So you’re on vacation or a business trip or are home with a sick kid and you’re taking in church online. What are some thing you can do to make the experience the best it can be?
- Get focused. Turn off as many distractions as you might have around you. The TV, other apps or things on your browser and other activities.
- Check-in. Often, as with our own church’s online experience, there’s an opportunity to check in and participate in the live chat. Whenever you can, do it! It lets the host know you’re there and if you decide, for example, to request prayer, that will be the way for you to do it.
- Participate. That’s right. If they’re singing, sing with them (provided you’re not watching in an airport or something!) If they’re praying, lift your own heart up to God and pray. If they’re taking communion, prepare some elements if you’re able. If there’s a chance to give in the offering, join in. Another way you can participate is by giving feedback to the message in the chat room. If you’re doing that, make sure that you’re encouraging others or contributing something positive to the conversation happening there. The more you participate in these ways, the better and more enriching the experience will be.
- Provide feedback. Often, when watching online, there are ways to send a message to the speaker or to the church. Give feedback to the message or series. Tell how it impacted you and how you plan to apply the message you’ve heard.
Those are the steps I recommend to make church online a more enriching experience. To see the companion post “Why Come to Church if I Can Watch Online?”, click here. To experience First Assembly Community Ministries’ online experience, click here. To watch archived services, click here.