Other Stuff

Most Popular Stages – June 2017

Here are the most visited stage designs for the month of June 2017. Just want to say another big thank you to all the stage designers who submit their stuff for us to see.

  1. Air Filtered – 3,226 views
    Benjamin Davis from dv8 Youth Ministries in Crowley, TX
  2. Burning Boards – 2,503 views
    Matt Holcomb from The Door Fellowship in Williamsport, PA
  3. Geared Up – 2,184 views (new to the list)
    Joshua Hoegh from First Baptist Church of Elgin in Elgin, IL
  4. Particles of Christmas – 2,071 views
    Ben Wysong from LifePointe Christian Church in Elk Grove, CA
  5. Stage Origami – 1,861 views
    Aníbal Ramírez, Rafael Ortíz, José Milán, Ricardo Santiago and Emilio Cuadrado from Casa de Adoración Jabes in Bayamón, Puerto Rico
  6. String Arrangement – 1,617 views (new to the list)
    Charles Garwood from Lafayette Community Church in Lafayette, Indiana
  7. Disco Wall – 1,286 views (new to the list)
    Kyle Lee from Southpointe Church in Oklahoma City, OK
  8. LED by the Spirit – 1,254 views
    Cypress Church in Galloway, Ohio
  9. Patterns in the Yarn – 1,094 views
    Christopher Law from SpringHill Camps
  10. Homemade Baptisms – 1,000 views
    The team from Crossroads Fellowship Church in Berea, Kentucky

Great job, stage designers!

Domed The Machine

6 responses to “Most Popular Stages – June 2017”

  1. Kalyan Das says:

    Great designs and wow, what an effort! All, a true labour of love!

    BUT, am I mistaken, and if I am, please correct me, is Christian worship not the worship of God, who sent His Son Jesus, to sacrifice His life on the cross, that through his resurrection which defeated death, we would all be restored to enjoy eternal life with God the Father?

    In directing our worship, should the empty cross not therefore be, the focus of our attention and worship?

    Except for ONE stage setting in yarn which had the cross, the cross seems to be missing!

    What was the “altar” is now “the stage”; the Table of Fellowship/Communion is absent!

    I fear I and many others have become “Old School”!!

    • Jonathan Malm says:

      Great question! Interestingly enough, the symbol of the cross wasn’t used by the Early Church in worship. It was a symbol of cruel torture and capital punishment… Makes sense. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_cross

      Communion tables or “altars” weren’t really part of the early church either…since The Lord’s Supper was really just a thing you did when you ate with fellow believers to remember Christ’s suffering. It wasn’t part of liturgy.

      Tradition created those things…which, don’t get me wrong, are great things. But really they’re decorative. It’s clear true and honest worship happened in the first few centuries of the church.

      Some churches will choose to use those traditional decorations…some won’t. But I believe it’s safe to say that the cross is being preached, the idea of “living sacrifice” is preached… The rest is just decoration. Hope that makes sense and maybe reframes the discussion a bit.

      • Kalyan DAS says:

        Thank you Jonathan for your prompt reply.
        Agree on all your points of historicity. The institution of the church has promoted and propagated what you rightly refer to as “decoration”, especially when large sums of money spent and resources allocated on such items, that they do indeed become “decoration”.

        Yet something in me yearns to focus my worship. Over the past 50 years, we have evolved (if I can use the word without prejudice) into a people, a society which responds to visual stimulation (think brands and symbols; think comics). Hence my comment.

        As Christians, we have three brand identities, the manger (the incarnation), the cross (redemption) and the table (fellowship – “do this in remembrance of me”).

        Might there be a role for these brand identities to remind us of our core beliefs?

        blessings and joy in Christ
        kalyan

        • Jonathan Malm says:

          There’s definitely roles for those brand identities. But I think that starts getting into preference really quickly. Does it need to be on the stage in a corporeal sense? Or could it be a video combined with a song that talks about the cross.

          And while we’re at it, there are actually far more brands you could say represent our faith. The empty tomb. The triquetra (for the Trinity). Tongues of fire. The crown of thorns. The throne of God. Each of these symbols means different things and has different reminding purposes.

          One cool thing that technology has provided for us is the chance to, with video, instantly call up one of those images to help people focus their worship.

          I believe that’s part of the movement away from architectural fixtures. We actually have more flexibility to do just what you’re saying. :)

          • Kalyan DAS says:

            Thank you Jonathan for engaging with me on this topic. We have just spent five plus years working with architects and designers on a new Church, in which the worship area figured prominently. The role of “technology” has been a major part of our discussion. Your theme of “Most Popular Stages” piqued my interest.

            One of the driving conversation in our church design was that architecture should not govern worship, and architecture should allow future generations to adapt the space/building to suit the people, community and society in which they worship, commune and fellowship.

            Hence may comments.

            Thank you for taking the to engage! Much appreciated.

            blessings and joy in Christ
            kalyan

          • Jonathan Malm says:

            You got it! Thanks for the respectful, though-provoking responses. :) Unfortunately, seems those are rare on the Internet nowadays.

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