Hey pastor, I have a confession: I’ve been pastoring people from your church.
I have had really deep and meaningful spiritual conversations with your sheep. They still show up at your church every Sunday. They say really good things about you. In fact, I have been watching your sermons on the web and talking with your people about it. They asked me to.
This story is becoming quite common; it’s playing out online.
Social media has given pastors the ability to have presence in people’s lives who might never step foot into their church service. I don’t think most of these pastors fully realize the effect they are having.
This hits home for me as a pastor when I see people from my church re-tweeting content from pastors all around the country. Awesome!
Pastors; are you ready to share? Are you ready to pastor people you might never see and who might never tithe to your local ministry?
Are you ready to give up exclusive spiritual oversight of your people (which you never actually had anyway)?
This is happening now. Like it or not.
What are you doing to prepare for this new reality?
Tom says
Good stuff, Vince. I think this is a refreshing read from some of the antagonism there seems to be with online church..
(first post, what?!)
Lori says
Vince: This is a very interesting topic. I have had it said to me “I know you are a big fan of (blank)” from my pastor. At first I did not think anything of the comment, but as I replayed it in my mind I thought “that was strange, the comment came out of left field.”
At first when you said: “This hits home for me as a pastor when I see people from my church re-tweeting content from pastors all around the country.” I thought you were going to say this could be a problem. But from my situation, I had a pastor fall into sin that left me spinning I walked away from my church. I did not go for over 6 months (which is a big deal for this “grew up in Sunday School type of gal.”) I finally knew I need to be feed spiritually some way, so I began listening to this “online pastor” who is known to say things as they are (no sugar coating). To be honest I needed that. It took listening to his sermons on-line for God to convict me to get my behind back into church.
We now have a new pastor who I love and support fully, but I still–while at work, etc.. listen to other pastors online. I believe it helps me spiritually and keeps me from falling into a rut. It also gives me food for thought when I sometimes I disagree, so I dig into God’s word more.
Sorry this is long, but this is a subject that has been on my mind also. I think having sermons online is a GREAT benefit. There should be no reason for jealousy. BUT I believe each person SHOULD be serving in a church and not just receiving God’s word via online. We need that one-on-one fellowship. Ok stepping off soap box. =)
Vince Marotte says
You’re right.
Everyone should be involved in some form of physical gathering of believers with some regularity.
SamMahlstadt says
Just a question: if believers should be gathering in person, what are the potentially adverse possibilities that come with online media in the church?
For our church plant, we put a login on our media player ( I wrote last week about this – titled “Access vs. Anonymity…”)
I see a potential danger in web campuses, online media players and the such becoming the destination for church leaders.
What about the person on the web who will NEVER gather with other believers?
These are the questions that roll through my brain when I think of these things.
Vince Marotte says
I was intentionally vague with my description of Christians gathering regularly. Throughout history what that looks like has changed and will continue to change. In places where Christians are persecuted a gathering is going to look much different than a gathering in the Bible Belt of the United States.
It’s easy for us with all our freedoms in the US to write off the web as a viable gathering place, when in reality it may be a vast improvement for people in tougher situations.
And if online content and community is all someone ever gets…it’s better than nothing.
Although we would all like to have the ideal…what ever that may be.
Josh Miles says
Thanks for the post. It’s such an interesting topic because I can see both the benefit and potential issues with it. I agree with Tom that this was a refreshing read.
SamMahlstadt says
This is a great thought. People have access to pastors all over the world, and have millions upon millions of sermons at their fingertips. I think it is a major opportunity for churches to network and work together, One Prayer being an example. Lifechurch.tv harnessed this possibility and created a network developed on unity and Kingdom development. How cool is that?!
Vince Marotte says
The web has definitely become a catalyst for unity in the church
Nick Shoemaker says
This is another reason why LEADERS (not just pastors) need to be involved in this thing called the interwebs.
It absolutely drives me nuts when a leader (or pastor) tells me that they don’t “do the social media thing”. Or email. Or blahblahblah…
HELLO? Don’t you get it? You’re missing a connection point with your people!
And this post drives the point home- if you’re not making efforts to connect with your people the other 6 days in the week, they will connect elsewhere. And that is a problem. Yes- it’s good for the rapid expansion of knowledge allowed today- but churches need the people that go to them to be involved and play a part. So yeah- Vince you’re right: everyone should be physically involved in a body of believers.
And since I’m on the soap box- if the only time you tweet or interact “online” is when you’re doing something “ministry related” then I would argue that you’re no better than the Pharisee that stands and prays on the street corner to be heard by all. Be real. Be authentic. You don’t have to be detailed about your private life- because it is your private life- but would it really hurt you to say that you enjoyed some good coffee this morning? Really? [end soap box]
Engage your people leaders. If you don’t someone else will. If they’re across the country you’re safe- for now. But if they’re across the street- look out.
The online church is a reality. It’s going to get bigger and more prevalent. Be a part of it, so that you can be a part of it WITH your people, and not in spite of them.
Vince Marotte says
good stuff
Scott Magdalein says
It’s unnerving to think that the work of a pastor in a local church, pouring his life into people, can be overshadowed or undone by a tweet from someone else.
That’s probably just my cynicism talking, though. 🙂
Vince Marotte says
On that tip; I am seeing a lot of people willing to put aside peripheral theological differences as we see gathering points of Christians on the web. This unity causes us to focus on the main point of this whole thing..Christ.
But yes, with freedom comes some of the whacky stuff…take it with a grain of salt.
brett barner says
Good post, Vince! I’ve wondered if pastors get jealous when they see their members reading and connecting with other pastors. 🙂