Guest Post by Andrew Mason.

In tandem with North Point’s Online Experience launch, I’ve been recently mulling over what the online church could & should look like in the near future. More specifically, I’m extremely interested in how quickly web technology has developed. It’s eye-opening to realize that the internet has only publicly existed for less than 20 years.

Specifically, how will future tools foster relationships, accountability, and personal growth during these online services? Because of social networking & real-time media, I’m absolutely convinced that we are in the beginning stages of a revolution of exponential proportions. At what time has such a large amorphous mass of people been able to communicate simultaneously in such an organized manner? Our organizing and “hashtagging” of subjects & life elements allow people to communicate with an ease that hasn’t been possible until now.

Already, we’ve seen Mars Hill utilize twitter’s hashtag feature to receive a live moderated Q&A feed from attendees.

Carlos Whittaker from Buckhead Church is in the beginning stages of forming one-on-one online coaching relationships all over the country, utilizing free video chat tools such as tokbox. These tools are allowing for groups to meet “face-to-face” and form ongoing accountable relationships in ways previously unattainable.  Small Groups of people can meet without leaving their homes.

Even LifeChurch.tv’s recently-launched Babelwith.me all but removes the language barrier in real-time.  Now, it doesn’t matter if you’re from South Dakota or the South Pacific; anyone can talk, listen, and grow in relationship with anyone else…no matter what language they speak.

….And all of these tools are less than four years old.

Where do you think this explosive growth in technology is headed? What do you think this technology will enable us to do in another four years?