I'm a premium pew guy (The Perfect Pew).There is nothing better than the back, right side of the sanctuary.
Why the right side?
Perhaps it's because Christians unintentionally sit with how their political views swing (right or left). Or maybe it's because I try to avoid someone on the left side.
The two circles are the area where I leave my scent on Sundays.
That is until I found out about a new seat.
This Sunday I worshiped at Newspring in Anderson, South Carolina. I love their pastor, Perry Noble. He is raw and anything other than the typical pastor. Here are some pictures of my worship experience:
The Newspring Band killing it. Such divas though!
Sam Gibson, Campus Pastor of Florence, gives an encourage update on the campus.
Cookie shares some announcements and gives an opportunity for people to give.
Lee McDerment helps us get our "worship on" some more in his driver's cap and old man cardigan.
Pastor Perry Noble takes the stage. I hate tie dye!
Perry introduces Jud Wilhite as the guest speaker.
Jud delivers one of the greatest messages on grace, while slightly appearing to be a ninja.
Obviously, I didn't travel eight hours to Anderson, South Carolina. My wife was sick and snow had us at home, so I watched the service online.
I discovered a frightening truth. One that churches don't want to get out or it could have disastrous results.
The truth is there might be a better pew than premium. As you can see, I had the best seat in the house.
It's called the "WebSeat Worshiping" section.
That's right, I went to online church.
Don't judge me! I know what you're thinking. Because when people post on Facebook that they are attending Awesome Church via online, I think to myself, "Slacker, I'm so much holier than you."
Don't judge me! I know what you're thinking. Because when people post on Facebook that they are attending Awesome Church via online, I think to myself, "Slacker, I'm so much holier than you."
However, there's no escaping how great it is! You are engaged in every single part of the service in the comfort of your home. Besides that the responsibility for people being "WebSeat Worshipers" falls on the churches who provide the online service.
Why?
Before entering the service you are welcomed with two questions. (Their greeter team made me feel really welcomed. These are basically the same I ask when someone new visits my church.) Where are you from? Who's with you?
I'm assuming they are counting me on their attendance. If they count me, I get to count it as going to church. God has to place a gold star on my attendance record and I didn't even have to get out of my pajamas.
I'm assuming they are counting me on their attendance. If they count me, I get to count it as going to church. God has to place a gold star on my attendance record and I didn't even have to get out of my pajamas.
Question:
What do you think about attending church via online?
5 comments:
I think too many churches make church about the Sunday service. Church was never about a once-a-week worship service back in Paul's days. There are no instances in Acts when the beginning Church was something that consumed merely two hours of your time in a 7 day span. What about the community, the living as one body, the accountability, the self sacrifice, the growing together that can only occur in the community presence of other people? Church used to be a to-do item for me, a once a week must do. That reality is rather pointless, though. Church is so much more--it's living your lives together with fellow believers, growing in Christ so you can tell others about him and serve the world you live in. That's church.
Donna, are you passionate about this? That's great to see!
You are right the church isn't a building. It's a gathering. It's people being connected in Christ. We place (and I've been guilty of this a lot) too much on the Sunday event and not enough on relationships. Not to say the Sunday event isn't important.
I like what Andy Stanley teaches. He says that North Point tries to get people out of rows and into circles, because that's where the growth is.
Thanks for sharing Donna!
In this age of technology, it's awesome that one can find the gospel message over the internet. I don't think you can ever replace the church experience completely via webcast. Who passes the Pay-Pal offering plate, and what about the potluck meal afterwards? haha
Since I was young, there is something about going to the physical "House of God" and worshiping with the body of believers. Now that I'm older, I don't have to be in a sanctuary to worship, but I still see the church building as the modern day Tabernacle. Look at all the beautiful churches and temples built out of love and devotion to our God. I just love to sit in a sanctuary and try to imagine being in the "Holy of Holies".
I really like Donna's comment because too many organized churches today turn off believers with church politics and incorrect biblical teachings. Even with "WebSeat Worshiping" you may be left spiritually malnourished.
I think virtual church is o.k., but be sure to get a spirit meal of meat, potatoes AND gravy!
Why yes, Joel, I am passionate about this. :) While having the Message so easily available on radio, TV and the internet is great for the curious, it's no substitution for church for believers. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly great to catch a great speaker, a worship song, or a really good message.. But that's simply not "church." When believers act as though church is about a once a week event, then we send an egregiously wrong message to non-believers about our faith and our relationship with Jesus. My "church" used to meet in a high school auditorium. One summer we met in another church's building on Sunday evenings. Now we rent space in a large building between an autoshop and a flea market. I don't believe church is a building, a place, or a service. WHen I miss a Sunday, I'm missing a worship experience, but I'm not missing "church," because church is a group of people Drew and I live our lives with. It's fun, it's intimate, it's hard, it's messy, and it's beautiful--but it's definitely not a building or a service.
Em...Pay-Pal offering plate :o). Do you trust church potlucks? That food sometimes sits out for hours! Was that the poison Mark was writing about?
I love your nostalgia for the church and you seem to view church buildings for what they are--a tool to grow in your relationship with Christ and others. Thank you for commenting!!
Donna...you definitely have lived in "communities" of faith where people met together, worshiped together, ate together, played together, and just did life together. Location never trumps relationships. Those relationships are necessary for a deeper faith. And while every church building will one day crumble those relationships never will. Thanks for sharing!
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