More and more churches are discovering ways to stream sermons live to mobile devices like the iPhone. At first blush this seems like a terrific benefit to the body of Christ. Surely this is just another point of connection, right?
Believers that can not make it to a Sunday morning service due to work or family or unavoidable circumstances are still able to engage in worship, experience relevant teaching and wisdom, and even celebrate baptism with church family members.
This is connection where there would otherwise be no connection, right?
Maybe not.
Disconnection?
Some would argue that streaming sermons to a mobile device is yet another brick in the road towards a disconnected church. That radio, and then television, and then the Internet, and now mobile devices, are pulling us apart at the seams. That these technologies provide a point of disconnection.
They encourage us to sleep in and sluff off. They provide the opportunity, or even temptation, to go to the golf course, or take that extra business trip. We sacrifice the ability to sit next to each other, breath the same air, and be really present, together, as a body.
Sure the argument can go both ways, and sure the answer is all in how we each, personally, choose to use mobile technology. But I ask you all this. As a whole, big picture speaking, how do you see the streaming of mobile sermons today? Are they a crutch that keeps us handicapped? Or are they cast that helps us heal?
Are they keeping us connected, or disconnected?
[Image sourc bschmove]
Ted Carnahan says
My answer: Yes.
Yes, they contribute to disconnectedness. Yes, they also connect us more. The same arguments can be applied to podcasting – the only difference is whether it’s live. Same with radio – different technology and scope, same argument. My hope is that the general hunger that people have for community will largely overcome the potential disconnectedness.
dewde says
Oh man, I’m with you there, Ted.
peace | dewde
itsonlybarney says
I know that we don’t stream services online at my church. We do publish the recorded bible talks for all to download to their MP3 players and the like. People from our church grabbed the MP3s after their holiday, and knew exactly where the sermon series was before they turned up at church the following Sunday after their holidays.
I think making it available would cause some people to do other things, but at the same time it does allow those who actually want to be at church, but can’t for some reason to still join in.
Streaming certainly would allow people to do other things, but if they really weren’t interested, they probably wouldn’t tune in to the streaming service.
dewde says
Good point, Barney.
peace | dewde
Greg says
First, my blog and this comment are powered by @standardtheme
(now that the groveling is out of the way) 🙂
I see mobile streaming as a huge help. It’s another extension of the church. While some may argue about the disconnectedness that streaming (both to desk/lap-top and mobile) creates. I see the reverse.
We are a small church that discovered streaming a couple years ago via Ustream. We have been able to minister to people that otherwise might not attend in person. We have parents with sick children, people that work odd schedules and people traveling for work that are able to attend online.
In fact, we were kind of blown away about a couple that just joined our church after first visiting (test driving) online. For a small church…how coolio is that?!?!?
dewde says
> First, my blog and this comment are powered by @standardtheme
Whoo hoo! Rock on!
> In fact, we were kind of blown away about a couple that just joined our church after first visiting (test driving) online. For a small church…how coolio is that?!?!?
Yeah that is an inspirational success story to be sure. I hadn’t even approached the idea of “test driving”.
peace | dewde
Stuart says
As someone who works shifts I get to attend 3 Sunday’s in every 7 these days (as an aside I’m looking to move back to a regular role) and would love to be able to have my church service streamed to my iPhone.
Typically a Sunday morning in work is sooooo quiet you can hear the tumbleweed long before you see it. 🙂
Does that mean we should stream and if we do will it dis-connect me (us)? Well I can tell you now that I already feel dicsonnected because we don’t (and I won’t bore with teh details of why we don’t) but I still come down on the side of I’d much rather be sat there next to my wife and family and with my brothers and sisters all around me than not.
Paul (OurChurch.com) did a 9 part series on internet church back at the end of 2009. Very good and thought provoking stuff. last post is here: http://blog.ourchurch.com/2009/12/24/10-things-i-learned-from-the-online-church-blog-series/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChristianWebTrends+%28Christian+Web+Trends+Blog+by+OurChurch.Com%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
dewde says
Great points, Stuart.
peace | dewde
herbhalstead says
Everything that connects can also disconnect. I’ve seen the almighty small group become both an incredible point of connection for people as well as an incredible point of division. I’ve seen people who increase their brick-and-mortar church attendance disconnect from their families because family time suffers. Perhaps media has nothing to do with our failing connection strategies.
The point is – do the best we can to facilitate connections and do the best we can to mitigate disconnections – in all media – be it face-to-face or screen-to-face.
dewde says
Comment of the day. Awesome. And I’m stealing the term “screen-to-face”, btw.
🙂
peace | dewde
herbhalstead says
steal away – then repent LOL
dannyjbixby says
I look at it a slightly different way, you said “We sacrifice the ability to sit next to each other, breath the same air, and be really present, together, as a body.”
And I have to ask, is it really the physical proximity which makes us a body? Can’t we be physically present at church and be completely isolated? Alone and disconnected in the crowd?
What good is physical togetherness by itself?
I think for the most part, many of us are present without being present, we’re meeting together without meeting together.
dewde says
I agree. But I also recognize that some people are wired differently. For them, being physically present is a catalyst to enhance connectedness beyond its normal capacity.
peace | dewde
Travis Fish says
I agree. It definitely does both. It really depends on the church and on the person in particular. I feel like if the church is effective enough in providing a community that it will only provide a connection due to accountability. Great topic!
Scott Magdalein says
The tech isn’t the problem. The leadership is the problem. If there’s disconnectedness among a congregation, it’s because the leadership doesn’t know how to lead people to manage change without losing their foundation.
dewde says
BOOM! Headshot. Exactly. Like I told Brett, “I would even argue that how a leader promotes its use would make this debate a non-issue.”
brett barner says
Yes, this contributes to disconnect. Like any tool, man can use it for good or bad. I feel it all comes down to how a person uses it.
I look at podcasting or live-streaming church services being there for those who need it. Kind of like those motorized carts at Walmart. Sure, it’d be fun to hop in and ride around instead of walking, but I don’t NEED it, and in the long run of continual usage, it’d probably be a crutch to me. But for those who need it, it’s a welcomed tool.
Like I said, it’s about how you use it, and in this case, how leaders promote its use is very important.
dewde says
“in this case, how leaders promote its use is very important.”
Awesome, Brett. I would even argue that how a leader promotes its use would make this debate a non-issue.
peace | dewde