“For: The Institute of contemporary And Emerging WorshipStudies, St. Stephen’s Univeristy; Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt”
I created this PowerPoint presentation to introduce the song “Mighty to Save” to our congregation. The theme for that Sunday was reaching the world for Christ. The beginning of the song talks about everyone needing a Savior. I choose pictures of people from all nationalities that looked distressed. For the chorus pictures of crosses and mountains was the theme. The bridge talks about shining a light to the world and light houses seem to fit the image of that. For the last chorus I showed pictures of people being baptized from all over the world. Then the final scene was a quote about it being our business to witness to our world.
One of the topics that we have talked about is being “Salvificstorytellers. I feel this song really points that out. The them is about us shinning our light or being Image bearers to the world so that all may see and be saved. What better statement to make and what better message to teach to our congregation.
Jesus told his disciples to go out into the world and witness. We sometimes forget to take the message we are taught every week in worship out to the world and community around us. God needs us to be His hands and feet. The world needs missionaries to go to the far reaches of the planet for Christ but He also needs us to witness right where we are at work, church, shopping. We may be the only Jesus some people see and that is the point I was trying to make with the presentation.
Joy,
I was tempted to play the song in the background while I watched your powerpoint presentation but I’m glad I didn’t. There are two things that struck me as I experienced the images you put together.
1. Rio de Janeiro image with phrase “My God is mighty to save”.
The perspective from which the photo has been taken helps to capture this idea of our ‘mighty’ God. His outstretched arms – ’save’.
2. Baptism images
You chose images from a number of different baptisms around the world. Thank you. Baptism – the sacred act that symbolizes our new creation. The magnitude of it nearly knocks me off my feet every time I witness a baptism in person. I was surprised to find myself being taken to the same place as the baptism images came upon the screen.
Thank you Joy.
Laura Berry
Hello Joy,
The pictures you chose for the song, especially of the people of all nationalities in distress and needing Christ was really touching. The song, Mighty to Save, is a wonderful song and I feel you added a lot to it. Often a worship leader doesn’t have the space to explain the meanings of songs but it seems you did that with pictures better than words ever could. A couple of the pictures I enjoyed the most were the young man in a suit on the couch, the little girl with her hands on her face and the lady leaning on her dog. The one of of the older man, probably from the middle- east was very sad. When a face is put on grief we experience it with them. Your pictures of the cross and baptisms were very cool too. And I enjoyed the mountain and the cross very much! Beautifully done!
Blessings,
Mark
Hi Joy,
Love your idea for the project. Creative, fresh, thought provoking and linked so effectively to a great (Aussie!!) song.
Interesting side note:
My sister is currently in Rio and is bringing back my 3 year old daughter a little copy of Christ The Redeemer statue because she saw it on my Passion World Tour shirt and keeps saying: “That’s Jesus, Daddy!!” So I showed her your powerpoint and we sat and watched it together. Of course she said “That’s Jesus, Daddy!!” when we got to the picture. We both really enjoyed the images and had our own Daddy/Daughter worship time so thankyou.
May God continue to bless you through your journey after this course.
Thankyou.
Phil
Thank you all for your very kind responses to my project. I didn’t want to post the song with it due to copyright but it worked very well in worship.
I’m glad Phil that you and your daughter could have a worship time together with the PPt.
Joy