The Digital Pulpit

All of us here study the Bible on the computer. How many of us preach and teach with it, too?

How many of us actually take a notebook, etc. with us as our primary resource in public speaking? Computer

Personally, I use Powerpoint for almost every sermon I preach to display outlines and illustrations on a large screen, but I always have a print Bible on the lectern or pulpit. It's too hard to "page through" verses with a laptop, and too much risk of a digital failure.

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Robert Pavich

Dr. James White preaches from his mac and he's preached at Spurgeon's church (Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London from it...

Kevin Becker

I've started using my Kindle for my notes when I preach.

The upside is ease of use and I can get the notes out of order. Saves on paper too.

The downside is that I can't annotate it when something strikes me in the service.

Jonathan Burke

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202413#Comment_202413

I do the same as you Steve, have done for the last five years.

Mark Smith

Over on the iPad/iPhone forum you'll find some guys who take their iPad into the pulpit. I'm pretty much of an analogue guy when preaching. To me a computer in the pulpit is distracting to listeners. If I use PowerPoint someone else runs it not me. It bugs me to see preachers fumbling with the keyboard while preaching. That iPad pulpit others have linked to might be OK as it is unobtrusive.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202424#Comment_202424

And the iPad looks like a book so most people wouldn't even notice.

Shawn Nichols

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202434#Comment_202434

I'm a lover of technology. I spent 12 years in corporate IT before the ministry. But there's something I really like about the rustling of the Bible pages. I encourage those in my church training for the ministry to keep the Bible present and visible. We're wanting the presence of a Bible to make a statement in our church. Crazy, I know.

As for notes, I've always carried those with me for fear of technical failure. But I've always wanted a better method. When I preach in my church, I have a real sense of direction every week. But when preaching in other churches, I often don't have a real sense of the people and their burden until I arrive. I always prepare to preach. But there's been a number of times I've thought, "man, I wish I had that message on...." I'd love to preach from a digital source that kept those studies accessible but I fear its stability ... and not being able to jot down last minute thoughts. I'd be interested in others who can compare the iPod to e-readers like Kindle. Positives / Negatives? I might be willing to give it a shot. Do they use Logos notes or some kind of word processor (MS Word) that displays the file on the device?

When using powerpoint, I've always had someone else run that for me. But I've also had that bite me. Depends on the church and their awareness of sermonology. Otherwise I'd rather not use it.

Matt Hamrick

wow.. Long gone is the vision of the preacher with Bible in hand standing in front of the lecturn preaching. And we wonder why the church is failing.

Steve Johnson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202492#Comment_202492

wow.. Long gone is the vision of the preacher with Bible in hand standing in front of the lecturn preaching. And we wonder why the church is failing.

Maybe we didn't move digital soon enough, and the church is left behind. SORRY! Bad metaphor for us premils! [:D]

Mike Waugh

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202492#Comment_202492

wow.. Long gone is the vision of the preacher with Bible in hand standing in front of the lecturn preaching. And we wonder why the church is failing.

Really, Matthew? Peter wasn't clutching a leather-bound Bible and standing in front of a lecturn while he preached at Pentecost - right before 3,000 or so were added to the church. I just don't buy the idea that "the church is failing" (your words, not mine) simply because some guys choose to use 21st century technology, in the 21st century, while preaching.

God's Word is God's Word, whether it's read from a scroll, "book" or some digital device. For that matter, it's still God's Word when I recite it from memory. I trust that the Holy Spirit doesn't get confused by technology.

That said, I do my sermon prep on my laptop and use my leather-bound Bible while preaching... for now.

Mike

Harbey Santiago

Well... As a Information Systems professional I can tell you that I would never trust an electronic device with my sermons! The idea of a power failure, glitch or a crash are too horrible to even considered. Nothing like good old paper for me!

Viva Cristo Rey!!

Deacon Harbey Santiago

Archdiocese of Baltimore

Jeff Causey

Can't speak to preaching, but for my work presentations, I usually use a mindmap that I've printed out. If I'm ever able to get tablet device, I hope to be able to use it instead of printing out the mindmap. This thread has made me think about preparing some mindmaps for the teaching stuff I do.

Jonathan Burke

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202424#Comment_202424

To me a computer in the pulpit is distracting to listeners. If I use PowerPoint someone else runs it not me. It bugs me to see preachers fumbling with the keyboard while preaching. That iPad pulpit others have linked to might be OK as it is unobtrusive.

