"47 percent [of pastors] agree that at least some people will experience their faith exclusively through the internet within the coming decade"
The article is confused mess as far as the central concept goes. Between the title and first three or four paragraphs the topic changes from everybody experiencing their faith exclusively online to lots of people experiencing their faith exclusively online, to lots of people experiencing some of their faith online… then the piece acts as if these were all the same thing.
Today 47 percent agree that at least some people will experience their faith exclusively through the internet within the coming decade.
Is the prospect a problem? Theologically no, according to the nearly 9 out of 10 pastors (87%) who told the Barna Group it is “theologically acceptable” to seek “faith assistance” or “religious experiences” online. Nearly 4 out of 10 pastors (39%) say they now do so themselves, according to Barna’s recent survey examining the online actions and attitudes of more than 600 pastors.
“The prospect” in the Barna research is not the same prospect in the headline or the preceding paragraphs.
I would expect closer to 98% of pastors to agree that it is “theologically acceptable” to seek at least some faith assistance etc. online…. the issue is exclusivity.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
Let me be politically incorrect and insensitive - any Christian who isn’t plugged into a local church is deliberately disobedient and not growing spiritually. Period. Christ set up the community of faith to be the local church. That’s where Christians come together to worship, observe the ordinances, pray for each other, encourage one another, learn from one another and grow together.
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,” (Eph 4:11-13).
Different spiritual gifts are distributed to different people for the purpose of perfecting and equipping the saints for the work of ministry. Notice that it isn’t merely the Pastor who is “in ministry;” Paul (and God) assumes that every saint is part of the work of the ministry, which takes place in the local church. The entire body of Christ needs to be edified and built up by the unique gifts, experiences and talents of the individual members.
We all learn from one another, complement one another, and grow “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” together, as a corporate body. There is no hint of a lone-ranger type of Christian in Scripture.
Notice that I did not say they were disobedience because they didn’t come to hear the Pastor. They’re disobedient because they didn’t come to hear the preached word of God, which I believe is a means of grace. They also missed the fellowship, praying, singing and mutual encouragement from fellow believers. The Holy Spirit hasn’t rebuked them of sin, or convicted them of things they need to fix - they haven’t edified others and haven’t, in turn, been edified themselves!
The NT faith community is the local church. It makes me sad that the church is so maligned today, especially by Christians.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
This is why the diff. between “some” online faith experience vs. exclusive is so vast. It’s like saying “it’s OK to pray with a friend over the phone” vs. saying “it’s OK to only pray over the telephone.”
Surveys—and certainly survey analysis—are not the objective, neutral thing they often pose as. You have to frame it all right.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
tyler - define “plugged in”.
Are there attendance and serving metrics associated with that term?
Who tracks that information?
Is there a statistical trigger point to indicate spiritual stagnation and atrophy?
My warning bells go off when I see generalizations underscored with connotations of works-based sanctification.
I’m on the other side of vocational ministry and from what I saw, the only people who use the term “plugged in” (myself included at the time) are those who benefit from consistent attenders, and more specifically, consistent volunteers/givers. It’s a marketing cliche that implies joining a club and its associated programs.
Tyler,
I would say that prolonged absence is the problem in and of itself (“not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”) because of the benefits gained from being there in person AND the benefits others will gain from interaction with those present.
You certainly can’t say that the problem is necessarily in any of the following, since with today’s technology they can be done at home, sometimes in real-time:
1. The hearing of the word through preaching.
2. The reading of the word.
3. Listening to and praying with those leading the prayer.
4. Hearing and singing along with the hymns.
5. Being convicted by the Holy Spirit working through the message and making a decision.
6. To some extent, even mutual edification, prayer, and encouragement, since one can call/Skype, email, or text with other believers all from one’s home.
Obviously we get some major benefit from in-person interaction, especially on #6. Clearly we can draw closer with one another in-person than we can remotely, and God designed the church to function to meet those needs. 1-5 are clearly very important parts of the functions of the church, but many or even most of the benefits can be obtained without being physically present. And yet, we are still not to forsake the assembly.
I do agree with Aaron that it is a completely different question whether one attempts to get ALL spiritual benefit remotely, vs. just some. I’m as “connected” as anyone I know, but I would never want to do everything remotely, and I’m committed to the local church. Still, if one does have to miss services because of sickness or whatever, I’m glad that doesn’t mean there is no way to get spiritual benefit that week!
Dave Barnhart
You asked:
Are there attendance and serving metrics associated with that term?
Who tracks that information?
Is there a statistical trigger point to indicate spiritual stagnation and atrophy?
I answer:
- No. There are no metrics.
- I define “plugged in” as willingly and joyfully using your God-given talents, gifts and abilities for the Lord, in the context of the local church.
- This is a heart issue. My point is that if someone comes to church, speaks to nobody, zones out for 40 mins, then runs for the door, then they’re certainly not “plugged in.” Neither is the person who is a Christian and doesn’t belong to a church. Neither person is “plugged in.”
You wrote:
My warning bells go off when I see generalizations underscored with connotations of works-based sanctification.
I answer:
- I get what you’re saying, but that’s not what I’m saying!
You wrote:
I’m on the other side of vocational ministry and from what I saw, the only people who use the term “plugged in” (myself included at the time) are those who benefit from consistent attenders, and more specifically, consistent volunteers/givers. It’s a marketing cliche that implies joining a club and its associated programs.
I answer:
- Paul said that people are given different gifts, abilities and callings for (1) the perfecting of the other saints, (2) for the work of the ministry and (3) for the edification of the body of Christ. If you’re not willingly and joyfully trying to use those gifts for the Lord, and learning from other people at the same time, in the context of the local church, then you’re not an engaged Christian and you’re not a growing Christian. We learn from each other, pray together, and grow together. It wasn’t meant to happen alone. It was meant to happen within a community of believers in the local church.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
You wrote:
I would say that prolonged absence is the problem in and of itself (“not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”) because of the benefits gained from being there in person AND the benefits others will gain from interaction with those present.
I agree. It is a sin for a Christian to not formally join himself to a local body of believers.
Clearly we can draw closer with one another in-person than we can remotely, and God designed the church to function to meet those needs. 1-5 are clearly very important parts of the functions of the church, but many or even most of the benefits can be obtained without being physically present.
The benefits can be obtained without being a member and attender of a church, but they weren’t meant to be. Even at that, it’s a stunted growth - the difference between an untrimmed, diseased tree and a healthy, trimmed one. These benefits will be immeasurably increased if a Christian actually started going to a church and became involved. We grow spiritually within the context of the local church, and it was meant to be that way.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
[TylerR]The benefits can be obtained without being a member and attender of a church, but they weren’t meant to. I would also say these benefits will be immeasurably increased if a Christian actually started going to a church and became involved.
Anytime we are in disobedience, any benefits of doing right are lessened or even lost, and when we obey the benefits are increased, so I can’t really disagree with this.
Dave Barnhart
[dmicah] My warning bells go off when I see generalizations underscored with connotations of works-based sanctification.
Isn’t sanctification a “working out” of our salvation? Yes, our sanctification involves works powered by the Holy Spirit (Phil 2:12-13).
Discussion