Digital Evangelism Issues

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We get so few glimpses of normal North Korean life. Here’s a cover version of A-ha’s hit Take On Me, shot in Pyongyang, North Korea, at the Kum Song school. It was organised by Norwegian artist Morten Traavik for the international arts and culture festival Barents Spektakel, which opened in Kirkenes, Norway, on 8 February.

More on the story, plus the original A-ha Take On Me video.

Pray for North Korea.

Here’s some sheer musical talent to honor. And yes, Zoe Thomson is only 8. Her Stratosphere guitar is likely older than her.

Music is an integral part every culture, throughout history and across continents. We are hard-wired to communicate through music. The study of music in different cultures is called ethnomusicology. Using music in order to better communicate the good news in a cross-cultural mission setting is becoming increasingly understood. Often, culturally-appropriate music can be a key to unlock the message. Check these ethnomusicology resources.

Music strengthens almost any message – that’s why movies have music backgrounds. It’s like a flavor enhancer in cooking.

Words set to music are also memorable, of course. That’s one reason why Christians have always used music in worship, even in OT times. And in oral cultures, memorable lyrics are a way of understanding and remembering Christian teaching.

Do also check these free downloadable MP3s challenging us to share the good news.

Music embeds truth in our minds in a particular way, that’s why it is so powerful. We have a range of links to completely free MP3 downloads and sheet music, for mission challenge to Jesus followers. Download them to your MP3 player, computer, even pass them free to others as long as you don’t sell them: our music page.

Brigada newsletter also lists good titles.

And here’s a song from Hillsong Kids. Note though: it is not, as far as I am aware, available for legitimate free download.

Would you ever have thought that a choir could sing in cyberspace? And produce such a heavenly sound? And connect people to harmonize across the continents? Social networking can do more than enable us to share what we had for breakfast!

Many spiritual parallels and lessons here: add your thoughts using the comment link below.

What happened when a flashmob – actually the Opera Company of Philadelphia – burst into song at Macy’s department store?

Story within article from To The Source on the Madness of Materialism: shoppers get a “surprise demonstration that materialism is patently false”.

And here’s another flashmob doing the same thing in a food court in Canada. The people’s response is remarkable:

Incidentally, Handel’s Messiah is hugely popular in Japan, and represents a major ‘way in’ to the culture.

Following last time’s posting about Visual and Story, here are three varied videos that demonstrate the power of the visual in different ways:

1. The Resurrection Sunday Dance, performed by a flash-mob (all members of one church) in Budapest last Easter.
2. For those who do not follow America’s Got Talent, including those of us outside US for whom it has not yet been screened, an incredible performance from 10-year old Jackie Evancho.
3. If you are looking for a fun performance-arts gismo, check out the Flowtoys Toroflux (also available in UK). Its unusual and innovative action could even be used to illustrate various spiritual principles with children or teens – I can easily think of several. Like a Slinky spring, but three times the size and 100 times more versatile.

Check also cardboard testimonies and the Round Square Triangle.

Remarkable video from Chris Milk (who has previously worked on the Johnny Cash Project) and friends at Google who have produced an experimental HTML5 multi-screen video called The Wilderness Downtown, based on Arcade Fire’s new song We Used To Wait:

• It is optimized for the Chrome browser, but works in any modern browser that can handle HTML5.
• There are several screens running concurrently. Some take personalised Google Streetview and Google Earth shots, based on the user’s entry for the address they grew up at. The Streetview clips are based on the revolving pan-shots from their camera cars and the Earth shots are manipulated in various ways. Presumably the raw Streetview clips are unavailable to other developers wishing to do the same? Development story.
• Other screens are based on a child running, and are seen by all users. This imagery relates to the song lyric which perhaps could have been beneficially scrolled on another screen.
• At the end of the video, a screen pops up inviting you to write a letter to the child you once were. You can also submit this as a ‘postcard’ to The Wilderness Downtown, and also apparently respond to other people’s postcards.

Pain, hope and healing

The concept is thought-provoking (read recent online comment) and the lyric deals with issues of pain, bewilderment and hope, which are therefore valuable conversation starters. There’s big potential to use in a youth group or discussion setting. Some leaders are already considering how to use it as a component of an outreach meeting. It’s also a concept that could be adapted to extend this ministry potential.

If you are looking for healing, go here.

View the presentation here. To see what it looks like, below is how one user made a video capture from their computer with their own birthplace clips:

What do you think? How do you respond to the lyric and imagery? How can we use this video and the ‘postcard to our younger self’ concept to start people thinking about pain, healing, and the good news? Please share your thoughts using the comment button below.