12 healthy ways to participate in online church and not just watch

12 healthy ways to participate in online church and not just watch

I wrote down some reflections following our second weekend of big livestreams through Zoom and Facebook live. It turns out that all these principles will also apply when we return to our physical meetings!

1/ Go and be present with YOUR church family.
Your church may be small, the service homespun. Don’t be a consumer, go and be present,
show up, go with an attitude of giving not getting. 

There are plenty of amazing churches streaming great bands and teaching.
Enjoy them at other times, but don’t mistake this for being with the local family which God has added you into.

2/ Pray beforehand. 

For the church to be strengthened, the guest to be added, for the gospel to bear fruit, and the kingdom
of God to advance. 

Pray for those leading, preaching, serving with tech. Ask God to equip and help them as they serve us.

3/ Arrive early!

Be around to welcome people, wave, smile, message. 

4/ Put aside distractions.

Good tech enables us to meet, but put away unnecessary phones, split screens, turn off the TV.
If possible, move from other people in the house where they are not involved in this time.
Give your full focus and attention to Jesus and your worship of him.

5/ Be an encourager. 

Congregational worship is a one anothering exercise. We see, watch, follow each other. So set an
example in your window of worship! Raise your hands, be physical, stand up to sing and worship,
move your body, clap your hands, look engaged, help others through your example.

6/ Remember that children’s church isn’t the responsibility of the kids team, 

If you are caring for children - Explain songs, pray prayers together, print and use the sheets
and materials that have been emailed before the meeting. 

Don’t worry about being up and down, in and out a bit. Jesus is working in the hearts of your children,
even when we don’t always see it straight away!

7/ Encourage your teens to take part.

It they are reluctant or unsettled by this change, give them a way of participating positively.
Ask them to help you make your front room tech set up even better. If at all possible, take part as a
family in one room. But don’t sweat if your teen takes part from their upstairs bedroom, they are still
taking part!

8/ Follow the instructions from those leading.

Sing loudly even if it’s just you in the room, pray fervently, turn to the scriptures.

9/ Be an active listener in teaching. 

Write notes, open your bible. Give yourself a trail to follow later on in the day or the week.
Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart and to the others who are listening.

10/ Participate in prayer ministry responses.

Don’t drift off or get distracted near the end.

Pray in the spirit, use the gifts of the Spirit, and don’t let the gift of languages (tongues) go rusty through
this period.

Be ready if a leader asks you to contribute a prayer, word or scripture,

Pray for others and not just your own situation.

Be ready to connect through messaging on screen, through break out prayer ministry rooms,
or through your small group WhatsApp or phone calls immediately afterwards to offer prayer.

11/ Stick around for a few minutes for virtual hugs and coffee.

The smiles and waves at the end of our big Zoom meetings are better than a handshake at the door,
and there is release of happy chemicals as we connect our hearts as best we can.

12/ Remember the absent.

Think afterwards about who wasn’t there on the screen. Pray for those whom you didn’t see in the
windows or who didn’t connect to the Facebook livestream. Send them a message, pray for them,
give them a call to encourage them and let them know they are loved and missed.