Amidst the 2020 pandemic, most churches had no choice but to go digital. As the physical doors of the church were closed the online doors flew open.
Now that we are beyond those days and church doors are open, churches are still being faced with a new normal.
What does this look like for your church and churches across the world?
Many churches are currently navigating how they reach an online audience moving forward. You may even be asking questions like, Should we cater to an online audience? Do online options discourage church attendance?
Ultimately, whether or not you offer online services will depend on the values of your church and your ability or capacity to do so. This can look different from simply adding recorded sermons to your website to hosting full online services.
Before you decide, let’s take a look at some of the benefits of streaming church services on your website.
Accessible Church
Online sermons can be accessed from any device at any location around the world. We are called to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, what a great way to do so!
Online services allow both regular attenders and first-time visitors the option to experience church from anywhere. Those who can’t attend services in person due to work, sports, kid’s activities, or vacations have the opportunity to still attend church online at a time that is convenient for them.
online church opportunities are also an incredible blessing to those who can’t leave their home. Whether it is due to sickness, lack of transportation, or other various reasons, these people can still experience a church service and be filled with the word of God from their homes.
Expand Your Reach
Online church services put your sermons and church experiences at the tip of the fingers of a whole new and very broad audience. Those who are looking for a new church to attend or non-churchgoers who are curious about what church is all about are much more likely to view services online before they step foot in person.
It has been found that online sermons or live streaming services can also reach younger people from outside of your community. Many people search for churches or communities online that can make them feel part of a group. Over 56% of young Christians research online churches or religious organizations before attending one.
Space Limitations
If space is an issue for your congregation, online services can help combat some of that. Ideally, a church likely wants a gathering space that fits their congregation with room to grow but online sermons help combat this issue in the meantime.
Online services also provide you with a backup option when disaster strikes. Severe weather, damage to your building or even planned construction can force you to close your doors temporarily.
Provide Resources
Posting your sermons online will help you create an archive to offer as resources to your church. Website visitors will eventually be able to search through an archive of sermons to find a particular topic, get encouragement, or seek wisdom in a trial.
Digital Marketing
Weekly sermons being added to your website will lead to new fresh content and greater digital engagement. This is great for digital marketing and will help with search engine optimization.
Cost Effective
The equipment to capture quality sound and video can be a bit of an investment upfront but aside from that, streaming your services online will cost you very little.
You are already taking the time to write, prep, and plan a service and sermon each Sunday. Why not take that one step further and post it online? If one life is changed, wouldn’t that be worth it?
For more support in live streaming services, publishing sermons, and updating your website, our team of website designers and developers is ready to help!