The potential of church online and why churches might miss out
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Lockdown life has been a transformational time for our church community. Initially when we entered into lockdown, we had to put our heads down and just figure out what it meant to be a church online. Before lockdown our theological framework for being ‘church’ was based around the physical gathering of people. Lockdown life has forced us to reexamine how the church gathers. We can now see that there is space for a church community to grow as disciples and community through a blend of online and in person gatherings.
We could view Covid as a time of waiting until we return to normal. Or we can see lockdown as an opportunity to innovate and reimagine how our churches can better love and lead people to Jesus.
The internet is the ‘new Roman road’. The Roman road system was key to the spread of the gospel all over the known world at the time of the first christian movement. Through the Roman road system the apostles were able to connect, communicate and build communities of disciples. The internet is a place of connection. Social media is booming because people long for connection. Social media is more than a place to connect. It has developed into a place where people build platforms to communicate and build community.
The first place we can start is by looking at how we view our church websites. Is our church website a sign that points people to a building where real church happens or is it a safe place where people can connect and can find community? Can our church website be a place where we can communicate the message of Jesus and then create space for people to ask questions and find answers? Can our websites be a place where people can ‘be church’?
If we look at the world around us, we see that the high street is dying. Yet we also see that online shops are flourishing. Growing brands have figured out how to do both online and in person. Very often, companies are now based online and their physical stores are places of experience and community where people can connect and ask questions. In fact companies across the UK are closing their offices, and staff are now working online and from home. There is a new normal developing and the church is called to be on the frontline to meet people in their need. The new frontline of evangelism is no longer just on the streets. It is on peoples phones as they sit at home.
I believe that the gospel doesn’t change, but our methods in reaching people can change. I believe we are in a time of historic change. The internet is moving from being a place where we look up information to the it being the place where we do life. Shopping, banking, work, education, entertainment and socialising now happen online for most people. Online is the new high street. We are in a shift the size of the industrial revolution. I believe Covid has only sped up what has already been happening in the last few years. I believe Covid has given the church space to stop and open our eyes to the shift taking place in society.
The vision of OpenWell church is to lead people in their next step in loving and living like Jesus. We are in the process of mapping out a journey of steps that people can take to connect with our church online and grow in knowing the love of God and the person of Jesus.
Imagine someone sitting on a sofa in a flat in the middle of Toxteth in Liverpool. They scroll through TikTok and see a short gospel message about God’s love. They swipe through and see more videos. The Holy Spirit begins to work in their heart and they want to know more. They click on the link in the bio and visit the OpenWell church website and see the gospel message on the homepage. They pray and turn from sin and put their trust in Jesus. They download the Bible app as recommended on the OpenWell website. They fill out the connection form and begin a conversation where they receive prayer and further support. They join up for an Alpha course and start watching church online. After six months this person is a thriving christian plugged into the life of the church both online and in person.
Our goal is that our online presence is a place of connection, community and content. Will we go back to meeting in person?? Yes of course. But we believe that moving forward, churches need to develop a plan that is both online and in person. These spaces can work well together with the single goal of helping lead people to take their next step to love and live like Jesus.
Some people will continue to see in person services as their place to connect with church and for them our online resources will support their journey. Some people will see online church as the primary place where they connect with the church and our physical services will support their journey. Our goal is to help everyone take their next step to live and love like Jesus.
We have to make sure that moving forward, we don’t make our physical services ‘the main thing’ and in the process make online church members feel second class.
We have made lots of mistakes and we are still growing and learning, but we feel excited that God is positioning his church for the next 20 years.
