March 22, 2006
Safe Harbor Church (C&MA) in Pelham, Alabama, is employing a new ministry concept to attract a media-fed culture by using “secular” music, discussion guides, and short films that pack “practical spiritual messages,” which give an inspirational “jump-start” in 12 minutes or less. These short films are called NOOMAs and are taking the religious world by storm.
Safe Harbor will feature five different NOOMAs starting in April. The films will replace the usual sermon and the typical service. Each is 10 to 14 minutes long, and they feature the teaching of Rob Bell, the founding pastor of Mars Hill Community Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan—a church of more than 10,000 postmodern worshipers.
“In our culture of iPods, Blockbuster movies, and high-speed Internet, the church is letting itself be left behind,” says Pastor Luke Camara. “A typical church is 10 to 15 years behind the times media-wise, and I think it is about time we changed that. If the churches of today are going to reach the people of today, we need to be media saavy!”
The idea of using NOOMA films as the focal point for Sunday morning service started at Safe Harbor in the fall of 2005. “Now other churches are starting to hear about what we did, and they are taking the idea and making it their own,” says Camara.