words - just music and images. It drew my attention to what I know Len was thinking and that is that the screens that we all use from flatscreens to the hand held devices are use the new stain glass windows. Len refers to our hand-helds as our "community" in a pocket. He has pointed out that in the use of massive screen in contemporary church settings congregations now have a new form of the church stain glass window. He has been concerned with, "what are our images on those screens portraying." These and other emerging questions are good for both leaders and churches to engage in. But, for me there is an underlying question that is being posed by these discussions. Are we in a time when people are reading and using written texts less and becoming more dependent on images? Some seem to think this is the wave of the future of communicating the Gospel.
Certainly, many European people during the middle ages couldn't read written languages which gave rise to the use of Stain Glass windows throughout the great Cathedrals of Europe. These wonderful arts of work uniquely told the stories of the bible, the works of Jesus, and portrayed the stories of great Christian leaders down through history were all portrayed in glass. It was designed to keep people engaged in the services of worship and liturgies of their time. Many of Christians would never know the story if it were not portrayed in the windows and art throughout the ceilings and windows we all so admire today. However, I think we would be mistaken to assume that with the emergence of image rich stories and artistic expressions in film, television, and pop-culture that the use of "words" is on a decline. We are not going back to the golden age of silent movies. In fact it's just the opposite. According to Forrester Research, 2.2 trillion text messages are sent throughout the USA alone each year. Globally, 8.6 trillion text messages are sent each year. So, writing and reading (the use of "words") is on the increase. The number of books being published has exploded every year since the turn of the century. Over 3 million books have been published in the USA since 2010. 2.7 million "non-traditional" titles were also published, including self published books, reprints of public domain works, and other print on demand books. Certainly, J.K Rowlings, "Harry Potter" series raised up an army of new readers who became comfortable reading 300 to 700 pages or so in her books. Despite, all the claims I personally am not convinced that the advocates of film and future of communication is going to be without the use of words as some may claim.
Early in my twenties, I completed a broadcasting degree in radio and television production. I have also been focused in on the images our films, television series and videos portray. I have worked in productions that choose music, lyrics, and bring artistic expression to the screen. I find the millenial obsession to music, videos, and reading as important to telling the story... especially when it comes to the future use of holography which will include holodecks like in the TV series Star-Trek. Images are all around us and the use of written and spoken language cannot be minimized. But what disturbs me is the increasing claims that there is a decline in reading the Bible (a book that uses "Words" to tell the story). In a recent study by the Barna Group, over half (61%) of all Evangelical Christians have read the Bible cover to cover. Though some may be surprized, Barna notes: "One in five of ALL American adults have read the Bible from start to finish. Keeping this in mind, a study conducted by the US Department of Education and the National Institute of Literacy, has shown over the last 10 years, 32 million adults (14%) in the USA can't read. 21 percent of adults read below a 5th grade level and 19 percent of high school graduates can't read. So this may accocunt for the 39 percent of the Christian community who have not read the scripture. "Words" and other various forms of communication recorded down through history have and always will be with us and I don't think advocates for "New Silent Picture Films" will become the rage for communicating the gospel. I think it's a passing fad. In Job 31:35 Job prayed, "Oh that one would hear me! Behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary (who was God in Job's mind) had written a book. Why would God give a book, called the Bible, if "words" and spoken language were to become obsolete? In fact, it is those written words that gave rise to the creative arts in sculpture, paintings, stained glass windows, and other forms of telling the story that has contributed to what we have in Western culture. The oral traditions of God invading the human story down through the ages were recorded in written words for the stories to be continued. Its the best book of stories I've ever read and continue to be a source of inspiration for me. 
The most important thing Jesus said was, "IF you continue in my "word" then you're my disciples indeed." To neglect and make excuses that you were a poor student or have difficulty reading the scriptures are nothing more than an excuse of laziness or that other things have clouded your relationship with Jesus. There are plenty of CD programs used to listen to God's word being spoken and you can go through the entire Bible if you wanted to. The Spoken and written word will never become obsolete... everything else avant garde!
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