Every so often something comes along that changes everything.
Hands down, the Internet is one of the best ways ever created to reach and connect with people not in church.
One of the frequently asked questions about using video on the Internet to advance the gospel is:
Will people watch or listen to webcast networks that mainly feature sermons and other gospel focused programming produced by churches and ministries?
Here’s a very brief look at two perspectives on the question when it has been directed toward traditional Christian television.
The experts and commentators say
On the “no, they won’t watch” side:
Critics say a formula that consists primarily of teaching and preaching content is too repetitive. Somebody preaching to the camera and asking for financial support is unimaginative. A format like that does not reach the younger generation. A variety of artistic expressions is needed.
On the “yes, they will watch” side:
Supporters say they’re for the approach when the goal is to take the gospel around the world. They believe a concentration of moving and soul-stirring video sermons and other message oriented content touches hearts and changes lives. It’s worth doing, even if they’re not the most attention-getting, or popular channels.
Both sides make some good points.
It’s not an academic question for anyone interested in the use of media to fulfill the Great Commission or influence local and global cultures with biblical truth. Three research points reveal the potency of mass media on faith-building experiences, gaining knowledge of spiritual things, and salvation.
The research says
Barna Group studies indicate:
- Millions of adults are becoming increasingly reliant upon faith-based media – such as television, radio, and the Internet – for religious experience and expression. This represents a massive realignment of religious behavior over the past decade.
- While 56% of adults attend church services in a typical month, a much larger percentage is exposed to religious information and experiences through various forms of media.
- For adults who accepted Christ as their Savior, the most common precipitant was a friend (19%), followed by mass media experiences (14%).
One of the objectives of many churches is to reach people who do not participate in the life of a church, a number that is estimated to be north of 100 million in the U.S. alone. Over 2 billion people worldwide have never heard that Jesus Christ came to save them.
The implications are monumental, but “nothing is worth doing unless the consequences may be serious,” said George Bernard Shaw. In 10 important things we’ve forgotten about evangelism, the author listed a few painfully sobering reasons the world desperately needs the gospel:
Consider the beggar mafia in the slums of Mumbai where corrupt doctors disfigure children to make them more effective beggars. Consider the lucrative slave trade in Haiti where you can buy a young girl for pocket change—over 400,000 children sold in 2002. Consider the abortion industry in the United States where 1.37 million abortions are performed annually, 93% of them for social reasons (the child is unwanted or inconvenient)—approximately 2400 unborn children will have been killed worldwide before you finish reading this post.
The question is no longer should webcasting evangelistic networks be built. More precisely, it is: “How should network channels be formatted, programmed, and socialized to enable the Church to communicate the greatest story anyone will ever hear?”
The Bible says
The Church has the authority and the mandate. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go.” (Matthew 28:18)
The Church has God-breathed innovation power. “We understand that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.” (Hebrews 11:3)
The Church has promises. “The powers of hell will not conquer it.” (Matthew 16:18) “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
The Church has a timetable. “The Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
The Church has a once-in-a-generation opportunity. “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
If the Church doesn’t do this, who will?