I agree with this. I have a Bible in front of me, and the laptop in the front row of the audience, with someone operating it if necessary. But when all you have to do is hit a button on a tiny wireless USB Powerpoint controller in the palm of your hand which you don't even have to look at, there's not much to go wrong and the audience can't even see you do it.

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202626#Comment_202626

Can't speak to preaching, but for my work presentations, I usually use a mindmap that I've printed out. If I'm ever able to get tablet device, I hope to be able to use it instead of printing out the mindmap. This thread has made me think about preparing some mindmaps for the teaching stuff I do.

Jeff, there have been a few threads on MMing. I am an occasional user of them and wish I were more proficient. I am also realizing that some of my best (at least in the sense of natural presentation) have come for hand drawn pages that use drawings coupled with minimal references, kind of like a graphic mm. My problem is some of the organic creativity gets stifled when I have to figure out how to put it on the software. I use Mindjet's and Buzan's. Mostly the former.

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202875#Comment_202875

a tiny wireless USB Powerpoint controller

I need one of those. Point me to it.

Rich DeRuiter

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202895#Comment_202895

a tiny wireless USB Powerpoint controller

I need one of those. Point me to it.

I got one recently. They are called a "Wireless Presenter." It will come with a USB radio-signal receiver and a hand-held remote. The USB receiver must be in the computer while using it, in order for it to work. Search on the internet, or go to your nearest office supply store. Expect to pay around US$50.

NOTE: the presenter will send the "PageUp" and "PageDown" keys to the program. Some presentation programs user other keys to step through the program (SongShow Plus, e.g.). In that case you may need to remap those keys. There are little programs that can do that 'on the fly' so that the keys don't need to be remapped in the registry.

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202900#Comment_202900

Thanks! I had a wireless presentation mouse at one time (probably still do) but that was about worthless.

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202902#Comment_202902

Just picked one up from that river online retailer. A Kensington Wireless Presenter Pro with a $25.00 rebate. Nice.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202914#Comment_202914

My favorite pastor (Earl Palmer) not only used a paper Bible, but whenever he'd read a quote from one of his favorite authors whom he wanted to inspire us to read (C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Blaise Pascal, etc.) he would read it from the original book, not off a manuscript that he'd copied it to. I loved seeing him lovingly handle those books of his that were all dog-eared and well used. He inspired me even more to do lots of great reading.

BillS

All of us here study the Bible on the computer. How many of us preach and teach with it, too?

I teach with it. I'm using L3 AND L4 with a projector in all my Bible studies & in some other classes (particularly if there are a great many Scripture references, all of which look up because it's so quick). Why use both? I don't want my L4 Bibles / reference books highlighted other than for classroom use for a particular class. That capability doesn't exist in today's L4 layouts. So, I've sacrificed L3 to highlights & use L4 for reference purposes only in classes.

Specifically:

In L3, each Bible study has its own L3 workspace & notes.
- What's in the workspace?
  - Bible translations, including a selection of English translations that include whatever attendees are reading, plus my preferred translations if different.
  - Two carefully selected commentaries--one is of "survey" quality & is the main resource that guides our study. (Often, Tom Constable's Notes serves this purpose.) The other is the best exegetical commentary for that book, used for crosscheck purposes whenever appropriate.
  - Bible dictionaries, Maps
  - For study of NT books, I include a Greek interlinear & BDAG.
  - For study of OT books, I include a Hebrew interlinear, LXX, BDAG, HALOT, & BHS
- What's in the notes? My notes to self on where to find more info that'll open up the text.
  - Mainly, verse by verse references to other resources (maps, etc.)
  - Sometimes, instructions what to look up in L4's people/place/thing reports.
In L4, I've set up a Bible Study Assist layout, consisting of the Biblical Things, Persons, & Places reports in one large tab, & power lookup in a small tab.

How does it work?

In each class, there are 2 main windows open--Bible version + "survey" commentary. Prior to each class, I color code corresponding highlights in Bible + commentary that I want to bring to class attention, verse by verse, as we work our way through a book (prior studies of Colossians, Hosea, Ezra, & Nehemiah are complete. Jeremiah is under way). In addition, I look up every cross reference & color code those... Whenever a person, place, or thing gets named, we try to look at it (via verse/note entry in L3 if easy to find, or via L4 if not).

To apply each text, asking how the Biblical situation parallels ours, & then how the text speaks to our situation. Members answer relative to their life experiences.

The richest part for me, though, is the deepening of our questions, as members get used to the fact that we can usually get answers in class, as we watch. That leads to more questions in class... and it's beginning to lead to follow-up questions outside class.

