Image magnification (IMAG) allows congregations to view enormous version of preachers and worship leaders on movie-sized screens, a useful tool in a large meeting and marker of an avant-garde church. Much as changed since the days of plaques displaying hymn numbers. Screens now stretch across the front platform at houses of worship replacing the prime real estate for static icons of faith (i.e. crosses, stained glass) with a dynamic canvas for new digital versions of those icons and a myriad of creative options for video and text to support the worship experience.
Some use of IMAG as left me feeling like The Great and Powerful Oz just started a preaching ministry. I am not an iconocast by any means, but cautious when thinking theologically about the underlying, even unintentional, messages communicated when having a twenty foot tall plus version of a preacher leading a worship service.
However, ribbing a cherished pastor friend about the new use of IMAG at the church he pastors gave me a new perspective on the subject. He mentioned that just that morning a dermatologist in the congregation had noticed a mole on his face and offered to remove it for free. Amazing! IMAG possibly saved his life.
