I laughed hard at this video clip, but it did get me to thinking about the new craze of internet worship services. I am thankful for the internet and for the opportunities to share the gospel this way, just the same way that many churches (including ours) are able to use television to share the good news. But, we should always ask questions.
With the rise of social media, many people find their entire sense of community online and some churches are cashing in on this, making it possible for people to “attend” church online and be a part of an online community. Of course, the major hang up is that with this kind of “community” there is no accountability and anonymity is prized (which leads me to wonder if it is even real community, but that is for another day). The church of Christ is to be a community of accountable believers.
We should use all the technology in the world to spread the gospel, but we should also be self-critical at the same time. We do not want to create church communities that do not meet the biblical requirements of the true church and in so doing give “attenders” (or watchers) the false sense of belonging. Television and internet worship services are great for people who cannot attend church because of a physical disability, however, for able-bodied people, TV and the Internet should be a bridge to bring them into the church, not a place to remain forever.
