Years ago we didn’t have the communication structures that we had today. There was no way to get on face book and let everyone know that you are checking this from your PJ’s in New York. But there was church. You would go three times a week and check in and have potlucks and spend lots of time together because the alternative was living in a rural setting far from friends.
So what can these new social networks teach us about church for the next generation? I think it looks more and more like the early church than ever. There is a large house church resurgence happening today and although I think that is fine I think it misses the point. The future is smaller. It is not necessarily going to get there in peoples homes as there only way of worship. I see us getting smaller via social networks that include homes but then also include large corporate worship. I do see fewer people being as regular as people once were. I went to church ever week. But now many of our church attend ever few weeks and listen online and/or attend a connection group. We can expect this trend to increase. What that means is that we have to get out of the four wall come to us mentality and place church growth and church community at there finger tips.
I love Sea Coasts approach of having a leadership pipeline that enables leaders to grow at there own pace via online classes. I think that social networks like face book will continue connection group conversations all week long instead of just once a week. I also think that blogging and pod casting and other modes of communication bring the Sunday static message to life in new and creative ways.
My problem is I am trying to carve out time to take High Point their. We will be there as we grow and as we are able to bring on volunteers and staff that can help facilitate this… There are people who have never stepped foot in our doors but attend via podcast and give via paypal.
What will this do to the future of church? It will create an exciting wave of revival unlike anything we have ever imagined it could. And we get to be at the very start of it all!
Just a thought.
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