PHOTOJOURNALISM AND CHURCH PLANTING: The Strength of Images and Storytelling in Planting Churches

Abstract

Photojournalism might not be the first thing a person thinks about when the topic is church planting. In fact these two subjects, although capable of working together, seem to have different ends in mind. Photojournalism aims to capture a specific moment or several moments through which a story is told. Transcending photography, photojournalism captures images not simply for documentation, but for relating what is happening in a particular moment, for telling a story. At first glance, it may be difficult to connect this form of media to church planting. Though these two fields may seem to be divergent, photojournalism has the potential to empower those involved with church planting to reach new people(s) and access new areas where before it may not have been possible.  Ultimately, Christian photojournalists have the opportunity to aid in the work of church planting through its interaction with unreached people(s) and the broad telling of their story in the context of God’s overarching grand-narrative of Scripture.