Pros for internet church

1. Takes the Gospel to places where it is difficult to go physically

Can you imagine living in a place where it is illegal to meet with other Christians? How much easier would it be to meet with the same Christians with anonymity and safety? There are other places in the world where geography may be too harsh or the population to sparse to justify building a church or coming together in person weekly. By harnessing the power of the internet, we can overcome these obstacles.

2. Reaches people who can’t or won’t enter a church building

Some people have been so hurt by a church split or bad experience that they won’t set foot in a church building. Others may have health issues that preclude them from participating in traditional church services. 

I came across a beautiful example of internet church on a forum:

“A few weeks ago I was able to attend [online church] with my father and mother. They were 950 miles physically away from where I was but we were able to share a common experience and talk about the message together. Very cool.

My father has cancer so not only was it timely, but I don’t know how many more times I will be able to attend church with my parents. It was priceless.“

3. Provides an easy, anonymous way for nonbelievers to investigate Christianity

Let’s face it: going to church takes effort. You may have to wake up early instead of sleeping in. You have to pay for gas to drive there. You may be late for the football game kickoff. For someone who has never experienced Christ’s transforming love, this can be a major pain in the butt. Internet church inherently requires less action to attend, so it can reach a broader audience.

Why not ease the burden for the person who is still curious? Why not let them click a few buttons to check out the pastor’s sermon, see what the worship music is like, and learn more about Christ? If there is not something essential to meeting together in person, we should ease the burden on nonbelievers.

It reminds me of Paul’s talk with the other leaders in the early church about circumcision. The leaders tried to insist the non-Jews be circumcised. Paul adamantly opposed this. If it was not necessary for the non-Jews’ salvation and growth, then it should not be imposed on them! In the same way, if meeting together is now just a preference because of new technology, we should provide an alternative.

Cons against internet church

1. Can’t follow sacraments like water baptism or communion

Jesus gave us clear instructions in the Bible of certain things we were supposed to do when we come together. For people who have surrendered their lives to God, they are supposed to be water baptized. Jesus also told us to partake in communion when we come together. This is virtually impossible online (pun intended).

2. Promotes a “consumer-culture, celebrity” church

Critics of online church claim it tends to instill the belief in people’s minds that church is just about a worship band and watching preaching, when the reality is that it is about a community of believers coming together for discipleship. The critics assert that cyber-church is the logical next step of the celebrity and consumer culture of America, and it represents a threat to the overall maturity of the Body of Christ. Some pastors have become pseudo-celebrities and begun to franchise themselves and their “brand” around the nation. People pick their church based on who is the pastor rather than where God has called them to serve.

Pastor Bob Hyatt says it well: “The problem with this church model is not that it isn’t church—it’s that it is just 'church' enough to be dangerous. What this almost-church does is park people in a cul-de-sac where they have access to the easiest and most instantly satisfying parts of church while exempting them from the harder and more demanding parts of community.”

3. Difficult to practice church discipline or accountability

I’m not really sure how an online pastor would know an online parishioner well enough to give a reference to be a missions trip leader. I have no idea how a cyber-pastor would counsel a couple when a spouse has been unfaithful. These real-life situations seem problematic when someone’s entire church experience is online. Because of the nature of internet relationships, only what people choose to reveal will ever be known.

4. Internet church cannot provide authentic community

The biggest argument against internet church is that it does not provide a true alternative for the community cultivated by physically coming together with other Christians. If listening to quality worship music and preaching were the only point to church, then internet church would be the best medium available. But it’s not about that; it’s about community. I can watch the same video stream as you, eat the same crackers and grape juice as you, but still not experience authentic community with you the way I can when we sit next to each other.

I have grown up using instant messaging, facebook, twitter, and skype, and there simply is no substitute to actually interacting with a real, live person. I have lots of facebook friends, but I’ve never met anyone on facebook that I would consider a close friend. I’ve known people who got married after meeting online, but can you imagine them getting married without meeting in person first to develop deeper relationships?

Internet church supporter Doug Estes says, “All this time I thought that church—and real, biblical community—had nothing to do with where a church meets. Isn’t church supposed to be about people in communion with God rather than the building?” But critics of internet church say that it is not important where a church meets—it’s that it meets. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.”

Part of the significance of real-life community is that it isn’t always fun. You are stretched to talk to people you don’t want to. You have to listen to someone’s feelings that you could care less about. You have to vacuum floors that you’d rather not clean. But you learn and grow through all of these experiences.

Another issue is that it is very difficult to meet the physical needs that real-life community can. For example, who is going to show up at the hospital with you from your internet church? Who will make you a few meals when a family member passes away?

Another important part of church is becoming a leader to influence others. How does one become a leader in an internet church? Is it being made a moderator of the chat room?

A forum participant pened his experience with an internet church:

“I happened to watch church online yesterday for the first time. I use the term 'watch' because I can’t really say that I participated…I’m very into social media - twitter, facebook, youtube, flickr, etc. but I didn’t feel any connection to anyone else the entire time. Maybe the chat feature would have given me that, but then I don’t really sit and chat to my friends during services at church offline, so I don’t see how that would be appropriate online."

So who's right? 

What’s my take? At this point, I think internet church is best used as a tool for evangelism. I pray it funnels people to churches who would ordinarily never go to church.

The real question is, “Does online church reach people who won’t step foot in a church building, or does it encourage people to stay home and not enter into a community?” Maybe someday technology will reach a new level where authentic community can exist online, but I think it’s lacking right now.

But what do you think? Drop and line and comment! I’m interested in your thoughts.