Why You Should Always Offer Church Services Online

Starting off 2020, nobody could ever imagine that we would need to wear a mask in public or stop shaking hands as a courtesy. But, as the Coronavirus swept our unexpecting nation, it separated loved ones and closed over 97,000 businesses permanently.

Where does this leave the church, where people consistently gather?

It pushes the church into a new way of worship over the internet. Continue reading to learn why moving forward you should always offer church services online.

Preparedness

When this pandemic closed up the country, it left people unprepared from all angles. With little warning, society as we know it came to a halt, and people could not go about their daily lives.

This left people needing worship and churches scrambling to find a new way to deliver. Now, as the country continues to reopen, people seemingly develop amnesia to these struggles and overlook preparation for a second shut down.

If this virus, or another, put everything on pause again, we need a way to still function smoothly. By streaming your church services, you prepare the church and your congregation so people do not feel shut off from their source of spirituality again.

Keeping this setup and running means you do not need to make yet another difficult transition. This opens up the church indefinitely.

Safety

Covid-19 infected 469 thousand and killed over 32,000 people in the United States in under a year. We still do not know how many more will fall ill and how many more will perish.

As the numbers continue to decline, many people seem to feel safe from the virus. But, in reality, people can still get sick.

First, until nobody has it, the virus will spread. This holds true even when the country keeps the numbers down. Gathering large numbers of people in close proximity increases the chances of spreading the virus.

People who already contracted the virus and healed seem to carry immunity. But, how long does that immunity last?

We also need to consider potential mutations of the COVID-19. Viruses quickly adapt to survive, and this can make them more virulent.

Approaching Flu season raises another concern. What if somebody gets sick with one virus and then contracts the other with lowered immunity? Can they survive?

Hosting church online takes the worry away from not knowing the answers to these questions. It allows people to stay home and safe while it all gets figured out, but still, congregate in spirit for worship and sermons.

Affordability

Continuing to live stream lowers the cost of keeping a church running. Streaming video church means less overhead costs as you can cut down staffing and use less energy. You will also spend less on supplies and handouts.

Chopping the costs here means that you can circulate more of the tithe back into the community. Whether you give back by supporting poor communities, through missionary work, or with better services, you will cultivate more with this technology.

Inclusion

Church, by design, should never disclude anybody who wants to worship. It is a place of peace, serenity, and spiritual growth that serves the people so they may serve their Lord.

Unfortunately, during these times, many people who want to attend church cannot. Some may be because they tested positive for COVID or are awaiting results.

Others might be in a nursing home where their families can no longer freely pick them up for outings as they did before this all began.

Either way, many people yearn for their church time. With online church, you can deliver to everybody who cannot come in person,

Expansion

Did you ever loom around the church and wonder how you could expand your reach to touch more people? Well, now you can!

Your church will grow faster and bigger than ever through possible. Holding an online church service allows you to spread into other communities, states, and even countries! You can hold one service and connect people from all over the globe.

This kind of expansion means you will fill more hearts with devotion. You can make more of an impact in this way.

It also means that more people will contribute. This further increases your capabilities of helping others.

Convenience

Making things virtual adds an element of convenience for everybody involved. For starters, it makes beginning on time easier without people straggling in at the last minute.

For people who actually forgot about the church, they can literally sign on last-minute for participation without missing the entire service. if they do miss the whole live-service, you can easily create an option for people to watch a recorded version later.

Internet service also eliminates distractions like latecomers, crying babies, antsy children, and people excusing themselves for a bathroom break. You can mute and unmute the entire congregation or one person at a time as you see necessary.

More Options

Using visual media for churches, you can offer your congregation a unique experience that would not be possible at an in-person service. For example, you might want to collaborate with another church for a special event. The internet allows you to easily merge the two or more churches together for a larger experience!

Overcoming Obstacles for Online Church Service

Moving to an internet church can create some unique challenges. But each obstacle you face comes with a solution.

For instance, you may not understand the technology enough to run a smooth service. With the money you save moving to online, you can hire a tech person.

You may worry about losing the sense of community. Create it by encouraging attendees to connect with one another in online groups.

Also, encourage families to tune in together from home and friends to gather outdoors with internet access on sunny days. You can also unmute service during worship songs so everybody sings together.

Tune Into the Times

Change never comes easy. But, it always creates new opportunities. Flow with the changing times by moving your church service online.

Need techy advice to do this? Visit the tech page on our website!