Should You Count Online Viewers as Worship Attendees?

Podcast Episode #399

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After the discussion surrounding a blog post earlier this week, we look at the pertinent question surrounding the topic of the internet church: should you count them in your weekly worship number?

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

• If you lower the importance of gathered worship, don’t be surprised if people
• There is a high correlation of attendance and giving.
• People who attend worship more regularly give more regularly and give more per person.
• The digital church is more relatable to digital natives (younger generations).
• You should not count online viewers as worship attendees—but you should track them.
• A church’s online community is not nearly as engaged as its physical community.

The six considerations we cover are:

1. Any church can have digital worship services with technology today.
2. More church leaders are asking if the virtual or Internet attendance should be counted.
3. The theological debates about the digital church are increasing.
4. Some churches are reporting a decline in physical attendance as they provide virtual attendance venues.
5. Churches are reporting mixed results about giving among virtual attenders.
6. This issue will be generational to some degree.

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