Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church – Online worship can be a great option for those who cannot attend Sunday services, and a recent survey shows that many pastors believe experiencing faith online will become more widely accepted in the coming decade.
Jesus’ Great Commission has not changed: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). What has changed is the means. Today, online evangelism helps the gospel reach people who cannot, or are not yet ready to, walk into a church.
Online Evangelism and the Church
This article shares survey results on how pastors view worship and evangelism through the internet.
A report from the Barna Group found that 87 percent of pastors consider “faith assistance” through the internet to be “theologically acceptable.” Thirty-nine percent of pastors said they themselves would lead services online.
The survey was conducted with more than 600 senior pastors and offers insight into the acceptance of online faith experiences over the previous fifteen years. The research was done by phone in December 2000 and November 2014 to compare results over time. In the first survey in 2000, 78 percent of pastors felt online religious experiences could be successful, and only 15 percent were conducting online worship.
The findings on how pastors use the internet in their work were also interesting. According to Barna, “In 2000, just over eight out of ten pastors used a computer at church (83%). Today nearly all pastors do (96%).” While the purposes of computer use were largely the same at both times, more than half of pastors said they used their computers for writing or word processing (59% in 2014 and 51% in 2000). The share of pastors using computers to access the internet (39% today versus 24% in 2000) and email (46% versus 24%) has grown significantly.
Church leaders also recognize the internet as a useful tool for spreading God’s Word. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed believe investing in a quality website is very important, and 54 percent think it is well worth using church funds for this. As the need to reach young people for Christ becomes ever more important, many pastors agree that the internet and websites will contribute significantly to that goal.
But what about the negative issues, such as pornography and the risk of encountering dangerous people online? According to the same research, “very few pastors agreed with negative statements about social media and ministry.” Only 3 percent said it would be better for small churches not to try to build a website to develop their ministry (down from 10% in 2000). Fewer than one in ten believed websites and internet activities would distract from important ministry (down slightly from 12% in 2000 to 8%). And about one in seven pastors believed the risk of the internet being used to spread heresy and distort Christianity would outweigh its potential to spread authentic Christianity (13%, down from 17% in 2000).
The Barna Group concluded that the internet is increasingly accepted as a ministry tool, and church leaders see positive signs for the years ahead.
“Beyond pastors’ practical use of the internet, such as researching sermons, keeping up with the news and shopping, pastors and church leaders also recognize what they have accomplished for online ministry,” added Roxanne Stone, vice president at Barna Group. “They acknowledge that a church’s website is often the first, or perhaps only, impression outsiders have of their ministry.”
Using the Internet to Share the Gospel
Online evangelism cannot replace face-to-face fellowship in the church, but it can be a first door. An online sermon, a shared Bible verse or a short testimony can touch someone who is seeking God.
Every believer can take part: share your church’s online worship service, post encouraging content instead of arguments, and be ready to talk with those who show interest. At the same time, invite them to take the next step and meet a local church.
The church also needs to invest wisely in communication: clear, biblical content, and people always ready to care for those who reach out online.
You may also like: 6 Bad Habits Christians Should Drop and Ministry Isn’t Just for Sunday.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for new ways to proclaim the gospel. Use the internet and social media to make the name of Jesus known, and give us wisdom and love as we share Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Article: Communications Ministry – Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church
Adapted from: GospelHerald.com
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