Page 41 - Digital Church in a Lonely World

Regardless which model of church we embrace, it is helpful to ask the question of how we will achieve
these elements of biblical community that are best achieved in person.

For example, if our church model focuses on large public gatherings on the weekend, how will we
achieve these essential elements of community, so that our church is more than an event? Or, if our
model is streaming content online and building community in smaller settings, how will we ensure that
we are incorporating every element of biblical community?

Some churches are going global with their online strategy. In this strategy, a church has a central
broadcast hub that streams the preaching, plus microcommunities that meet in different locations
around the world. These may be meet-ups in café, homes, schools or any numbers of varieties. This
model involves centralized content and decentralized community.

I think physical, in-person church gatherings will become more important, not less important. However,
we will have to reengineer them to be built primarily around community, not just content. In addition,
there is scope for great innovation around how to achieve the in-person component.

The ability to build community needs to be primary, not secondary, in our church model.

I think physical, in-person church
gatherings will become more

important, not less important.
However, we will have to reengineer
them to be built primarily around
community, not just content.

DIGITAL CHURCH IN A LONELY WORLD 41