Slow TV

It should be ridiculously boring, and Slow TV, from the Norwegian public television station NRK, is. Slow TV programs include a train journey for 7 hours. Wood burning in a fireplace for 5 hours. Salmon fishing for 18 hours (the first catch occurs 3 hours in). Nine hours of knitting.

Slow TV programs have no script, no storyline, no resolution, and because this is public television, no commercials. Based on the duration of the programs, there should be no viewers either. Yet, Slow TV programs have attracted millions of devoted followers worldwide.

Thomas Hellum, a producer of Slow TV, spoke about its appeal during a TED Talk. He explained, the longer a scene holds, the more engaged the viewer becomes. For example, during the live broadcast of a continuous 134-hour ferry ride, cameras focused on a cow walking along the shoreline for a seemingly excruciating 10 minutes.

Then questions formulate. Why is the cow by itself? Where is the farmer? What will happen when it gets to that fence? When viewers engage on that level, they move from being a consumer to becoming part of the story, which can only happen if they have time to process what they are seeing. For example, I’m sure you didn’t just blow past the picture above; you saw the cow … right?

When reading the Bible, I find myself skimming over the familiar stories, like:

Jonah – big fish, Nineveh. Got it.

Parting the Red Sea – Israelites made it, Egyptians didn’t. Check.

Jesus walks on water – Peter almost drowns, Jesus saves him. Roger that.

After hearing and reading these types of stories for years, I gloss over them, which makes me just a consumer.

Yet, taking the time to slowly read and mull over Scripture reveals new details, opens new avenues of engagement, and gets me asking questions, like:

Jonah yearned for vengeance, not mercy – am I that different toward people I don’t like (Jonah 4:1-3)?

What would it have been like to “be still” as the Egyptian army bears down on you (Exodus 14:14)?

Interesting that “Jesus made the disciples get into the boat” (Matthew 14:22, emphasis added) that would be battered by waves and wind.

When we take the time to process the Word intently, we move from just consuming Scripture to experiencing it for ourselves. We get motivated to engage with those around us and become a deeper part of God’s story.

James implores us all to “prove yourselves doers of the Word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the Word but fail to internalize its meaning]” (James 1:22, AMP).

How will you slow down to engage with God’s Word?