For many pastors, an online congregation is just a service that needs to be offered. It is not understood as an essential part of their church life. The online service is there to help volunteers who can’t make it to church or to accommodate out-of-town folks.
But what if your online viewership is part of your church? Maybe it is even a part of your congregation. In your mindset, what you would do for your physical church, live, in-you-seat attendees gets translated to your virtual, live, in-their-seat viewers.
One of the most important things a pastor and church should do for its church is to care for the people you’re responsible for. As the apostle Peter says, “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God” (1 Peter 5:2 NLT).
Care for the flock. Two words there. Care. Flock.
Care is the task that needs to be accomplished while the flock is the recipient of the ministry. Care is for everyone. The flock is everyone, those in your seats as well as those in their seats at home. It may seem more obvious to care for your churchgoers than your online viewers, so keep on reading.
Here Are Different Ways to C.A.R.E. for Your Online Church
First off, consider your online participants as a real church, your church. They listen, comment, pray, and give just like everybody else.
C Is for Care
Care by providing pastoral care. Your online congregants live with anxiety and stress, lose family members, endure challenges with their kids or their spouse, walk through the dryness of desert seasons, and their souls may become void of fulfillment and purpose, just like everybody else. Offering online pastoral care just proves the quality of the church’s character and its desire to reach out to them.
Communicate with special messages directed at them specifically via email, video, or in the online chat for example. Here’s what this means: you are our church. When you say “ we’re glad you’re here and “let’s welcome our online viewers, ” you allow online participants to join in. But when you send a direct message to them, you’re adding value to them as a whole, not only as an addition to the real people.
C Is for Community
Often called small groups or life groups (and so many other names), community groups are usually for live meetings in a house or the church building. This new era has paradigm shifts that are needed. New methods are OK. Online community groups are totally acceptable. Quite frankly, they’re essential. People can meet, discuss the sermon, grow in a class and pray together. This would be a great way to live community in a virtual environment.
C Is for Communion
You can take communion with your virtual church. The first church, the primitive church as theologians call it, the one that began ministry in the book of Acts, says the believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).
Communion is about remembering Christ’s sacrifice and bringing the church together. When you allow communion to take place in online groups, you permit care to happen.
A Is for Address
Address your online congregation in every context. During your live online weekend service, welcoming the online congregants is the least you can do. Looking at them on the screen is another easy way to connect with them. “Look straight into the camera” is an important step in caring for them.
A Is for Activate
Activate them into serving roles. Doesn’t Hebrews 10:24 mention to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds?” Don’t you need teams to reply to online chats, send emails, manage databases, and connect with FTV (first-time viewers) or GMLTC (gave my life to Christ) viewers?
A Is for Act
Acts of compassion are outward-focused. Feeling cared for is not only consumer-oriented. Caring for your online church is also about allowing them to be an active part of meeting needs in the church community and the local community. Caring for your virtual members is to prepare a way for them to serve in their own community. They can make an impact by feeding kids attending an underprivileged school or sending notes to county officers. Visiting the elderly or sick at the hospital are beautiful acts of compassion.
A Is for Availability
Availability is a key component of care. You understand this. You would never say a friend cared for you if he was never available. Making space in your calendar to meet, zoom, or chat is proof of love.
R Is for Relate
Relating to your online church is about connecting with them. The connection part is about you acknowledging their presence and participation. Mentioning someone’s name in the chat is always a good thing to do.
R Is for Reach
Reach out to specific people who have commented in the chat or on social media. That person may be a virtual participant in your church but remains a real human being! This is often forgotten.
R Is for Real
Real leaders should lead, care, reach out to, comment, and pray with and for your online congregation. Isn’t it good to have a specific leader who directs specific ministry areas in your church building every weekend? It should be the same for your online church!
E Is for Events
Events are part of your church life. Maybe your church is even event-driven. Plan some events for your online church as well. Online lunch time with you and virtual morning coffee with your pastor are great ways to connect with your online church. Knowing you are proactive and intentional about reaching out to them will make them feel seen.
E Is for Elevate
Elevate the online experience by having an online host assigned to that needed ministry. Your viewers won’t feel like a lower-tier church when they see you’re actively trying to improve their experience. You could (I would say you should) ask your online congregation what could make the virtual service better!
E Is for Express
Expressions of love, like in Hebrews 10:24, are important for your virtual church. Give them permission to love your city, expressing Christ’s mercy for the needs of your community. Again, this allows your online church to be part of something real and not just virtual. Their spiritual life then becomes an outward expression of the change that has happened and is still happening in their inner being.
Change Your Mindset on Virtual Church
In conclusion, as much as it is possible, caring for your online congregation is as simple as starting to acknowledge that it is a part of your church as much as your in-house congregation. This mindset change will spur you to do for them what you would do for everyone else. We have so many resources available to us to help make online services better. Tap into those and watch how your online community flourishes and grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions pastors might ask:
What strategies can encourage active participation from online congregants during live services?
Active participation from online congregants can be encouraged by incorporating interactive elements such as live chats, polls, and Q&A sessions during services. Acknowledging online attendees in real-time and providing platforms to share testimonies or prayer requests can also enhance engagement.
How can we provide spiritual support and counseling to members who primarily engage with the church online?
Providing spiritual support to online members can be facilitated through virtual counseling sessions, online prayer meetings, and dedicated pastoral care teams that are available via digital communication channels. Offering resources like online devotionals and spiritual guidance materials can also support their faith journey.
What measures can be taken to ensure the inclusivity of online congregants in church decision-making processes?
Ensuring the inclusivity of online congregants in decision-making can involve creating digital forums or surveys where they can voice their opinions and contribute to church discussions. Including online representatives in church committees or leadership teams can also ensure their perspectives are considered.
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