Your Thoughts on Virtual Church?
Jan 14, 2010 
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Christianity Today recently published an article entitled Church … Virtually. I recommend that church leaders (and anyone interested in the debate) take 15 minutes and read it. A lot of the big names are commenting on online worship experiences. Its a good read and poses questions that all of The Church will be seeking to answer over the next few years as we move deeper into the digital age.
I find that I agree with Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church when he says, “virtual church can be a worthwhile ministry of a church, but cannot be the fullness of the church.” (page 3 of the article). Along those same lines I agree with Brandon Buckner’s statement:
“The internet campus is not an end, but a means to the physical campus. There is real value that comes from being a part of virtual community, but it’s not a replacement for the church. We think it’s great for people who cannot be in attendance for whatever reason, but we would not be pleased if someone only worshiped in the virtual world. We want them finding community online and also coming to church and connecting in the real world.”
Bobby Gruenewald of LifeChurch.tv and several others in the article would disagree with those statements. To say the least, its something that church leaders must think about. I can promise you that this type of debate is far from resolved and will surface more and more in the coming years.
Again, read the article when you have time. Note that there are 5 pages and you’ll need to click forward.
Here’s the link again in case you missed it above.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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It is a new concept that I would embrace gladly being that I am a Christian and have not been able to find a church for various reasons. I think that a virtual church would be better than no church at all.
Thanks for commenting Cecilia.
Great post! I agree with the statement that the virtual world is not an end. We have nearly 100 computers tune in to our services on a weekly basis. Many of them are business men and women in the church who travel, and some are people who have relocated to another state. It's an excellent avenue to promote your church as well. Some visitors may not feel comfortable being in a service with demonstrative worship, and would like to see it before they're actually in the atmosphere.
From a Biblical standpoint, I am completely on the side of teaching community. All over the New Testament it is said that the believers "met" in a place and worshiped together. We need the support of others and we need to lend support to those in need. You can't get either from a computer screen!
Welcome to the blog. Thanks for the feedback. I actually oversee the Internet Campus at my church and I love the connections we've been able to establish through technology.
The debate in all of this is whether or not online community is "real community".
This makes some of the same points I made here…
http://jeffholton.com/examiner/internet_church/
…but it does it more tenderly. Thank you!
The main concern I have with such entities (setting aside the benefits they offer for a moment) is that they defy the incarnational nature of Church. Church actualizes faith, and the paradigm for that is in the actualization of God in humanity, that is, the incarnation of Christ. Christ didn't come to us in an email.
You mean Christ has never spoken to you in one of those email forwards?
Whaa…? Has he been speaking to you in them? He must be changing his M.O. in his old age. Erhm…I mean…
[This is where you start mumbling under your breath, "%#%@$#n Fuller grads..."]
Seriously, my heart goes out to the poor Nigerians whose lives depend on me falling for their scam campaigns. Yeah.
Very interesting read and I'd tend to agree with Buckner as well. Like everything else, I think there's a delicate balance here. The 'church experience' is not all about the preaching or the worship time, but it's also about fellowship with other believers.
Personally, I have no problem with Virtual Church, I love the idea, I just think it's important that there be accountability and an avenue for people to actually (not just virtually) connect with others and share their experiences/life. I think a virtual church is best in a small group scenario, possibly in a town/country with no solid church leadership.
I like what you said here: "I just think it's important that there be accountability and an avenue for people to actually (not just virtually) connect with others and share their experiences/life."
I love when relationships that start online move offline.
"Virtual church" is an oxymoron. That's like saying gay marriage. It doesn't jive. The word "church" (Strong's G1577) comes from the word "ekklēsia". The word means "assembly". You cannot assemble virtually in different locations.
That said, I don't have a problem with people that want to check out someone else's meeting online or catch a meeting that you are missing from your local church (I watch the IHOP Prayer Room or iBethel.tv all the time). But it is not the "church" and there is no substitute for the real thing.
thanks for sharing… busted out the Strong's and all.
I have a love/hate relationship with technology, and that extends to internet church as well. I love the possibilities that technology and internet church open up! I think internet community IS real community. But at the end of the day, there are just some things that can't be done virtually. You cannot hug someone. You cannot lay hands on them and pray. Those kinds of things are missed. And though they are not a requirement for worship or for community, they are certainly enriching. There's a lot to gain from internet church…but it could also be a pretty disembodied experience.
God bless in your leadership!
Thanks Dana. Glad to see you around.
I am eternally grateful for virtual church, and Brandon Buckner's statement “The internet campus is not an end, but a means to the physical campus" describes my situation perfectly. I did not grow up attending church. By the time I was an adult, though I had an interest in getting to know God and growing spiritually, I had developed a fear of the unknown. I was truly afraid to attend a service because what happened behind those doors was unknown to me. It was through watching services online that I was able to learn and acquire a comfort level where I was confident in going to a real live service. Since that time (about 9 months ago), a attend church services every weekend unless I am unable to do so because of work. Then, I go online to catch up on what I missed.
Right on. Thanks for sharing. A great way of leveraging technology.
I agree that it’s not the end all. It’s a great addition to churches though. I just feel bad for people who fall in love with an online church and never connect with anybody in the flesh. Who do they turn to when they have a crisis and their virtual church is 1000 miles away?