“Online small groups are portable. Group members can gather regardless of their geographical location. They can become a group even if they live in different cities, states, or countries. And, if the group members move or have to travel, the group is still available to them wherever they go. Online small groups can keep snowbirds connected.” - CL
“Just as the church building directs each person who enters toward the cross, I think it’s wise to think about how our digital presence can do the same. Similarly, I remember that the church’s cross isn’t merely ornamental; it’s integral.” - Church Leaders
“…. pastors have recognized that it’s challenging to listen to a typical sermon of 20-40 minutes online and they’ve shortened their presentations accordingly. Now some of their parishioners are saying they like it!” - CLeaders
My family and I relocated to the St. Louis metro area two years ago. It was the first time any of us had spent any significant time here, so we often found ourselves relying on technology to find things. Learning new streets was a lot easier with a map program that rerouted us if we missed an exit. Finding stores, restaurants, and even points of interest, we made new and interesting discoveries with a simple electronic inquiry. People who had lived here all their lives told us we were locating treasures they didn’t even know existed, places we found on the phones in our pockets.
“Stay in contact with local authorities to best understand the situation in your area and when it would be safe to open. Work to limit the spread by protecting staff and congregants and offering other options like continued livestreaming for high risk individuals.” - F&T
I wrote last week about my enthusiasm for online ministry, and my view that one good result of the current crisis is that it has forced us to sharpen our online presence—while it has also given us the opportunity to do so.
Media ministries have played a large role in my own growth and development as a Christian—since the days of cassette tapes, setting the VCR and having to plan my schedule around live radio. It should come as no surprise, then, that I was already a cheerleader for online ministry before the current crisis began.
And what an opportunity for online ministry this calamity provides us! While it has limited almost all of us to ministering strictly online, the net result is that never before in the history of the world have the gospel of Christ and Biblical truth been more widely proclaimed or more readily accessible than they are right now.
“First, I praise God that Christians would ask this question. We should never take scriptural commands lightly, and Hebrews 10:25 is one, unfortunately, that many Christians often overlook. The question arises from a heart serious about God’s Word, serious about obedience, and serious about worship. So, are we sinning? In short, no, and for five main reasons.” - TGC
“Funeral homes have experience livestreaming funeral services and will have great advice to share during a crisis like this. However if you yourself are hosting a livestream of a funeral there are several things you should know. 1. Understand Copyright Regulations and Licensing.” - F&T
“I commend my pastor and staff for setting up this addition to live streaming a sermon. The design of our building is such that several rows of parking spaces face the elevated front entrance to the church. We had music and preaching on an FM station. I don’t know how this works.” - SBC Voices
