Internet Church

[Thoughtful Monk]

I'll concede up front that there will always be shut-ins and long-distance members who will benefit from their church broadcasting their services on the Internet. However, now that Covid is winding down, is it time for churches to start working to get their people to return to the pews and more actively "recruiting" new members? I'm thinking not only encouragement during the Sunday service, but some form of outreach during the week to get the members to return.

There aren't a lot of studies out yet but what I have seen (mostly related to work meetings) indicates that Internet participation is less effective than in-person participation. Over the next couple of years, I think a church's ability to get members back into the pews will be the difference between the church staying open and closing.

[Cow Poke]

I'd say the vast majority of our people have returned to "in service" worship, along with a number of new families.

We're running about 40% higher on Sunday Morning than before COVID.

The best argument I give is that God (The Spirit) gifts every Christian with a spiritual gift (or more than one) to benefit the body - not the individual.
If you're not present in the body, you're cheating the rest of us out of your giftedness.

[rogue06]

I'd say the vast majority of our people have returned to "in service" worship, along with a number of new families.

We're running about 40% higher on Sunday Morning than before COVID.

The best argument I give is that God (The Spirit) gifts every Christian with a spiritual gift (or more than one) to benefit the body - not the individual.
If you're not present in the body, you're cheating the rest of us out of your giftedness.

Hmm. Interesting thought.

[Thoughtful Monk]

I'd say the vast majority of our people have returned to "in service" worship, along with a number of new families.

We're running about 40% higher on Sunday Morning than before COVID.

The best argument I give is that God (The Spirit) gifts every Christian with a spiritual gift (or more than one) to benefit the body - not the individual.
If you're not present in the body, you're cheating the rest of us out of your giftedness.

I remember you saying how your church grew during Covid. I suggest you're an outlier among churches. The church I'm going to is about 40% down from pre-Covid.

I agree with your comment about being present in the body.

[Cow Poke]

I remember you saying how your church grew during Covid. I suggest you're an outlier among churches. The church I'm going to is about 40% down from pre-Covid.

I agree with your comment about being present in the body.

Actually, I always ask people what drew then to our Church, and over and over, there seems to be a weariness of the "show business" aspect of so many churches.

They want "meat and potatoes", and not so much cotton candy and ice cream as the main course.

[Thoughtful Monk]

Actually, I always ask people what drew then to our Church, and over and over, there seems to be a weariness of the "show business" aspect of so many churches.

They want "meat and potatoes", and not so much cotton candy and ice cream as the main course.

That is interesting. Especially as the church I'm currently going to seems to be trying to maintain a "show business" approach. Fortunately for me, there is enough other stuff going on that the "show business" is tolerable.

I've come to the realization that coming out of Covid is going to be harder than going through Covid. A lot is changing or going to change. I'm trying to see where the shifts are going to be. Here's some thoughts.

• The majority of people for whom church was a habit are gone.
• Churches will find the number of viewers on streamed services will slowly decline as even that becomes too much effort for people to attend.
• There seems to be a general trend out there that more liberal churches have lost their reason for existence and will fade away.
• Many small churches will close. Unfortunately, this inflation we're in may prove the financial straw that breaks their back.
• Megachurches will shrink. A couple in my area have closed some of their satellite campuses.

Not sure what it all means. It does seem that there will be many churches closing and the number of Christians in the US declining. As I said somewhere else recently, the Bible is clear that we should proclaim the Gospel. The Bible leaves the how up to us. I not sure how much of the "how" of the last 50 or so years is going to remain.

[Cow Poke]

That is interesting. Especially as the church I'm currently going to seems to be trying to maintain a "show business" approach. Fortunately for me, there is enough other stuff going on that the "show business" is tolerable.

I've come to the realization that coming out of Covid is going to be harder than going through Covid. A lot is changing or going to change. I'm trying to see where the shifts are going to be. Here's some thoughts.

• The majority of people for whom church was a habit are gone.
• Churches will find the number of viewers on streamed services will slowly decline as even that becomes too much effort for people to attend.
• There seems to be a general trend out there that more liberal churches have lost their reason for existence and will fade away.
• Many small churches will close. Unfortunately, this inflation we're in may prove the financial straw that breaks their back.
• Megachurches will shrink. A couple in my area have closed some of their satellite campuses.

Not sure what it all means. It does seem that there will be many churches closing and the number of Christians in the US declining. As I said somewhere else recently, the Bible is clear that we should proclaim the Gospel. The Bible leaves the how up to us. I not sure how much of the "how" of the last 50 or so years is going to remain.

The Church I Pastor used to run 250-300 on a Sunday Morning.
Then that Pastor retired.
They got a new Pastor, a younger guy just out of Seminary.
He decided they needed to go the "showbusiness" approach - full tilt, no hymns, no "preaching the Bible", "rock band" instead of choir...

He managed to grow the Church from 250-300 down to about 15-17.
He managed to run off nearly all of the older people, and gained ZERO younger people.

Fortunately, I followed him, not the guy who retired.
Right now, I'm working with 17 people who are interested in joining our Church.
I'll be having a meeting with them next Wednesday for a Q&A, but that will be in addition to the 60-80 regularly in Church.

Again, they're looking for "meat and potatoes".