Internet Church: "Clicking onto God"

Ok, so I'll admit it. I love the internet. It is a wonderful invention (though I doubt it can be accredited to our former Vice President...cough...), that has opened the whole world to communication and exchange of ideas. It has improved our lives enormously with respect to the amount of time it takes to get information. However, there are disadvantages. So many people spend so much time on it (I am guilty), that normal relationships with family and friends are hindered. So here's my question: how far is too far?

The Internet is easily used to communicate the gospel to people across the nation. Websites for pastors, youth minsters, and young Christians have helped to communiate ideas about ministry, doctrinal study, and programming ideas. More personally, it has helped pastors of their churches to communicate with their churches about their own spiritual journeys. It has helped IMF trustees to communicate with their churches over their thoughts over the latest debate over private prayer languages and baptism (I'm not actually an expert on the debate. My dad just tries to explain it to me.) Blogs like this one help to communicate where the Church might be going. But, when do we cross the line?

Recently (Mom's Day at Oklahoma State) I went to church at a Stillwater campus of a regional megachurch. Upon their first announcement, my mother and I were informed that the church had just started their first internet campus last week and "24 people came to Christ over the internet". Hmmm. I was trying to figure this out. I wondered: does God have a screenname? A computer in the sky that allows us to shoot Him an instant message over AIM to let Him know what is going on in our lives? Then I asked rather ridiculous questions like: Does God ever have a power surge when lightning strikes His computer? Does He get viruses too? I'm sorry, that's bordering on sacrilegious. But most of you that read this know that I am a very ornery person, so you will forgive me.

I just watched a news story on the internet campus. I was impressed with how they did it. The lights they used, the clothes and the fashion of the twenty something pastor were good looking, and the technology they used was impressive. All in all, a great production. I don't know who wouldn't want to come to Christ after watching a show like that.

Here's the deal. I don't want to diminish any of the work that this church has done. It is an incredible church, that I think really does try to serve God. They reach people that regular church finds it hard to reach. They are passionate about spreading the gospel. Sometimes, however, I feel they extend grace so much that they cheapen the spiritual community that comes with being a part of the CHURCH. I attended the church whenever I was in Stillwater on Sundays and let me tell you the reasons why:
1) The music is excellent and well produced as compared to those surrounding Stillwater churches.
2) The videos were visually appealing.
3) The speaking was good, sometimes challenging, but nothing I hadn't yet heard before.
4) I could get out by 11 so I could get a quick bight to eat before doing my laundry and studying.

I see the advantages of this internet "church". Missionaries an be involved with a church in the states (although, most would be serving in their own churches which would relate to the people group they are trying to reach). Soldiers overseas can listen to messages. Business people could log on from anywhere in the world while they travel. Lazy college students that don't want to get up and get dressed can watch from their dorm rooms. College students leaving for the summer can stay involved in their chruch where they go to school. By some miracle of God (seriously), someone could google it who has never heard the gospel before and end up giving their life to Christ. We have a big God, and there is no doubt He could use the internet to communicate the gospel in a relevant way to someone who needed to hear it. However, how do we judge (not that we really can) if these conversions are true life changing conversions?

However, is spiritual community sustainable in an online church? Is accountability possible? Is growth sustainable? I don't know. I have mixed feelings.

Part of me wants to say this is a revolutionary way to do church. However the conservative critic in me says, ehhh I don't think so. I feel as if church has been cheapened by paying too much attention to our consumer culture. A conversion doesn't get much quicker or easier or cheaper than over a cable internet modem. The onery part of me wants to click and tell them that I accepted Christ for the first time, just to give them a little boost in numbers.

I've talked to a lot of people about this. I realize that using any means to reach your culture is important, and engaging culture is a pivotal part of ministry. But here's what it comes down to. When did attracting people to church become about the music, the clothes, the lights, the preaching, the free doughnuts, the free sprite and dr. pepper and the worship notes with scriptures so you didn't even have to break open God's word and taste of the true spiritual food? When did it stop being about loving and accepting people as they are, sinners broken like us? As an artist, I do believe that presentation and production are important if you are going to do that sort of thing. But presentation and production does not equal CHURCH. It is part of glorifying God with all we have, but is not the root of our attractiveness as a body. I'm convinced that people will want to stay in a church even if the music is horrible and the preacher studders, if they feel loved by someone. I feel sometimes all of this production makes members of our churches lazy. They sit and say "FEED ME. Give me your good stuff. I'll tell you what I think about it after the service." Shouldn't we be challenging members to attract people by our love instead of how easy this Christian life is? That is not my gospel. That is not my faith. My faith says to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phlippians 2:12b-13) It does not say click a mouse, and everything will be okie dokie.

The fact is God brings people to Him for His glory. I wish we would just get out of the way.