Willow Creek Highlights

I was at the Arts Conference in June.

1. They have a huge campus. Their new sanctuary seats 7200. The technology is amazing.2 huge video screens (not projection - lcd video) and 3 huge projection screens on the stage that are used as video backdrop. The 3 projection screens can be raised or lowered, and can display one huge image, or 3 individual images. Their services feel like a rock show. Lots of lights, lots of video, lots of sound. It was very overwhelming at first. It took my senses a while to get over the over-stimulation. I don't think I would every use that much visual/technological stimulation in a service. Now, I say that today in 2005, (and Willow is on the cutting edge of ministry) and in 10 years, that will probably be seen as minimal use of video/lighting.


2. The biggest takeaway for me was their use of creative elements. What I've started to put into play here at church is a Creativity Team that plans1 service/month or so. We meet and talk about creative ways to make the particular service come alive, through drama, video, music, arts, anything we can think of. The next service we are planning is going to be a communion service, which I'm looking forward to.
3. I was in the Creative Arts Leadership track...and went to breakout sessions on brainstorming, conflict resolution, creativity with no money, and one really neat one called "Some of My Favorite Worship Leaders Don't Believe in God." We watched clips from several different concerts: U2 and Coldplay and analyized them in terms of what that means to the church...the emotional/spiritual feeling/high that people get from going to a concert...should it be the same in the church? Application in that session included: moving from relevant to real, moving from spectator to involvement, allowing worship to have seamless mobility (with the advent of ipod, wireless tv/internet, and tivo), and freedom. The same session recommends for further research:
*attend an Oprah taping
*read spirituality blogs
*go to a concert and don't just watch the band...pay special attention to the audience interaction*get an ipod asap
*have at least 3 friends in your life that have or do one or more of the following: tattoos, piercings, Mohawk/frohawk, does a good impersonation of Napoleon Dynamite, Jack Black, Mr. T, or Alf.
It was a good conference, and I'm going to try and go again and maybe take some people from church next time.