Clickity-Click and Glare
I’m taking in Poets, Prophets and Preachers in Grand Rapids this week hosted by Rob Bell and Mars Hill church. I thought it would be a great tune-up for me as I return to preaching and an excellent chance for my new Mini 9 netbook to shine. But apparently, it shines just a little too brightly.
I love taking notes, but my hand writing in indecipherable once I do, so having a small, light computer with really long battery life sounded great. Toward the end of the first night while the announcements were presented which included a celebration of lanyards (?) we were told that we could not use laptops during the session because of the glare off the screen and the distraction of the clickity-click sound.
I might have thought that Bell and Co. have joined the ranks of the new Luddites, but this is a conference that includes a session on How Technology Shapes The Sermon. It seems like such a disconnect between who they are and serve (a highly tech savvy generation) that the reasoning sounds tinny. It sends me wondering why they really object to my taking notes on a laptop. What I find most disturbing is hearing such a thin and disingenuous feeling reasoning coming from a group whose buzz words include “authentic” and “honesty”. Any thoughts?
BTW: I will revert to my palm today – (small glaring screen and no click)
3 comments:
I added you to the list of people blogging at Poets, Prophets, & Preachers. Check out the list and let me know if I'm missing anyone you know.
http://adammoore.us/post/136370065/blogging-poets-prophets-preachers
Sounds like the real reason is that they are selling recordings of the sessions...don't want to cut into their profit. We are in recession, after all! (Comments written by your wife and daughter -- we certainly aren't cynical :D )
When we attended Mars Hill, they were very focused on remaining as "simple" as possible...almost to a fault: They have no signs indicating their church location or name; they don't collect offering, it is considered to be a joy box and is encouraged to contribute as you leave. That is their style--cut and dry, simplistic view of church when church has become so commercialized and focused on themselves and not the true meaning of church--being fed.
So, like cellphones and crying children alike, I think that it might just be the clicky-click of the laptop. Nothing more, nothing less.
I would give ANYTHING to be in the presence of so many leaders in a church expressing their same desire to make their goal of helping people come alive--so enjoy it for me!!
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