Media in Church and Mission: Communicating the Gospel

Description:

Summarizing the Dimensions of Christian Communication

Too many today are borrowing uncritically from the world of secular marketing and seem to be blithely unaware that the gospel is not a consumer product to be sold persuasively to a waiting world. There is a great temptation to be so focused on felt needs that the gospel ceases being the narrow way and becomes, instead, a broad way to human fulfillment. Unless real caution is exercised, masses are attracted and churches become filled with those to whom Christianity is only a veneer over an otherwise secular life.

Søgaard succeeds in driving home the sometimes forgotten point that strategies, no matter how skillfully they are conceived, are des-tined to failure unless it is fully recognized that the Holy Spirit is the ultimate persuader. There is, in short, a mysterious interworking between strategies and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. An imbalance on either side of this equation is untenable.

The majority of the chapters offer practical insights into how such media as audio cassettes, radio, film, and television can, if properly used, play an important role in conversion and spiritual growth. But the author never loses sight of the fact that the single most important medium is face-to-face communication in the context of the local Christian fellowship.

Brief description: Dr. Søgaard is Associate Professor of Communication at Fuller School of World Mission in Pasadena, California, but he spends much of his time as a consultant to Christian groups around the world. He is presently Media Consultant for the United Bible Societies with responsibilities for developing principles and practices for communicating Scriptures to people who do not read. He is also the director of the Asian Institute of Christian Communication. Viggo Søgaard lives in his native Denmark with his family. They spent thirteen years as missionaries in Thailand where they founded the Voice of Peace Studios in Chiangmai.

Review Quotes:

Much of the secret of communicating the gospel effectively is knowing and understanding your audience. Viggo Sogaard has written a book from a lifetime of study that will help anyone rethink what they say and how they say it.

When it comes to dealing with media in church and mission, there is no one I trust more than Viggo Søgaard. This volume is state of the art in this area, tested both on the field and in the classroom. I'm thrilled to see it finally published.

I adopt this book for my own use around the world and recommend it wholeheartedly to others. It is my hope that it will quickly make its way onto the bookshelf, and more importantly, into the ministry of all who take world evangelization seriously.