I had the wonderful opportunity a few weeks ago to attend the iMinistry Conference in Dallas, TX. Lakepointe Church were great hosts and everyone there was open and willing to learn from each other.
My motive for going there was very simple. What is the future of online church? What does an online church look like? Is an online church a healthy, sustainable concept?
While attending the conference answered some of my questions, there are three questions that I have yet to have answered. So I’m throwing them out to my church social media friends to see if can get answer.
How does giving (tithes and offering) for your online campus compare to that of your physical campus?
This is the question that no one wants to talk about. However, at some point this does become an issue if your online church begins to take up resources that would normally be spent on your physical campus. So online campus users, what does online giving look like? Is it lower or higher per attender than your physical campus?
If a person joins and attends your church online, how do they participate in short term mission trips?
One thing I love about my church is the many opportunities to go on short term mission journeys around the world. I think it keeps our congregation grounded and keeps evangelism on the forefront of our minds. So if someone only attends your church online, how do they participate in this vital ministry opportunity?
What does online discipleship look like? How do you maintain accountability in an online environment?
I know plenty of online churches have small groups, however I’m referring to more than just small groups when I say discipleship. I’m referring to that “iron sharpens iron” moments that happen when we share meals and life together. Can you do that only online? Do members that attend online miss out on this chance for growth?
So online church pastors and attenders, what do you think? Can you answer the questions above? If so, feel free to share below.