December 2021
Preparing The Way
by Carl Barnhill (twelvethirty:media)
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ –Mark 1:3
In the book of Mark, in Chapter 1, John the Baptist comes on the scene. It was promised by God in Isaiah that God would send a messenger ahead of Jesus to Prepare the Way for Him. To make straight paths for Him.
John was a wild dude. You boy is wearing camel’s hair and a leather belt. He is eating locusts, which are like crickets – which is well, gross. He is eating wild honey – can you imagine how many bee stings he had?
He is an odd dude.
But God chose Him. He chose this outsider, this nerd to be the messenger for the Savior of the World. John was humble. In Mark 1:7, he says “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” So when Jesus comes, he has John baptize him in the Jordan. John got to witness the Holy Spirit coming down from Heaven like a dove. He got to hear the Voice of God audibly – saying to Jesus – “You are My Son, whom I love, with you I am pleased.”
After that, Mark talks about John being put in prison, and then nothing else is said about him in the book of Mark. It’s on to Jesus calling the disciples and healing people.
I kinda like to think of us tech people as John the Baptist. We are a little bit weird aren’t we?
I’ll give you an example of how weird I am as a Video guy. If my extended family sits around and watches football over the holidays – I am paying more attention to how the animated lower thirds are coming in and watching the commercials more than the game sometimes. That’s weird. I am ruined on TV shows and movies – knowing I can spot the flash frame of a bad edit, when the audio is out of sync, when things are misspelled or when the camera shot is out of focus. It’s sad.
While it is definitely true you don’t have to be a nerd to serve in production, there are a lot of us that are. I’m still not eating crickets, but I can be a little weird. A little different. But you know what? God can use me to prepare the Way for people to hear about Jesus.
He can use you.
He is using us.
He is using our skills in making media content.
He is using our skills in planning and preparing services.
He is using our skills in making sure those lyrics are spaced out correctly with the perfect font.
He is using our skills of knowing how to wrap cables.
He is using our skills of mixing audio, directing cameras, leading volunteers…
To prepare the stage for Jesus to be lifted up.
For Jesus to be on display.
For Jesus to be in the spotlight.
What is your posture? He is calling us to be messengers.
I pray that we are more like John the Baptist.
Out in the wilderness.
Preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Seeing confession, seeing baptisms of those who are giving their lives to Christ.
Preparing the way for our Lord.
About the author:
Carl Barnhill is a creative entrepreneur, motion designer and author. He is the Owner and Creative Director of [twelve:thirty]media, a company that serves churches and ministries all over the world through motion graphics content and church media coaching. He is the host of The Making Sunday Happen Podcast and author of The Ultimate Production Team Handbook. You can find him in Columbia, South Carolina with his wife, Katie and two sons, Jacob and Wesley.
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