#6 Being Virtual Church

In Matthew 18:20, Jesus says that “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Right now, gathering together in person is not advised. That doesn’t mean we as Christians still can’t practise community together. It just requires doing things differently for a time.

To help you find new ways of connecting and exploring faith together, we’ve pulled together some resources bringing Church online.

A must for Christians turning online is Church Online: Social Media. It's a simple guide to using and understanding Social Media from a Church and congregational perspective. It features clear steps to help you find your digital feet. The Parish Guide to Social Media also offers a ministry-first look at how the internet can help you reach people with hope and the gospel.

One big change that comes with moving online is going from face-to-face to written communication. Write Better by Andrew T. Le Peau offers winsome advice from a lifetime spent writing and editing. Even for quick messages or posts, this warm and insightful guide will help you express yourself clearly and captivatingly. After all, Shakespeare wrote some of his best works when confined. Maybe you have something like that in you too?.

During this time, it is also important to grow in fellowship with one another. The Holy Habits book of reflections on Fellowship is a great source of understanding about what makes fellowship and why it is so important. It features principles and habits you can translate into online Church.

Above all, what is important is communication. Keeping in touch with people in your life. Some ways you can maintain community at a distance include:

• Daily Phone Calls

On a wider scale, self-isolation means finding ways of transposing Church meetings and events onto online life. To help you find community and Church, here are some more ideas for doing Church Online:

Start a Prayer Group

This one can be as simple as opening a new group chat on social media. For some handy hints and tips for running a thriving online prayer group, check out our Online Prayer Group Essentials [coming soon!].

Start an Online Book Club

Due to self-isolation, books clubs are flourishing in virtual spaces. With a similar style as small groups, an online book club offers you a place to discuss and engage with a range of new and interesting books and ideas. If you are interested in setting one up, we’ve written a guide to help you get started with an online Christian book group.

Encourage Your Church's Leader/Pastor

Trust me when I say, your Church leader is probably a little bit stressed right now. Their whole role involves bringing people together. With this big change, they will be pretty swamped, so we’ve thought of a few ways you can support your Church leader during self-isolation.

Live Stream Worship Services

It’s one thing to deliver a video of a sermon camera, but what about worship? With technical insights, some ideas to involve listeners, and resources for helping you lead worship from your living room, here’s our guide to live streaming worship for your Church.

Lead an Online Bible Study

Whether you have a small group of your own or want to offer the chance to explore the Bible in a new way, we’ll help you find the resources and platforms from which to lead your very own online Bible study.

Return to the list of practices for Christians during Coronavirus: https://www.eden.co.uk/blog/7-practices-for-christians-during-coronavirus-p1784105