A Message for Critics of an Online Church

Heb 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; (24) and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, (25) not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

These verses are often quoted as an argument against online church membership. And I get it. There are indeed people who do forsake the assembling together and instead just watch “church” online. They don’t want to bother getting out of bed, getting dressed, being around people, and many simply do not want any kind of accountability. But before anyone immediately dismisses the possibility of a valid online church membership, please listen to some things you probably are not aware of.

For the past 12 years our church which I have pastored now for 33 years, has had a ministry to domestic abuse victims, most all Christians, who have also been grossly mistreated by their local church and pastor(s). Some have been ex-communicated for divorcing. These are not flaky “Christians” who do not desire real fellowship in a church. Hardly. They have looked and looked and searched and searched for a real church in their area and come up empty time and time again. Anyone who is a genuine Christian, who desires a true church and a true pastoral ministry knows exactly what this frustration is. In these last days the true church is getting harder and harder to find. If you are satisfied with superficiality, with milk instead of meat, then you won’t understand what I am talking about.

What has been our experience in this online, livestreaming ministry? I will tell you. It has connected us with some of the most Godly Christians I have known. We have real fellowship. How is that possible, you ask? Because we communicate with one another every week – often multiple times. We know the members “out there” are joining us on Sundays. They diligently follow our livestreamed Bible studies (currently on #146, Romans Study). And they are growing in Christ.

Recently one of our online members was suddenly taken ill and hospitalized. Our entire church family knew it, all prayed for him, all rejoiced at his recovery. We KNOW one another. And furthermore, several of our distant members have traveled out here and met us face to face.

But what about those verses in Hebrews 10? Let me tell you. The instruction is that we gather together with the saints, encouraging one another to love and good deeds. I suggest that many if not most people who profess to be Christians and are church members, who walk through the church doors on Sundays, have never had the level of Christian fellowship that we have here, including with our distant members. I have had critics tell me that all online churches are unbiblical. All. Really? So, let’s carry their objections out a bit. Are they saying that a member of the church at Laodicea is fulfilling Hebrews 10 while the distant members of our church are not? Note that these verses speak of gathering together with one another. Who are the one another? Christians. Real Christians. The saints. And I can tell you that there are many, many local “in person” churches that have hardly any regenerate people in them at all. THAT is where the critics’ complaint should be.

Have you ever given thought to the Apostle Paul’s ministry? Do you realize that there were Christians and churches who had never, ever seen him face to face. So, how did he minister to them? “Online!” He wrote to them. Don’t you think that if he had had the technology we have today that he would have used it?

We always, of course, are glad if one of our distant members does finally find a true church where God’s Word is genuinely preached. But the reality is that in these last days we may very well be in the beginnings of that great apostasy Paul told the Thessalonians would come before the Antichrist appears. That means we can expect the remnant to be even smaller and harder to find.

So, please do not do what one guy did recently to me. Don’t unleash your ignorance regarding this subject if you know nothing about it. And in reality, few people really do know.