5 Reasons Churches Should Have A Greater Online Presence

1. More Thorough Evangelism – We can reach people who would never come to a physical church building.

I’ve had many fascinating conversations in blogs and online chat rooms about faith. Some were with angry people interested only in attacking Christianity – but many others have been with people who are genuinely seeking faith, but for various reasons will never feel comfortable walking into an actual church sanctuary.

2. More Open and Honest Communication – Many people who already attend a church can have more meaningful interactions online.

I have had a number of counseling sessions through Internet chats with youth who barely recognize my existence at the physical church building. For many, the mediation of a digital screen is a boost to communication.

3. Reaching an Overscheduled and Transient Culture – People who can’t be physically present on a consistent basis can keep up and contribute through the Internet.

Two of the biggest challenges for 21st-century churches are people who are too busy or who don’t live long enough in one place to make a significant commitment. To me, this is at least as big an issue as declining membership.

There is a wonderful young couple who has started attending my church, but they are not getting very involved because they both work long hours, and his career requires them to move about every two years. If my church offered more ways for them to interact online, they would be more active. They might even be able to maintain a relationship with one church as their physical residence moved.

4. More Frequent Contact– People who might see one another once or twice a week at the physical church can interact online on a daily basis.

Most churches already use email, which has greatly simplified communication patterns – and many have begun to share prayer concerns and other more personal faith matters through the Internet. But much more could be done.

I use Twitter several times a day to communicate with friends and colleagues all over the world – and feel much more intimately connected to them than I do to people I might see at Sunday worship and maybe once more during the week.

5. More Accesible Leadership – Pastors and other church leaders can have direct contact with more people and be more responsive to concerns and questions.

Consider the pre-20th century church in the United States – before automobiles and telephones were common. The average member, especially in the more rural areas where most people lived, might see a circuit-riding minister once a month – and that involved no more contact than shaking his hand on the way out of worship. For many, the only true interaction with clergy came on the occasion of a wedding, baptism, or funeral.

Even in the 21st century, many conventional pastors have limited daily contact. In my previous church, almost all interaction was face-to-face – usually in the form of a time-consuming home or hospital visit. Using the tools of the Internet, a pastor or other church leader can be in touch with an exponentially greater amount of people – and can respond to concerns and requests much more quickly.

For example: Through a quick series of emails, I have helped resolve issues that committee chairs have brought to me that might have taken weeks to negotiate by playing phone tag.