I’m on board with livestreaming Sunday worship until I’m not.
It was only a few years ago we had to convince churches to give it a shot. That it might be useful in nurturing the connection of a church.
A lot of churches today would probably do well getting rid of their Sunday livestream. Not every church, mind you. Some do well at using the tool to connect with people. Some are following a fad when they go live and hope for the best. That doesn’t align with one of the most important things in ministry. And that is being intentional.
So, here’s why I’m bring this up with you today. Knowing that taking care of our congregation is more than livestreaming, I’m worried about two people.
The first is the long-time member who can’t get to Sunday worship anymore. How can we connect with them without livestreaming? That’s the question churches seem to be asking all of a sudden. Well, what about in all the ways we did for 2,020 years? Most churches put up a livestream and assume that member watches and engages. Let’s assume they do. Then what? I fear we may be letting that member down in nurturing real connection to the church. As if to say, we’re livestreaming. What more could we possibly do?
I also worry about the young child. She sits with her family, perhaps, to watch church on TV. I’m glad to have that opportunity. What happens, though, when the family doesn’t sit with the rest of the congregation after a while? Does church become something else you watch on a device? Are we emphasizing to that young child worship is not something in which you participate? That’s it’s another thing to consume? What kind of connection will that young soul have with the church if that’s all we’ve taught her?
If livestreaming is an intentional tool for your church, great! Keep connecting. If it’s merely a hope and a prayer, we might be letting our people down. Let’s be intentional about nurturing true connections as the body of Christ.
Stay blessed…john
