Online Church: It’s Catching On…But Should It?
- 11.19.09
- Church, Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
- 19 Comments
Ever heard of LifeChurch.tv? It’s an Oklahoma-based cyber-church that offers online church services to people all over the country and the world. Craig Groeschel is the senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, and under his leadership, it has become one of the country’s biggest multi-campus churches.
There are over fifty weekend worship experiences at thirteen different locations throughout the United States – all watching the same thing via satellite. And, if there’s not a campus near you, then you’re invited to join them at their “Internet Campus.”
“We were blown away at how people could actually worship along [online],” says Groeschel. “The whole family will gather around the computer, and they’ll sing and they’ll worship together. Instead of trying to get people to come to a church, we feel like we can take a church to them.” (cnn.com, 11/15/09)
The concept of worshiping online and joining a “virtual” church is starting to catch on…but should it?
LifeChurch.tv has a large Internet following, but it’s not the only church that invites people to have their church experience over the Internet. The Internet campus of the Flamingo Road Church in Cooper City, Florida, pulls in more than 2,000 congregants from around the world during its Sunday services. And some online churches go so far as to offer traditional sacraments like communion “virtually,” asking viewers to grab grape juice and a cracker from the fridge and take communion in front of their computer screen with other internet followers.
I’m not that old (not even 40…yet), but this is a hard concept for me to embrace. I’m all for making church as culturally relevant and appealing as possible (to a point obviously), but the idea of calling an online experience “church” and telling people that physically gathering together for worship is not necessary seems a bit over the top for me.
What are your thoughts? How do you think the Internet should be utilized when it comes to the church? Am I showing my age and lack of cultural relevance by struggling with the concept of online church, or is my struggle valid? What say you?
Maybe then I could get away with drinking the WHOLE glass of wine instead of just that little shot glass of grape juice. Just Kidding. I love your blog, Mike. Hope you are well.
Michele…that’s funny. I’m still laughing! I suppose many people may be tempted to do the same! Not to mention eating the entire sleeve of crackers…
Internet church…I think it is really missing the human touch that we as humans were created to need. In Genesis it says that it is not good for man to be alone. In Hebrews we are admonished to not give up in meeting together. In James we are encouraged to be transparent with each other and pray for each other when we are in trouble, or if we are sick, to confess our sins to each other and rejoice together. True transparency is lacking when we are not face to face. Can you imagine how empty it would be to have “Internet Family”?
I think our culture is high on communication but low on community. Facebook and other social networking sites are indicative of this…we have sound bite insight into one another’s lives. We are willing and even addicted to daily updating our “friends” with the mundane and sometimes personal happenings of our lives without really getting at the core of our struggles and doubts. This kind of communication, if it never gets beyond this, is not truly communication, and it is not anything near the kind of community to which Christ calls us.
I do not find it surprising at all that people gather around their “personal” computer screens in their private homes to worship…it sounds appealing to me. This removes any need to greet people I don’t know, forgive those I don’t like, confront those in need, and to have these things done to me…plus I can stay in my pajamas!
Fortunately for us and for the world, Jesus does not call us to comfort, but to community. He does not call us to solitude (at least for prolonged periods) but to service. He does not call us to laziness, but to love…love for him and OTHERS.
I can think of a few beneficial “pros” in the midst of these “cons” to internet church…The elderly and infirmed have access to the happenings and life of the corporate worship service. But, again, if this is divorced from the active love of congregants stepping outside of themselves and personally going to the homes of those who are shut in, unable to attend, we are missing the point.
Another benefit to this medium of church could be our brothers and sisters in closed countries who are unable to gather together corporately. This is a way to expose believers in persecuted countries to encouragement and some form of fellowship. This can also be an outreach tool to the unreached in these countries. Who knows, perhaps, like the pax romana, the internet church age, is preparing the way for the gospel to continue to grow and expand in the midst of persecution…are we ready for persecution?
In addition to the pros listed, i’m willing to admit that God works through this form of church and that people are being brought into a life of eventual discipleship through hearing the gospel online. It could be kind of like a “gateway drug” into the “real” community accountability and fellowship that is offered through Jesus.
On second thought, perhaps the typical evangelical church in America does not offer genuine biblical community anyways. Perhaps the growth and success of internet churches is symptomatic of christian “churches” not really being communities and so internet church isn’t really too far a step away from what is offered.
I would personally miss the blessing of the encouragement that I get from friends like you and Michelle and the others we fellowship with. I learn so much from them and I appreciate their prayers and concern for me and my family. It would make Christianity so impersonal and not intimate and everything about the Lord is personal and intimate.
