Church Online isn't About Technology, It's About Relationships

Let's be honest. Today's American church has a problem. It's very easy for us to create "consumers of content"... but God didn't call us to create consumers... He called us to make disciples. However (this is where an introspective, humble heart comes into play) our churches today are great at producing services... experiences... but if we're not careful we get stuck in a rut of consuming that service content (physically and digitally)... Evidently this isn't just an American church thing. This was a problem in biblical times... James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Both Church Online, and the larger "Church" can be guilty of losing focus. It's easy to look at our services as the endgame. But what is the end of our church staff's work week should really be the beginning of our church's focus on creating disciples. That's why, for me, movements like Church Anywhere at First Capital Christian is so refreshing.

Technology is the means, not the end. Church services is often the front door; it is never the finish line.

Most Churches today are anti-Church Online because of the idea that Church Online creates consumerism in isolation. Instead, the opposite is possible. Potentially, we're creating new biblical community leading to discipleship-led relationships.

What needs to change? The focus of the Church away from creating content... instead, relationally making disciples who are capable of making disciples. This is where, as discussed in EP017, Church Online shines.