“Why should we stream our church services?”
People often ask me this question, usually followed by a quote from their pastor saying, “If people can stay at home and watch church in their pajamas and slippers, why would they come back to church?”
There are many ways to answer to this question. In my research and polls, taken since I started live streaming in 2009, I have found that the driving force behind people’s desire to view church online is wide and varied. And I’m happy to share with you the top 10 reasons churches have decided to invest in live streaming.
1. To show potential new members—those who visit your church website—what your church is really like. (Fact: Young married couples, ages 24 to 34, who have recently moved into a town, will watch a live streamed church service an average of six times before stepping foot in the church building.)
2. To provide an alternative for those who have odd work schedules or who travel frequently for work and/or play.
3. To provide a convenient means to attend worship for those who can’t make it to church due to illness or being infirmed.
4. For the elderly who can’t leave home (shut-ins) or those living in an assisted living environment.
5. To extend church membership beyond the walls of your church (think multistate membership).
6. For special events, music concerts, pageants (out-of-town grandma wants to see granddaughter in the Easter program).
7. For district conferences; more church members can participate in conferences and be part of the discussions about the direction of the church as a whole.
8. For fundraising; groups within the church (women’s ministry, youth ministries) can take advantage of this technology and use it to raise money and awareness of their mission activities.
9. To live stream your pastor’s sermon across campus or across town where the church has planted a new church—decreasing the cost of having two pastors serve locations that are sharing resources.
10. As outreach … to fulfill the Great Commission (Acts 1:8).
Shawn West is a technology adviser for churches and president of WorshipChannels.com. This article was originally published on WorshipIdeas.com.