Bohuslav Wojnar

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202915#Comment_202915

My favorite pastor (Earl Palmer) not only used a paper Bible, but whenever he'd read a quote from one of his favorite authors whom he wanted to inspire us to read (C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Blaise Pascal, etc.) he would read it from the original book, not off a manuscript that he'd copied it to. I loved seeing him lovingly handle those books of his that were all dog-eared and well used. He inspired me even more to do lots of great reading.

I like to do it from time to time. But more and more books I quote are in Logos, so no paper book in the hand anymore [:O]. Sometimes I bring newspaper I quote. But more and more things I quote I found in the Internet News...

I preach from my notebook for many years already. Mainly I started because of my eyes. I apologized to the church and explained the reason and... I am happy with it, I would not change. Yes, it happened to me that my HDD collapsed. So I always have the file in our church notebook also, plus "in the cloud", just in case.

I found MS Word Reading mode to be the best for that purpose. I have 2 pages on the screen and the size of fonts are scalable. Sometimes I would use Powerpoint directly, but otherwise media guys present it for me and I just preach from the Word document.

I would use iPad or HP Slate but it would have to be possible to edit the document on it any time. I add some stuff just before I go to the platform sometimes.

...and yes, I have a paper Bible with me, in case I need Bible to grab into my hand... [:)]

James Matichuk

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/202933#Comment_202933

I like to come up with an open Bible and keep it open. There is something about the symbol of a physical Bible in preaching that doesn't translate well to someone reading off their i-phone.

I preach without notes or I leave them on the pulpit and don't look at it. I like them there if I need it, but I try to know my sermon and passage well enough that I am not dependent. I am not sure that coming up with a lap top or an I-pad would communicate to people how much I have tried to inhabit the text I am preaching from.

Steve Johnson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/203024#Comment_203024

I am not sure that coming up with a lap top or an I-pad would communicate to people how much I have tried to inhabit the text I am preaching from.

So I ask with a smile; a really BIG smile, we should hide the fact that we no longer use paper-and-print commentaries; no longer write our exegeses with pen and ink? Having used electronics to the hilt in the preparation of the message, we should carefully hide that fact, lest we communicate that these digital resources have weakened us? Or does using a computer make us somehow less dedicated; less earnest; less prepared?

I admire your ability to preach without relying on notes. Frankly it was my goal when I started preaching three or four times a week, every week. Seventeen years ago. I still use notes, and I use paper because I don't trust the digital not to go all "blue screen of death" on me. But information age congregants do not equate digital tools with incompetence, insincerity, or carnality. I hope. Or did I miss the point?

BillS

preach

On reflection, I preach with the Bible on the computer / projector (if not on Logos), too... I use the Scripture as my outline, so when I preach we project the text I'm preaching from & advance it as I move through the Scripture.

Shawn Nichols

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/203062#Comment_203062

I carry a scant outline to the pulpit with me (accompanying my Bible) when preaching. I tried to convert to digital. It's implications were great. I could travel with a greater number of outlines than a paper binder could hold.

I bought a Nook Color ... only because it was an entry price point to introduce me to the ease and ability to preach from the device. It was based on an Android platform ... which I rooted for convenience. I tried using .pdf and Word docs. But I ended up returning the Nook. Here's what I didn't like:

1. I have a habit of jotting notes in my notes. Last thoughts, an illustration pertinent to that audience, a point that needs further clarification, etc. The electronic Android tools I was using didn't allow for notes. I would have settled with a finger writing layer on top of the displayed file if possible ... a temporary solution as I don't usually go back and incorporate those last minute ideas into my master file. No go.

2. I use a custom word template. Landscape, double column, color coded points, subpoints, and illustrations to help me visually get my footing (since when preaching I'm not constantly in my notes). All the formatting changed when viewing the Word docs. I lost the landscape and much of the coloring depending on the tool I used to display the file. The .pdf's worked better, but I didn't want to convert all my note files just for portability.

3. Particular to my problem, I guess, I was syncing with Google Docs, which in my version of the apps, doesn't support .docx files. >:P

4. Too small ... particular to the Nook. An iPad would be larger I guess but I wasn't willing to spend that much for a trial run. The size of the Nook was a perfect companion to carry along side my Bible, but the visual size was a real problem in the pulpit. It felt like I was trying to use my iPhone.

In short, I want to make this switch some day, but I just don't think the technology is there for me yet. Too early to adopt.

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/208023#Comment_208023

interesting feedback and journey, Shawn, thank you! I know what you mean about scribbles, and such. I do it all the time. would be nice to have a portable version of "Sticky Notes" . . . maybe there is one?