With all the news about new technology and the changes of the digital landscape for the Church at large, sometimes the best news is just hearing wonderful life-transforming stories about how the technology actually is being used.
And I really like stories.
Here’s a great one from Brandon Buckner, the Internet Campus Director @ McLean Bible Church:
God has been doing something amazing in the lives of three people at our McLean Bible Church campuses.
Katie, a single grade school teacher in PW County, attends three MBC services each week. Saturday night she attends the Tysons Campus. She enjoys the worship and teaching so much that she attends again Sunday morning via the Internet Campus from her home in Manassas. On Sunday nights, she also attends Frontline via the Internet Campus, where she is one of the most engaged members of the online community.
Three weeks ago, Katie was in a head-on collision with a drunk driver. Katherine, her best friend and a non-believer, came to visit her shortly after the accident. Seeing Katie laying there in the hospital, she made a promise to God. She told Him that if He got her friend through the accident, she would begin going to church. By God’s grace, Katie was out of bed the following day and scheduled to go home with only minor injuries. That very day, Katherine finally did something Katie had been trying to get her to do for months―she logged onto the Internet Campus. That morning, after Lon presented the Gospel, Katherine prayed to accept Christ. But the Lord had even bigger plans in mind, as the following week Katherine brought her younger brother to the Tysons Campus, where he too accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Now, Katherine and her brother are regular attendees of the Tysons and Internet Campuses, with plans to attend the upcoming Christianity 101. Katie and Katherine express excitement on a weekly basis for the upcoming Prince William Campus, where they both hope to get plugged in as volunteers.
I believe this is an amazing example of how God is using our church to impact secular Washington for Christ and it is so cool to see so many different campuses and ministries come together in impacting the lives of Katie and her friends.
What other stories have you heard recently? I’d love to hear (and share) them on ChurchCrunch!
Jesse Phillips says
Awesome story! She watched the internet campus and got saved! Now she's actually regularly attending Tysons campus! Awesome. I think this is an AWESOME testament to Katie's love for her friend and the power of the gospel, and the benefits of sharing the gospel on stage at church.
human3rror says
sweet! thanks for commenting! make sure to share this!
NicCharalambous says
John, we've had several really interesting stories. One of my favorites is of a family that decided to view the Web Campus in their living room — and one of them came to Christ. You can read the blog post here. http://www.newspring.cc/webcampus/blog/when-your-…
human3rror says
sweet! thanks for this!
stephenbateman says
Oh glory, that's such a cool story. Getting pretty jacked up for NP_Online.
AussieSim says
A blog a few weeks ago from our Internet Campus Pastor at Liquid Church shared this story:
_______________________________
Hey!!
I have a cousin who is in Iraq and was complaining to me about the one thing he misses most is going to church. I told him about the iCampus, and how great Liquid is! He happened to be online yesterday (the internet is not the greatest there) and told me that now there are 3 laptops set up when the iCampus is on because there are so many soldiers who watch it.
I wanted to say thanks to Liquid – we really are bringing church to the people! Especially the ones who need it! The ones who are away from their friends and family. What a great place for a church to be!
So thanks again!
_______________________________
So amazing to think that the Internet and the Church can now take the Gospel to all the world, and to those who need it.
Check out the full blog post here: http://www.aussievibe.com > June 10th Post.
Kyle Gilbert says
It's so cool to read about what God is doing through internet campuses. I just wrote a blog post on what's happening at my church: http://blog.faithpromiseweb.com/2009/07/the-impac…
@willieharris says
We don't have an internet campus (yet), but started streaming our Sunday services via ustream and we got the following email via our website that really encouraged us…
Greetings Mt. Zion Church Family…Today is July 27, 2009 and I would like to share the blessing that I have received from your church. I was talking to my very dear sister, soror, friend Sis Brandi Hancock and she and I were having a heart to heart. I told her that I was having a situation and I wondered why what I was getting was not enough for me…I told her that I need more. She replied that until I allowed myself the chance to peal back those ugly layers that I don't want anyone to see and allow God to heal my heart and enjoy being in love with him and through him truly love me that it would never be enough. She then said that she was going to watch the service online "live"! I said, "You can do that?" So I begin to watch and the Pastor reinforced what we were saying to each other.
If you have problems trusting because so many people have walked out on you, put your trust in HIM for he is a God that does not know how to fail! I believe and have received it!
On this day, I have felt closer to home than I have in a long time. I WILL be tuning in from now on via the internet to catch the message. Please know that your work is not in vain. God is a Good God and he will bless you no matter where you are…How do I know? I know because he blessed me through your church at 1:00 in the morning in Tokuyama, Japan."
human3rror says
Wow!Thanks for sharing that!