Saddleback’s Internet Campus

As many of you may know, Saddleback Church (you know, Rick Warren’s church in south Orange County, CA) recently launched its own “Internet campus” last month.  In doing so, they have joined many other churches exploring new ways to reach the next generation of churchgoers.  According to Digital@Leadership Network, as of April 12, 2009, there are 27 churches with an Internet campus (including Saddleback’s). For those of you not familiar with the idea of an Internet campus, they are…

… more than having a live streaming video — it’s adding live interactive features like lobby chat room, message notes, communication card, raise a hand, say a prayer, and even online giving. Some have on-going ministry during the week with attenders by forming small groups or service projects. (description from Digital@LeadershipNetwork).

I have written many times in the past, often critically, of churches trying to fit the square peg of a full church service into the round hole of the Internet.  Instead of re-hashing those arguments here, let me point you to a couple previous blog entries here and here.  You may also want to check out my interview with Shane Hipps, who has written on this topic. The bottom line of those arguments is simply that the complete experience of church (as exemplified in Acts 2) cannot be done online and, more importantly, churches that offer an online experience should have as their goal the integration of all participants into a physical church body, whether their own or another church’s.  Which leads us to Saddleback… › Continue reading

Tags: Matt McGill, online church, Saddleback