When we use technology in our ministries, there are two reactions we might aim for - awe or wow. When we aim for a wow reaction, we are looking to utilize technology so that people are impressed by our creative, technological abilities. We want people to find the lights and sounds at our services and events entertaining. But when we aim for a reaction of awe, we are utilizing the same technology to bring people to a place where they are admiring the work of Christ. I had the chance to recently write about this idea in an article titled "The Struggle with Attractionalism" in Immerse Journal. Here's a brief snippet:
HT: Thanks to Paul Arndt for giving me the idea of "Wow vs. Awe" to describe my article.The attractional model is primarily about entertain- ment. It’s felt in the pressure to constantly be more creative, more innovative, so students keep coming back. We struggle with the attractional model when we imagine students filling our youth rooms and being amazed by the lights and sounds.