As technology continued to make great strides over the past decade, it was only inevitable that churches would move some of their resources to the Internet.
The Internet provides relatively low overhead and can provide access to information on a worldwide basis. It makes sense that churches would start to put their church services online for the world to see. It's a great medium to spread the word.
Over the past couple of years, a new development has popped up involving the church and the Internet. It's online church. Lifechurch.tv is probably the best example of online church done the right way. They have scheduled times during the week that they repeat the weekend services. Those services are complete with worship music and the message.
When the service is airing, the church's live website carries a live chat board and interactive features that are timed to change as the service moves along. There are also notes you can print out and use. Lifechurch has gone out of its way to make online church as much of a community as possible. They even have a campus pastor designated to minister to online attendees.
As we think about the future of the church, we should include online church into the discussion. At some point, I expect we will see a rise in the number of churches offering ministry services online. But, at some point, I believe we will begin to see churches that are exclusively online. They will have no building. They will not meet corporately in one place.
Instead, they will meet online as a group for weekly services. But, I am a believer in face-to-face interaction, and think that these online churches will work to create small groups in many different communities that will meet to either watch the services, or do small group studies and communion.
What do you think? Is there a future in Christianity for online church?
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