Online Church

“On average, people attending church in person had a higher heart rate during the service and experienced more transcendence, according to a recent study.” - RNS

“To those who stayed home simply because it’s more comfortable, I challenge you to reconsider.” - P&D

“How things have changed: I can think of several ways in which the digital revolution, accelerated by COVID lockdowns, is still with us.” - Word by Word

“About a quarter of U.S. adults regularly watch religious services online; 21% use apps or websites to help with reading scripture” - Pew

“One-third (32%) would be ‘disappointed’ if their congregation moved online, and 27 percent would feel ‘disconnected.’ This disconnection, they assume, would manifest in the loss of members (44%) and the loss of relationships (32%).” - Barna

“Home has become our stadium and athletic arena. We have become accustomed to viewing sporting events rather than attending them…. home has become our fitness center, since we elected to buy a Peleton bike rather than keep our gym membership. And, of course, the home has become an office for millions…. We are in a post-place world.” - Thom Rainer

“Today’s article features data from our brand new journal, Five Changing Contexts for Digital Evangelism, taking a closer look at the current climate for extending or accepting invitations to digital church services.” - Barna Research

“Having written already about preaching to a camera alone at the beginning of quarantine, I hope to share some of what my team has learned now in this present awkwardness as we film a sermon during the week for online viewers and then preach the same sermon to those who reserve spots in our limited outdoor services.” - F&T

“While this is a new challenge for a lot of pastors, it is not a death blow. It is a pivot but one you can still utilize to reach people.” - C. Leaders

“Speaking on NPR’s ‘Here & Now,’ Barna president David Kinnaman said that based on trends both before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, American churches will look significantly different after the pandemic—and a fifth of them could close.” - C. Leaders