Two thoughts here…
1) Church, I believe, is meant to be a living organism… not an organization. This doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be organization. Jesus utilized organizational methods in handling people, sending out advance teams, and for training. He worked within and without the traditional organization (of synagogues) of that day. As the ministry grew people sought him out, instead of waiting for him to come to them.
2) The church is community and touch. Jesus was able to physically lay his hands on the sick, provide physical sustenance, and even hold the children. There was close, personal relationship. In the early church there was evidence of close community, not only in large gatherings, but in fellow believers having meals and fellowship together.
I believe the above elements… particularly “community”… are important in the development of believer and the preservation of the Christian walk.
In light of that, I wonder that those needs can be effectively met through online activities alone.
This isn’t church at all is it? Church is about people. Relationships. Demonstrating the love, kindness, grace, mercy, justice and forgiveness of God. Spurring one another on to love and good works. The gifts of the Spirit work in community as we meet together. One of the most beautiful phrases in the New Testament is “one another”. We learn from people in the heat and pressure of every day life. That’s discipling. Electronic networking avoids all the challenges and misses all the benefits of that. I can see the benefit for some people in particularly difficult situations but not where there’s a choice.
I agree that this is not church at all, but on the other hand it does provide safety against those who have not heeded the word of the Lord and still pass judgment on others. Whether this feeling is perceived or real it is still out there and may be one reason people are finding the internet church as a way to fulfill their spiritual need without the extra baggage of worrying what others may think or feel about them. Just my 2 cents. Great Blog Mike!
Mike, thanks for finding me on Twitter. Glad to read your blog. Elizabeth Jones at Ball State University has done a thesis on this exact topic. Pixilated stained glass : a fantasy theme analysis of online and face-to-face Christian community. Jones, Elizabeth B.
As a professor, I teach & promote the use of technology in the church, but would choose to be a luddite if it sacrifices community. Community can also be defined in the larger context that I get to see, hear some great preachers. TV church should not however be a substitute for the nitty gritty & lovin on each other life we are called to lead.
I hope I’m always just a little uncomfortable taking communion period, in view of who I am and who God is. So I probably would hesitate to do so with internet church. I thank God though that internet church exists because if it reaches one person who wouldn’t set foot in a church then praise God for that. I’ve attended a couple lifechurch.tv online services. I had a weekend where I couldn’t make it to church and was hungry for the chance to participate in a church service and lifechurch was a blessing. I think to only attend online services though would definitely leave me wanting face to face fellowship.
I think it has it’s place for certain circumstances.. maybe someone who is ill and can’t physically get to a church, or those in remote places that still have internet but no viable option for going to a church. I was in hospital for 3 months and it would have been nice to be able to “attend” a church service of some description while I was bed-ridden.
That said.. I don’t think it should ever replace going to a real church and connecting with real people.
- paul
I think this sounds great. I am so fed up with the drama of church. I’m not good enough for anyone there not matter what I do, so yeah…being anonymously online sounds great.
I’ll second Paul’s response. It could have it’s place for those who can’t go to church. Church is not the building where you sit or stand but the people you worship with.
Alan’s statement “high on communication low on community” rings true.
I think we begin to see a new kind of “homeless”, i.e. “comunity-less” sub-society.
Recently in Japan we have had several random killing events. A person of very typical appearance and background shows up at a crowded area and startes killing people.
After looking into the background of one of these young Japanese men they discovered that he had two cell phones. And since he had no friends that text him he would carry on a conversation with himself, texting from phone to phone. He is not the only one apparently who holds multiple cell phones.
My question is if God calls us to minister to the homeless, how do we reach out to the “community-less”. I do not see the internet church a good solution. It may provide a starting point to get into community (depending on their outreach to community,) but it does not appear missional to me. How does one reach through the camera and bring a meal, give them a hug, cry with those who are crying and laugh with those who are laughing???
People do scary things in front of their computer. I’m OK with Internet church.
It’s great for those who live in remote areas, those who are not well enough to attend church normally, and those who have been injured by a church and who might otherwise not attend church at all. But online church will always be inferior to real face-to-face contact, even though online community is much better than many of us are willing to admit.
Terry
@Matt – People do scary things in church to0
Terry
@Paul – I would have loved to have access to LifeChurch.tv when I was receiving treatment for cancer – ultimately a bone marrow transplant. Instead, I was forced to watch endless cooking shows. During that time fellowship was almost non-existant – but I did learn a few recipes!
Terry
I think its a great option for when you have a sick child at home, or if you yourself have poor health and can’t make it out. Its also a nice supplement if you can watch the services later after you’ve attended your own church, but it doesn’t replace going to church. It is not true fellowship with other believers.