It was “fresh”, “relevant”, “enjoyable” said moviegoers who attended the main attraction at the Boardwalk Nu Metro, Port Elizabeth on Sunday morning.
No doubt about it, the critics loved the innovative, inaugural showing of iChurch a digital church service designed to reach a cyberspace generation that relates to screens.
The iChurch ushers looked spiffy and excited as they warmly welcomed visitors, including several who walked in after seeing the colourful promotional material in the moviehouse foyer.
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The one hour service included announcements, praise and worship, a message and a salvation call — all on-screen and with a fair sprinkling of razzmataz.
A young female tourist who attended said that she had never heard of church being presented in a cinema environment, says the iChurch team in a report on the launch.
“She said that it is fresh and it caters for a new audience that the church seemed to have excluded for too long.”
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Another visitor, Clint Williams of Johannesburg said: “It is my first time to attend church presented in a digital format. As a young person it suits me perfectly. I will definitely come again and bring some friends along.”
“iChurch is relevant in a world of technology in the workplace and at home. Cinema is mostly associated with entertainment and even ungodliness. However, iChurch has just turned that perception on its head. I enjoyed it. The welcoming by ushers was heartwarming. I will visit again,” said Siphiwe Ramalwa, of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth.
According to the iChurch team some visitors felt that the message by Pastor Jerome Liberty who spoke on the importance of wise counsel, was too short.
“Some said they were hungry for the word. It just shows you that there are people out there who are hungry for God, but need to be reached out to in a different way. That way is iChurch!” say the team.
“We at iChurch would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all who came to witness history being made. God’s word has just entered a domain and territory. We invite you to walk this road and spread the word of God to a new millennium generation.
iChurch will continue to show at the Nu Metro (cinema 3), Boardwalk, every Sunday at 9am.
Wow praise the Lord for this innovative move from VMI. They are taking church to another level.