Help Us, Virtual Pastor, You're Our Only Hope!

On June 1, Cisco and UK-based Musion Systems Inc. conducted the first demonstration of the new "Cisco On-Stage TelePresence System" at Cisco's Bangalore, India, headquarters. As Cisco CEO John Chambers explained, "You will see this technology, while initially it will be done in a stage-type environment, perhaps for big meetings or speeches, it will, over time, come to the business environment and then, over time, to your home."

Add to Chambers' list: the megachurch. Eddie Johnson, lead pastor at Cumberland Church (a partner of Andy Stanley's North Point Church), predicted back in March that one of the top five "ministry ideas that could change the future" would be "your teaching pastor as a hologram." Johnson writes, "With the expansion and success of 'video church campuses' all throughout the U.S., this seems to be the next logical step and transformation."

Johnson envisions this 3D hologram technology playing a big role in two of his other predictions for the future: video church campuses and/or church plants in IMAX theaters and "Bible teaching as 'experiential' and 'on location.'"

Explaining the latter, Johnson writes, "Imagine watching your pastor teach the passage in Acts 17, where the Apostle Paul is teaching at the Areopagus (Mars Hill) in Athens. Now imagine him actually taking you (the audience) with him there to the very place where it happened with holographic video imaging as the backdrop. ... I believe it won't be long before somewhere, some church will be teaching like this. (Hopefully mine!)"

North Point is already utilizing high-definition video equipment that produces such a high-output digital projection it has been described as being "holographic," and leading some to call it the "Virtual Pastor."

But before Cisco's holographic video technology makes its way into the megachurch sanctuary, it will most likely begin appearing in use at large-scale events and conferences, including church conferences. For example, Billy Graham will be appearing at Catalyst conference this year via video. What if it were a 3D holographic video? That would just be, well, creepy for some people, perhaps, but it could be extremely powerful for others, as well.

This new technology presents wild new possibilities for attractional church ministry—and raises some challenging questions, as well. As churches get bigger and bigger (and smaller and smaller), what do you think about 3D virtual pastors? Is this a good way to steward money and people resources most effectively? Or is this just the ultimate elevation of the "rock star pastor"?

Related: Christian Video Magazine from Steve Hewitt (editor of Christian Computing Magazine) and SermonSpice.com looks like a good new resource for video and church ministry.

(HT: Matthew Paul Turner)

—Steve Knight, Kingdom Journalist and International Communication Coordinator for SIM (Serving In Mission)

Comments

[Ann DeVilbiss]

Hi. I'm the reseller in the US for the Musion Eyeliner System and would welcome any questions regarding this technology. We are currently reaching out to the Church community and are hoping to get one up and running sometime in the near future.