Podcast Episode #399
After the discussion surrounding a blog post earlier this week, we look at the pertinent question surrounding the topic of the internet church: should you count them in your weekly worship number?
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- If you lower the importance of gathered worship, don’t be surprised if people attend less often
- There is a high correlation of attendance and giving.
- People who attend worship more regularly give more regularly and give more per person.
- The digital church is more relatable to digital natives (younger generations).
- You should not count online viewers as worship attendees—but you should track them.
- A church’s online community is not nearly as engaged as its physical community.
The six considerations we cover are:
- Any church can have digital worship services with technology today.
- More church leaders are asking if the virtual or Internet attendance should be counted.
- The theological debates about the digital church are increasing.
- Some churches are reporting a decline in physical attendance as they provide virtual attendance venues.
- Churches are reporting mixed results about giving among virtual attenders.
- This issue will be generational to some degree.
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