The perceived and performed religious identity of the block church is Christianity. This can be identified from various aspects on their website and Facebook page. Through pictures, videos, posts, and categories on their website it is clear of the block churches performed religious identity.
The block church communicates their religious identity through their digital media design and features. The block church website is designed so that upon entering the website the background picture is of a man being baptized with a group of people surrounding him with their music group on the back. The words covering the photo is “The block church” in all caps with the saying “Reviving our city, one block at a time” in all caps below it. This design communicates the importance of baptism to the community. I think it is unique that the picture is in black and white. I think this was done strategically because having this picture in color would allow for distractions.
Another design featured on the block church’s website is in their experience section there is an area called “what to expect” (Singing, baptisms, dedications, offering, preaching, communion, and connecting). What is cool about this is under each category is a detailed description of what to expect and beside that is bible verses that you can click and it will take you to the verse through the website, biblestudytools.com. The bible verses pertain to the category they are beside to emphasize why you can expect that at the block church. Similarly, this emphasizes their religious identity to be Christianity by putting emphasis on the bible verses.
The block church’s mission statement is to plan to plant churches and locations, hope to develop leaders for the marketplace, work to bless neighborhoods, and to give and serve to help the helpless” and they plan to do this by advocating that they area “spirit-led, gospel-centered community, seeking a move of God. The Block is a place where social, economic, religious, and political walls are torn down. Together we make up One Block, One People, One Body." Throughout the website the block church communicates their values, beliefs, practices, and what is important to them.
The aspects online that best communicate their mission is their services (the block church offers multiple links visit one of their organizations in several areas), their pictures (throughout their website is multiple pictures of their community happily engaging in various activities), and their emphasis on baptism as well as bible verses. It is clear through the block church’s website and Facebook page that they see and understand digital media to be helpful in spreading the word about their community as well as keeping everyone up to date about their community, events, updates, etc.
Good review of your findings. You could state more explicitly what the you see as the church's presented religious identity. Also please provide more reflection on the groups view of media as presented through their digital media usage and provide concrete examples to back up these claims.
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