No, I didn't write that because somebody's been yelling at me :-)
Instead, I included the disclaimer as an up-front reminder that what you read here is only me, without any coaching, "talking points" or instructions of any kind from anyone else.)
I've been attending both the 11:15 AM and 6:00 PM services at New Spring's Web Campus. Visiting both services lets me watch the first service full-screen size, so later I feel free to keep the display reduced during the 6PM service, which leaves enough room on my laptop's 10.5" screen to log-in and join the Chat Room.
Yesterday the web campus added a 2:00 PM (11:00 AM Pacific) service, and Joe Sangl's message was so powerful I attended it, too. And noticed new things happening along the way.
I noticed that a lot of folks who'd never met in "real life," including people who live on opposite ends of the planet, remembered others' log-in names and were welcoming and greeting each other profusely as they signed in.
Does that sound like a small, So-What thing? Maybe ... until you've signed in, and discover a half-dozen folks who've remembered your name are shouting a big Welcome in your direction. Seemingly insignificant things like a personal greeting might even start you realizing There's actually a loving group of believers here! after all.
Just like a "real" church.
It was amazing to see the web campus bringing worshippers together from Hawaii, Arizona, California, Alabama, New Jersey, New York City, the UK, Estonia, South and Central America (those are just the ones I remember) ... and here's the second thing that caught my attention: it wasn't long before worshippers began chatting back and forth in Spanish. Lots of folks, not just visitors in Latin America, but Spanish majors attending from Clemson University, too.
The folks attending from the southern hemisphere hadn't happened upon the web campus by chance, either: Nope, turns out they were both regular visitors ... because in Spanish, the woman in Peru told the man in Ecuador "This church teaches sound doctrine and preaches straight from the Bible." And he answered, from Ecuador, that he'd found the web campus because he followed Perry's blog.
Seems like they both enjoyed the music, too: the band's all-acoustic set included a cajón.
But now the big thing.
Yesterday was the first time I'd noticed folks approaching Pastor Nick to seek guidance and counsel concerning specific issues in their lives.
A man living in a western state, who had no local home church because his job included lots of out-of-state Sunday travel, asked whether it was OK to give his tithe instead to friends who were either in Bible school or living abroad as missionaries. Someone else was curious about the scriptural difference between a tithe and an offering.
One woman confessed the terrible crises debt had caused in her life ... and was eager for scriptural-based guidance to get her life back in order and start living according to God's purpose. Another woman wrote seeking Nick's counsel concerning a difficult situation in a dating relationship.
Could just be me, but seems like when the web campus first launched, lots of chat room dialogue focused on technological stuff like server capacity, connection speeds and wireless signal strength.
But all three services yesterday felt different because folks, lots of them, were opening up to express what was happening inside their hearts, live ... using the church's digital venue to admit their need for sound spiritual guidance and prayer.
Just like what happens inside a "real" church. And I can't help but think that's gotta be big.
Could just be me, but it sure seems like the web campus is already creating a palpable sense of community among worshippers.
Just like a "real" church.
Finally, as each of the three services was about to conclude, I was amazed at the number of worshippers exchanging contact information, to stay in touch and follow-up with each other during the week. Meaning, keeping in touch during the times when the web campus is off-line. And I was amazed at the number of worshippers expressing their desire to open their homes for group-viewing the service.
Those two things by themselves sure sound to me like the web campus is spreading the gospel, bringing believers together in worship and sharing the joy of knowing Christ ... not just inside a brick-walled building, but planet-wide.
Yes, the web campus really is church.
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