Introduction

Amos 8:11 - "The days are coming when I will send a famine through the land--not of food or water, but a famine of HEARING the words of the Lord."

This is a Visual generation. As we enter the new millenium, millions of people across our nation and the world are developing 'spiritual deafness' to the Word of God. If the church is going to impact this generation, we must learn to effectively add the Visual Aspect to our worship and teaching.

I. The Famine of Hearing

A. Illiteracy - U.S. Dept. of Education reports number of illiterate is increasing by 2 million per year.

B. Media & Entertainment - MTV, Advertising, Television, (minimal dialogue), Games, etc.

C. Education - the power of multi-channel communication.

God used 'multi-channel' communication in His pattern for worship:

Sight - Art, Architecture, Dance, Garments, Pageantry

Hearing - Instruments, Singing, Prophecy, Clapping

Taste - Offerings, Shewbread, Communion Table

Smell - Incense, Anointing oil, Sacrifices

Touch - Laying on of hands, Anointing, Baptism, Laver

D. Cults - "visualization"

E. Global Society - language barriers, the power of a visual gospel.

II. The Power of Visual Worship

A. God made the human body with both eyes and ears because we need both. In worship, the "Body" of Christ also needs to both hear and SEE.

B. SEEING is associated with Faith. Hearing plants the seed of faith, but seeing causes fruition. Pr. 29:18

C. When we can visualize the nature and character of God, we can better understand Him and better worship Him.

Laodicea - needed eye slave, Rev. 3:18

Brass Serpent - if you see it, you can have it. (Num. 21:8-9)

Elijah's Mantle - "If you see me" (2 Ki. 2:10)

III. Opening the Eye-gate of the Charismatic Worshipper

A. Often, contemporary charismatic worship tends to emphasize the vocal and auditory, while more traditional worship tends to emphasize the visual (sometimes falling into "spectator" worship). In the three places of God-ordained worship, we see the following pattern:

1. Moses' Tabernacle - primarily Visual worship, Exodus 25

2. David's Tabernacle - primarily Auditory, I Chr. 15

3. Solomon's Temple - a picture of the worship of heaven. A good balance of BOTH visual and auditory. 2 Chr. 2-5 With Sight and Sound, the glory filled the temple.

B. Today, we need to make our God visible to this generation.

1. The importance of Sight & Sound - Mk. 16:20, "Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere and the Lord confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it. Our worship can be a sign leading many to see Jesus through dance, drama, pageantry and other arts.

2. Ju. 7:20-21, The enemy fears the "sight and sound" combination. (lamps and trumpets caused enemy to scatter in defeat)

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