Creating Community in the Worship Space

I'm reading Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps for a course on digital media that I'm teaching in the fall. In it he illustrates the way in which the medium communicates by illustrating the effect that lighting has in a place of worship. The effect of dimming all the lights except those on stage communicates the importance of freedom and individual worship. It focuses the attention to the drama on stage and away from those who are worshipping together. While he is careful not to condemn this lighting set-up, he is quick to point out that if a congregation values the community of believers, the medium in the gathering place of the people communicates the opposite.

It is easy to preach "community" in a darkened room. In it no one need reveal any of the anguish that comes as part of life; everyone can live santimonious, holy lives. If we want to "be real" within the body of Christ we need to reflect that in the spaces that we worship. And that needs to translate into more than just the lighting, but in the order of the service and in the layout of the space. But be warned - people are uncomfortable with true community and will flock to places where they can anonimously worship God in the freedom of their choosing.