Virtual Church

Yesterday I sat with a parishioner who is aiming to complete his master’s degree on line. His questions revolved around the best distance education programs available, and whether he should transfer from one “online campus” to another. It is all part of living in an age that is going more and more virtual. I called this morning to discuss reward miles, virtually, for it took forever to speak with a live person. My kids (adult children I should clarify) are part of a generation that seem to spend less and less of their time with real people, and more and more of their time—and resources—in virtual worlds. They talk back and forth with characters on a screen as if they are real, almost more real than those flesh and blood persons who might be in the room. How amazing is it that more and more are logging into three dimensional virtual worlds created by its residents, customizing characters that give people second identities? That might even replace themselves!

But it is in the world of education and the church, where I have invested much of my life, that virtual reality is getting my attention. Technology has brought us to the day where more and more churches are expanding, not by mentoring future leaders to shepherd growing churches, but by setting up video venues to bring great preaching to someone in your neighborhood. It’s nothing really new. Since the advent of radio and TV, a certain amount of ministry has been virtual. But today, you begin to wonder how far into unreality we are willing to go. Maybe you have heard of Second Life, just one of several websites, where users control their avatars, who communicate with one another in a virtual church setting. The promo is that now people can be more connected than ever! But is this really true? 

I wonder what is being lost. Have we lost our understanding of who is man, and what he was created to be, how he was created to relate? Are we sacrificing true ecclesiology on the altar of technology? We discussed this today over faculty lunch. What is missing when a student chooses to do education via distance, versus engaging with a professor in the same room? What are we losing when a pastor is no longer flesh and blood, but an image on the screen? Some might say that in a church of 3000+, where technology enables people to see their pastor up front, on a screen, that it is no different. But is this true? It causes me to wonder how real am I to people in a church of 1700?

I’m aware of some of the gains. Convenience and financial costs make online education attractive. No need to uproot. In the case of church, virtual church has its economic advantages. More satellite campuses, more sites, more impact. Some see it as a solution for dying churches. Just enhance the technological capability, and you too can experience dynamic preaching. But do the advantages outweigh the costs? Are we creating entertainment venues, or houses of worship? Are we creating worship characterized by response to God’s revelation, or response to personalities? For an emerging generation, hungering for authenticity and community, is this really going the wrong direction?

When I reflect on my days as a student on a seminary campus, I remember one morning a professor asked me to stay after class. He was a pretty demanding teacher, and I feared I had screwed up somewhere in his course. When all of the students left, he asked me to come closer to his desk. Note I said—“closer”. In that moment, he asked how I was doing. I started to say okay, but he knew, and he asked again, “No I mean, how are you really doing?” He had discovered something few knew at the time, that a girl that I had fallen in love with had just broken off the engagement. I can’t really remember what he said that day—I just remember that that moment made a significant impact on my life—more than any e-mail I’ve ever received. And to this day, when this retired prof comes around campus, while I have long since forgotten a lot of the history he taught, I remember this, that being in that class room was far better than sitting in front of a screen. I would like to think that this is the way it should be in the church.

Comments

[Sarah Prunk]

Hi Pastor John,

You don't really know me, but my name is Sarah and I grew up at Village, was very involved in the youth ministries, even was married at Village, but pretty much since you have been head pastor - I have lived in different cities or states not allowing me to worship there very often. However, my husband and I still consider Village our home church and hope to live near Beaverton soon in order to attend again.

Anyway, I just read your post and although I do absolutely agree with your points, I wanted to also respond with a different view. You see, currently I am getting my masters program online. I was incredibly skeptical of this prior to enrollment for exactly the reasons you outlined in your blog, however I have found it to be wonderful. Perhaps my program is unique, but I have found myself more interactive with students and professors in this program than I was in many of my "on-site" courses during my undergraduate degree. Nothing can replace face-to-face conversations, but I do think that as our culture changes to more of a "virtual reality" that many people are trying to keep the personal aspect alive and well. I even had professors and facilitators offer to call in order to discuss questions that may arise in the class.

More importantly, the change regarding the "virtual church" has been a huge blessing in my husband and my life just this week! We are currently living across the country and have had a very difficult time finding a church that preaches the Word accurately and with relevance. We finally found a church (after trying 5) that we love the small groups and sunday school, but the thing that turns us off from the church is actually the pastor and his preaching. This has made things very, very difficult! It is biblically accurate, but not it doesn't seem inspired or relavant at all. Anyway, we have prayed for months about this and just this week - God answered our prayers when I realized that we can listen to your sermons online. We have started your 1st Corinthians series and are so excited to finally be fed spiritually from a pastor again. We still go to the church for fellowship and worship, but we now include your sermon in addition. I can't tell you what a huge blessing this "virtual church" has been in our lives. :)

Sorry this post was so long, I just wanted to let you know that although there can never be a replacement for face-to-face contact, God is using modern day technology to bless people's lives and bring them closer to Him. I am proof of that! :)

[Randy Ehle]

So much in John's thoughtful post, but really three different topics: virtual church in a virtual world (e.g. Second Life), multi-site churches with video preaching, distance education. These three are certainly related in their reliance on technology as a means of communication and connection, but I suggest that they have different issues, concerns, questions, and answers.

The whole virtual world thing is a tempting escapism...but might there not be a way for the real church to minister in real ways to the real people who are hiding behind their virtual selves? Maybe a virtual pastor in a virtual church in a virtual world is the way to do that. Dangers? Sure, but probably not more than the danger Jesus put himself in when touching the arm of the prostitute or the leper.

Video churches also have their drawbacks, but I'm not sure that simply choosing that avenue necessarily means that a church is focusing on a personality and not on mentoring future leaders. Some video-venues are actually "pastored" by a "campus pastor" who maintains day-to-day contact with his congregation, even if the main preaching is viewed on a screen. I'm not a big proponent of this model, but I'm not going to write it off simply because of the technology.

Distance education, too, has drawbacks, but one of the great advantages is that it opens up learning opportunities for many people who would otherwise never be able to attend a class. I believe that today a much larger percentage of seminary students are older, married, and have full-time jobs (and not in ministry) than was true 30 years ago. In spite of the disadvantages inherent in distance education, I think they are far outweighed by the advantage of access.

Thanks, John, for helping us think about the realities and challenges of ministry in these disjointed, divergent "communities" in which we live.

[JD]

All good points in this post. Virtual church has its few good moments. Some even speak of coming to Christ by attending church online. However, the problem in that is they may have trouble finding fellowship with believers in person. The personal connection is created face-to-face. Being part of the whole gaming/online/iPod generation I know that online is cool but nothing can replace face-to-face. Personal connection is through that, not through the internet or gaming (but hey it is fun to play with real people, or at least... their alter egos, I'm a night elf ranger).

[cn]

What happened with the girl?