Does Church Online Work?

One recent phenomenon that we're beginning to see at a few churches around the country is the use of the internet to broaden the church's reach to folks who might not be interested in physically stepping inside the doors of a church.  Now days, you can create a live streaming video of an entire worship service with professional quality camera work and audio, and at the same time operate within a chat room where people sharing the same experience can chat back and forth about the message and service, pray for each other, and even participate in an online small group later in the week.

I am not 100% sold on the experience.  I think time will tell how valuable of a service an online campus really is in helping people love God and people well.  I'm glad churches are trying it, but I continue to have trouble with the idea that a person could watch an online service, enter a chat-room, never meet a single person from my church face-to-face, but we would somehow be OK with that and not push them to experience "real" church.  On the other hand, I do truly believe in online community.  I think real community DOES happen through internet technology (blogs, twitter, facebook, etc.).  I suppose the question is whether or not "church community" can happen online where people are somehow loving God better, loving people better, and finding their way back to God.

Well, today, I came across this video that put another plus in the column for online community (if you're keeping score).  Check it out.

http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/2009/08/13/why-church-online/comment-page-1/#comment-165763

Comments

[Richard Kent Matthews]

With millions unchurched, online churching seems a great alternative. If you can get them to the URL on time, eventually you may get them to the church on time (as the song goes). Podcasting the service or portions thereof can be downloaded to iPods and such for later listening. Great to have during commuter times and study hall breaks. I say keep up the online churching. It can only lead to bigger and better stuff.

Blessings.