It was really nice to see Steve Loggins from the N. Jefferson Baptist Association and his wife, Kelly, at church on Sunday. After this week's sermon - We Are The a Church - Steve came up to me and mentioned that he was recently approached by a gentleman who wanted to join the association with his "internet church". As I mentioned in the sermon, these "virtual" churches are really not churches at all.
Technology is a wonderful thing. I love using technology to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, my involvement with Designs For Hope is all about using technology to help empower pastors and evangelists in third world countries so that they can more effectively spread the gospel. I even love using technology to broadcast church - whether it is a TV broadcast, an Internet telecast, a podcast, or simply an MP3 download or CD.
All of these things have their proper uses in the kingdom. God has given us these gifts of common grace to use for his benefit. When you are ill and cannot otherwise attend church, it gives you a way to keep somewhat connected to the pulse of the church. If you have a friend who you want to hear the gospel but cannot get them to come to church, you can share it with them. Some of you have mentioned that you listen to my sermons again - even if you attended church - just to make sure you did not miss anything. I guess I need to work on talking slower... although if I did, my sermons would probably be an hour long! You can even use them to supplement your local church teaching and discipleship. As I mentioned on Sunday, I listen to a number of podcasts of other pastors every week to help in my own personal growth. This is why I make sure to post a link to my sermons every week. If someone - even one person - can benefit from them then it is worth the effort.
What these technologies cannot do, however, is replace church. Similar to the one who approached Steve at the association, I know there are "churches" out there - and I use that term loosely - whose primary focus is on reaching people through the Internet. While I know that some good can come from this, it cannot biblically be considered church. Just because you have prayer, perhaps some worship music, and then some teaching - all on the Internet - does not mean you are a church... at least not in the biblical sense. If you watch church on TV or the Internet, you may get some good from it, but you have not attended church. If you listen to my sermon audio or any other preacher podcast, you might get some good from it (or at least I hope so in my case), but you cannot consider yourself to have been to church.
As I said, I listen to a number of preacher podcasts. I also listen to worship music on a regular basis. I can even go as far as to say I have had some incredibly spiritual moments with God in the process. I encourage all of you to use these tools to grow closer to God. But even when I have had a very special moment with God, I don't consider myself to have been to church.
Church is something very special to Jesus - and obviously I'm not talking about the physical church building, but rather the people. Jesus is building the church and you and I are the building blocks he is using to build it. A building cannot be built if the blocks are scattered across the city. They must come together; in fact they must be bonded together, so that they can serve their intended purpose. It is impossible for those who only watch church on TV or on the Internet to be the body of Christ and so accomplish the purposes of Christ.
Of course I know someone is going to challenge me on that point, but let's be honest with ourselves. Excluding, of course, those who physically cannot attend because of long-term illness, why is it that people choose virtual church over real church? Isn't it, for whatever their motivations, that they just don't want to be with the rest of God's people? When that choice is made, there is no longer any intention of fulfilling their purposes as part of the body of Christ. They only want to feel better about themselves for not attending church.
I realize as I am writing this that I am sounding a bit judgmental. And as a pastor of a local church, it probably all sounds self-serving. Maybe there is a little truth in both of those statements, but that honestly is not the intent. I guess I am just a little passionate about the local church. I just want you to understand that the church - the real church - is not about the singing or the preaching, but about the people. Jesus loves the church, and that means you and me, not the building and certainly not a virtual broadcast of "churchy" activities.
I also want to make sure we don't fall into the post-modern trap of looking at "church" as being old fashioned or irrelevant. There seems to be a growing trend of people who no longer think they need the church. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Personally, I think this is why there are so many "one anothers" in scripture - so that we will be sure not to take each other - and our gathering together - for granted. We are to love one another (John 13:34), serve one another in love (Galatians 515), be at peace with on another (Mark 9:30), live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16), welcome one another (Romans 15:7), greet one another with a holy kiss (Romans 16:16), comfort one another (2 Corinthians 13:11), bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), forgive one another (Ephesians 5:19), submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11) - ***BREATHE*** - do good to one another (1 Thessalonians 5:15), exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13), stir up one another to good works (Hebrews 10:24), confess your sins and pray for one another (James 5:16), and show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)...whew...
Do you get the impression that maybe the church is about doing life with one another? I just don't think that is possible unless the church - that is the assembly of all those who are redeemed by placing their faith in Jesus Christ - are actually gathering together with one another - in person. Maybe that is why Hebrews 10:25 says "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some." Well apparently, the "virtual church" crowd are still in that habit.
I know I will may get a some negative feedback for this post, but I just don't think I can apologize for standing in defense of the purity of Christ's bride, the church.
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