On-Line Church

Dear Victorious,

My sister-in-law claims to be a member of a church where she lives. But she only "attends" it's on-line services. She goes to a web site, watches worship and preaching, and sometimes gives on-line with a credit card. Apparently she believes this is "going to church." What do you think?

Mary N. - Cape Girardeau, MO

Dear Mary,

If that is what your sister thinks - or rationalizes - I believe she is sadly mistaken. The biblical mandate is not just to be exposed to worship and teaching regularly. Rather we are instructed to (1) gather together, (2) worship together, (3) be taught together, (4) submit to spiritual authorities together, (5 ) pray together and (6) serve one another. Attending an on-line service scratches the surface of a few of these, but it certainly doesn't do them well and completely misses the rest.

On-line church, church on TV, teaching on the radio, podcasts, and other forms of media church are never going to be acceptable replacements for being there in person.