There is a reformation of sorts going on across screens in America. But before you go thinking that Hollywood has finally had its Great Awakening, these screens aren't in movie theaters, and they're not your TV or computer screens either. Rather, big changes are afoot on the screens we all look to every Sunday morning for the words to the responsive reading or the third verse of How Great Thou Art. All of the sudden, those big, clumsy white church screens are, as they say, the new black.

No longer the domain of praise music lyrics and ancient creeds, church screens have found a new life as an integral part of many pastor's sermons. Instead of using the old tried-and-true verbal sermon illustrations we've all come to know, "The other day, I was on a plane," or "That reminds me of the story of a golfer," pastors are now turning to their screens to visually make their points. Small movie clips are now a big, big deal.

Across the internet, numerous clip sites geared to ministers have cropped up and our flourishing. By far the largest is Sermon Spice (www.sermonspice.com) where pastors can peruse almost 9000 clips, all sorted by topic and verse. And it's not just convenience or novelty that is drawing ministry professionals towards visual illustrations - it's stickiness. According to the Federal government, 83% of learning occurs visually "It is easy to understand why pastors are quickly gravitating to tools that are this powerful and meaningful," states George Temple, CEO of Sermon Spice. "Videos touch a person much differently than the spoken word."

From my point-of-view, this screen reformation is only in its infancy stage, and use of film clips, visual illustration and technology is only going to go up up up. Churches need to be proactive and embrace these changes, provided they enhance, not detract from, the worship experience. But a little bit of healthy experimentation is warranted if the net result is that the message of the sermon resonates long after the service is over.

To see an example of the good work Sermon Spice is doing, click this link: http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/16326/you-are-a-miracle

Jonathan Bock, President, Grace Hill Media