In my short (though it seems to be getting less short) life I have seen many changes. These changes are in technology, culture, society, and religion. It is amazing how something can seem to be such a fixture in life only to become almost non-existent. The VCR and Blockbuster would be a great example of this. Bell bottoms came went and seem to be making a comeback again. Good thing I kept my leisure suit!
I remember sitting in gospel meetings when I was growing up. The location of these gatherings would range from the bleachers at a high school’s football field to the bleachers of a basketball court. I also remember the ones that were in a tent. It always seemed to be on a hot summer day where I was happy to have the program for the service. I wanted to hold the program not to see when it would be done, they always went long, but to fan myself as I sat there in the uncomfortable wooden folding chair. Not sure if I would call them fond memories of growing up, but definitely memories.
I don’t know when the last gospel meeting was that I attended. If anything, these religious conferences become audio recordings you could buy on a cassette tape for a few dollars, then video cassettes, then cd’s and dvd’s, and now you can see or review a series on a streaming service. These tent revivals haven’t completely disappeared, but are now called seminars that you can watch from the comfort of your own home. And now a popular platform for easily gaining religious information is the podcast.
I’m not sure what the podcast has replaced; maybe a combination of things. I don’t see books on topics as much anymore. I have shelves full of books, but haven’t bought many in the last decade. It is hard to find a Christian book store where you can actually go in and browse through the books, or read a jacket cover. So are podcasts a replacement of books? Seminars? Gospel meetings? It’s hard to tell, but they are what is popular on the Christian landscape.
With our busy mobile society, podcasts really fill a need. We can download them to our phone, or just connect while we are traveling to make good use of that time or listen while we’re just cleaning the house. There are numerous hosts and topics to choose from. They are so convenient and really helpful to people who tend to be like me and aren’t big readers.
Be it with gospel meetings, books, seminars or podcasts, don’t forget to be like the Bereans. Long ago, there was this gospel meeting that came to Berea, led by this evangelist named Paul. They listened, good thing to do, then they fact checked him against God’s word. An even better thing to do. We need to be listening to podcasts, even attend a gospel meeting if one comes around, though I would like padded chairs and AC. But never lose sight of the original documents that they are all based upon.
Still A Berean,
Randy
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