A lot of my time these days is spent thinking about and "doing" Virtual Church. Yes that's a confusing and diverse topic. I recently spent a Sunday morning sermon at MCC Toronto and a workshop at the MCC Region 3 and 5 Conference trying to explain what I mean by that term. It's complicated because everyone I meet seems to have their own idea of what it means.
Some people think it means podcasting sermons. And it certainly can mean that.
Some people think it means webcasting church services. And it certainly can mean that.
Some people think it means multi-site congregations all seeing the same sermon broadcast from a single location. And it certainly can mean that.
Some people think it means having a church service in Second Life, a virtual world based on gaming technology. And it certainly can mean that.
Some people think it means archiving workshops or classes or lectures on various points of theology. And it certainly can mean that.
Or a Facebook page, or a Skype call, or a Twitter account or, or, or, or......
And in the end, the real question is .... How does Virtual Church move from technology to communion with God and our fellow human beings? And what does it mean to be church anyway?
This post is just a beginning for beginning to post on the subject. I'm very interested to hear what others think about the topic, "What is church?" We know it's not a building, a denomination, a theological position, a charismatic leader. But what is it? Stay tuned and add your comments. I'm looking forward to exploring the subject.
