To Livestream Or Not To Livestream?

Before Covid and 2020, our church recorded sermons and made them available online. During 2020, we began live streaming our services on Facebook and Youtube. Lately, our leadership has been considering the pros and cons of live streaming. I’m writing this to help those in our church and others think about the pros and cons of live streaming.

SOME CONS
Although in extreme circumstances there may be reasons for whole churches or specific individuals to gather virtually for a season, the Biblical norm and encouragement is to gather physically (Matthew 18:17-20; 1 Cor. 11:33; Hebrews 10:25). In the context of discussing physically gathering to sing, pray, take the Lord’s supper, and hear a sermon together, Pastor Jim Davis and Skyler Flowers write, “A faint hint of that experience can be felt in a livestream, but at its best, live streaming is the spiritual equivalent of a deployed soldier having a Zoom relationship with his wife: necessary, but nothing you’d want to get used to.” 1

Furthermore, we are passionate about each member being a contributor and not simply a consumer. I am concerned that regularly live streaming worship services when physical presence is possible will lead to more and more consumerism. You can enjoy the service without leaving home. You can sing along without fear that the people around you will hear how off your pitch is. You can hear the sermon and even rewind it if you want. You can sleep in and start the service a bit late.

But what can’t you do?  

You can’t greet a visitor, ask a new person how long they’ve lived in Middle GA and listen to a bit of their story, smile at someone as you walk by them (emojis don’t count 5020202020allCategories