Streaming church and how churches have to work within a different paradigm

In England and elsewhere I have seen churches that have had like 20 members get 200 views compared to churches of the same amount getting the same amount of views online

When services of all different types came online , content became king as if I am streaming a service I can go and watch maybe a service from around the world or a service locally

I like local church I like the interaction with local Christians but there are lots of churches refusing to do church locally in England because they are renting out a local hall or school and cannot use it because of government guidelines

Pastors have one job to do each week which is to preach a good sermon and so many fail.

Having 15 minutes of church adverts before your service goes live or worship that is terrible
It is more noticeable because when you stream people just simply switch off or go to another church YouTube site

Then most churches do not even know the whole host of rules regarding things like copyright claims or posting clips

Then there is the fact that most churches do not know that YouTube or Facebook may just simply decide to delete your channel on a whim

Content is king a great sermon can be preached from a pastor where he has done the hours of research and praying
As with most sermons I can bring up say if we are going through the book of Ephesians you can bring up 100 sermon on say one chapter of that verse

This is why pastors should be so virulant when preaching from say passages such as the end of mark 16 or other passages that have dubious backgrounds as they can be slammed by people online

This is the other thing that pastors forget as they have to be open to constructive criticism as people who are not from there local church from atheists to unbelievers who have no clue

As most churches are no inwardly focused they are almost in an echo chamber

When I first used sermonindex and other platforms I would download gigabytes of sermons

Are people here to please God rather than man .
One of my big contentions also is music as my parents grew up with different worship songs than I did and then the youth have different worship songs they are familiar with as this is a whole subject in itself as some older songs as well as newer songs may be as not theologically sound

It is hard when you are streaming a service and maybe see a 10 minute to 15 minute sermon which is the standard in an Anglican church for a church which should have a proper length sermon and you have had to wade through relevant clips which you are not interested in because they relate to that local church or they are trying to be relevant when you can simply jump to the time stamp and miss all the rubbi
sh.

Everyone is just one click away from another church or sermon on the same subject

I love local church and local fellowships

We are living in troubled times
Thanks Greg

We have been meeting outside and helping my pastor friend online

Some churches because they are streaming it alot more easy to see bad teaching online which wouldn't normally be online

What I hope is that people can see they are being entertained and actually go to a church where they are going through the bible and have a grounding in god's word

2 Timothy 4
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (Compare)

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. note

6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith

There are some churches wouldn't know what sound doctrine is and how many are actually going through a book of the bible preaching the word in season and out of season

I was online and heard a sermon that was to do with climate change and the church they were trying to promote an eco church
I have been working in the catering industry and have been out of work for months , my brother has gone through marriage problems

With death a constant thing in life what are people saying in there sermon to prepare people for if they die tonight

I so long for exegesis in sermons where people actually expound god's word rather than exegesis and narsegesis
When people make the bible all about them and don't study the word

Going through verse by verse as it breaks my heart as how hard is it for pastors to go through the bible verse by verse as it makes it so much easier for the congregation to follow as it has so much power

I don't mind preaching on different subjects

It also annoys me when people expect laws in the government to change when we do not have a population that is not saved let alone a church and when most of the church is more into entertainment than the bible or things such as the seven mountain mandate or things like race theory

Judgement begins at the house of God
1 Peter 4:17

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” ”“ James 3:1

Tit 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

There are so many preachers who are goods views who may get no views but God knows them because they are preaching the word of God whilst false teachers may get lots of views
How many preachers preach the word in season and out of season

I am right there with you, brother. I share the same sympathies with you, although I am aware that your location is far more difficult than Louisiana (where I am currently located). God has always been about the business of separating the wheat from the chaff. I believe He is doing so now. There are many people who have chosen to not meet together, as we are commanded to do. I fear for them.

When I was forced to not go to church (the initial outset of COVID), it was difficult to grow spiritually. We need the brethren.

If it comes down to it, I agree with Greg. House church is better than no church.

Having grown up in Christianity in the early 2000s, I heard sermon after sermon which made the case against simply watching church on TV or online (which was totally new back then), because of the lack of genuine fellowship, use of spiritual gifts, accountability, evangelism, structure, etc.

Now we live in days where this approach is lauded. And let me tell you: fellowship, spiritual gifts, accountability, evangelism, structure, sound teaching, etc have all suffered.

I am tired of consumerism Christianity.

But, it would not be good of me to just recognize the error and complain. Instead, I am actively doing something about it. I pushed hard on my pastor to meet together. Every time the subject came up in group discussions, I would make a case for it. Now we are meeting together (Thank you, Lord!). When I am called to supply preach at various local congregations, I preach the Scriptures and urgently remind them of the need to continue meeting and following the model given to us in Scripture.

I think it would be good if we all took a similar attitude: "what does the Scripture say?" coupled with "how can I do my part to make that happens?"

Above all that, the Lord is with us. We might be pushing against the world, but the Lord is with us and He desires more than we do that we be together in community in His name.

Amos 8:11-12 - ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

God's judgement on a nation that had previously rejected him. He stopped sending them true prophets. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Matthew Henry's Commentary (concise) -

Amos 8:11-14 Here was a token of God's highest displeasure. At any time, and most in a time of trouble, a famine of the word of God is the heaviest judgment. To many this is no affliction, yet some will feel it very much, and will travel far to hear a good sermon; they feel the loss of the mercies others foolishly sin away. But when God visits a backsliding church, their own plans and endeavours to find out a way of salvation, will stand them in no stead. And the most amiable and zealous would perish, for want of the water of life, which Christ only can bestow. Let us value our advantages, seek to profit by them, and fear sinning them away.

We are a small local fellowship, we do our meetings via Zoom. Some 20 families join online every week. We have lots of interaction online as much as we have in person. Through Zoom we are able to pray, offer our testimonies, and also share the word. We are not a one-man show Church where the Pastor does everything every week. We take turns in sharing the responsibilities. We also stream our service online through youtube.

While meeting in person is the best, due to Covid restrictions we chose this way. I do not see any problem with this and it also comes with its own advantages. People who are outside our city from other states who want to meet with us but cannot due to distance, now join online. Also, Brother Zac Poonen who is now mostly speaking via Zoom meeting was saying that this is the maximum he has spoken any time in his ministry and also the number of people reached by his message are all-time high.

So God is still doing his job of advancing his kingdom even in this pandemic time. The means are just different and we need to acknowledge it.

Sree I am encouraged by your post it has been a hard time we spoke with someone from Poland and they were saying that these were the same measures that they cracked down in the country before communism
Some people have been asking where are the church leaders in the UK who would stand up against the government to keep churches open

It has been so encouraging as so many churches like Zac Poonan have been increasing whilst someone

Luke 16:15
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

People where saved from there sin in China during persecution and persecution has tended to grow churches and purify churches