New Monasticism: Shane Claiborne and the Potter Street Community

This is less an online church than it is a continuing journal of a powerful missional expression of church as the family of God. Shane Claiborne is the face of a movement to new monasticism: a return to simple values lived in intentional Christian community with the goal of being a meaningful incarnational member of the neighborhood in which they are located. The Simple Way is the website dedicated to the Potter Street Community (PSC). In June 2007, a fire in an neighboring abandoned warehouse destroyed the building at 3200 Potter Street where the intentional community was based, as well as damaging or destroying many other homes in the Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia. In the aftermath of the fire, the PSC has partnered with other groups to continue its work in the community and the small businesses that helped sustain it. PSC members have also created a fund to support their Kensington neighbors as they recover from the fire. The PSC does not engage in overt proclamation, although Shane in particular leads conferences about New Monasticism. It is however, an intentional missional/incarnational community dedicated to forming and growing relationships among people for Christ. While they are not engaged in evangelism as most mainstream Christians might consider it, it cannot be denied that their living within impoverished and challenged communities and working for the benefit of all expresses GodLife values in a way that cannot help but reach people. The Simple Way is in no way an online church, but I do think it demonstrates the values of the PSC in a way that invites, welcomes, and stands with those whom it serves.

Solomon's Porch: online calling to in-person community

The Solomon's Porch website is not so much an online church presence as it is an online church description. That said, it's a pretty good one. Solomon's Porch describes itself as "a holistic, missional, Christian community" and it is located in Minneapolis MN. The website on first glance in only minimally interactive, with mostly informational content provided. At the bottom of the home page is a click thru link to the church's newsletter and discussion groups, which is password protected, one assumes to minimize the influence/impact of "trolls". The content, however, is very well done. Unlike many local church websites (mine included, or should I say, implicated), Solomon's Porch provides a large amount of meaningful and easily accessible information about the nature and shape of their worship services (moving beyond simply posting time and place), how they understand Christian community to be formed in and with and around Christ (rather than simply posting a mission statement), and detailed background information on their mission projects (which often get only lip service on a church website). Participation is encouraged first through navigating the site and taking in the content. The arts are a particular emphasis of Solomon's Porch, and the site contains many links to websites and virtual gatherings for artists who are members of the community. This is a website intended for information, not for overt community formation, but it seems to me to be inviting. I want to know more. And for those of us who read the website and want to know more, there's a handy listing of books about and by members of the Solomon's Porch community. As an example of a postmodern church, the website leaves me with the impression that they are doing pretty well.

Revolution Church:

Revolution Church has a website with great graphics and slick packaging; if they don't have a marketing firm involved, then they have some very talented people in house. This is not a bad thing; it's much more attractive and inviting than a one page site with free hosting and minimal information or one with clunky or hard to understand links. That said, this is a brick and mortar church with significant web presence, but that presence is aimed at evangelizing people into the brick and mortar locations. One thing that's different about Revolution Church is that is has no permanent sanctuary. They worship in 2 locations, with a 3rd set to launch in September 2008, and have small group meetings (a good variety, from small Life Groups that meet for weekly discussion of the message to the University of Revolutionary Living, "a semester-based system offering classes covering everything from basic theology to practical tools for living as a Christ follower." In addition, there are Ministry Teams which invite participation in a variety of ways, from maintaining the worship space and children's ministry to local and global missions and helping set up and run the patio conversation area (which must be dismantled each week). A variety of special interest groups, from motorcycling to scrapbooking, are also offered. Judging from the website, this is a church that provides a number of points of entry for interested persons, and there seems to be a high degree of comfort in at least public, social and personal space. It's a bit harder to tell about intimate space, but this website does not have the discussion groups and online interaction offered by some others. Insstead, there is an emphasis on engaging, invitational language and lots of photographs to help encourage web visitors to connect with the congregation, facilitated by the multiple services and locations; this is clearly a church that is intentional about helping people make connections with one another and with God.

Mars Hill Church: It's All New

Mars Hill Church has a reputation of being on the cutting edge of new and emergent ministry. Perhaps that's because it's pastor, Rob Bell, has become a well known writer on the subject with the guts to engage the faith with any question (the site advertises a "Porn and Pancakes" breakfast November 10). But it's website, while very well done, doesn't allow for a lot of interaction. It's odd; the site does everything right except allow for online participation. There's a stories section with testimonies and narratives about missions, and an invitation to tell about our own stories (although I get the sense that it should have something somewhere to do with Mars Hill). The buttons all have nice intuitive names: who we are, what we believe. There's a ton of information here, great links to get or offer help, downloads about the church's theology and doctrine, but it doesn't draw me in. This is a site aimed at people who are already interested in church, and perhaps already interested in this church. I almost get the sense that people find the site, like I did, because of Rob Bell's writing and not the church's intrinsic merit, which is a shame. From what I see, there's a lot of room to connect and engage with this congregation. It's that first step that's sort of a doozy.

Liquid Church: I like it, I like it.

Liquid Church may be the best incarnation of online church I've run across. It's based on a blog platform, is easy to navigate, provides easily accessible and useful information for nearly any question one could ask. Because it's a blog format, items are listed sequentially with the newest item first. There are several widgets that help navigate according to content...tables of contents, basically. Sermons are posted online are are immediately visible on the entry page. The podcast streams with one click (no other download required) and is good quality. In the sermon I watched, the speaker referenced survey information gleaned from worshippers in the three services the previous Sunday and online...so it's easy to engage, and it does both ways. The three weekly worship services are all held on Sunday at a NJ hotel. Parking is readily available and they are quick to point out that it is also free...the church will validate parking stubs. It couldn't be much easier to that. Liquid Church seems to have a focus on relationships and finding meaning in life with Christ. The web interface deals with real life issues, and I think their tagline in the header says it all: come as you are...leave different. I think you could engage with this church easily online and also transition easily into worship attendance in person at this church or at another. The relational focus carries over into their missions efforts: mostly community oriented, with real needs: free water at a gay pride event, deeply discounted gas and free car washes, a free market giving away ice cream, food, and other items to members of the community in need. They are Baptist and consider themselves evangelical...but also had this to say when questioned about their participation in the gay pride festival (Bobbie, a lesbian, had the booth next to Liquid Church's booth):

An amazing moment came in the late afternoon when Bobbie pulled me aside and whispered, “Tim, somebody just told me you were Baptist. Is that true?” She whispered Baptist as if it were a dirty word (which is too often is!) I said, “Actually, Bobbie, yes our church is Baptist.” A forelorn look creased her forehead and she asked nervously, “Just tell me one thing: Are you here to tell us that if we don’t change we’re going to hell?” “No, not at all. I replied. In fact, we’re here because God is changing US--- as Christians, many of us have been pretty judgmental and condemning and even hostile at times to the gay community, and Jesus is changing our hearts. We’ve got a long way to go in making amends, and so we just thought we’d serve today to try and humbly reconcile...” My words were cut-off as I was wrapped up in the arms of this middle-aged lesbian as she cried “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” with tears in her eyes. “Finally, a group of religious people who are treating us like real Christians are supposed to.” I doubt any of us would be foolish enough to deem ourselves "real Christians" (whatever that means)... all the same, it was one of the most encouraging words we've ever received from folks.

Infinite Church Online: is it going anywhere?

InfiniteChurch.com believes it's got the online church model figured out. It sets itself up as not just a web page, but a friend, with a fully interactive worship environment, and an emphasis on discipleship, missions, and relationship building. It's leadership, according to the "Catch the Vision" movie, is lay driven and promises more than just a website or a chat room. The motto is "making real connections in a virtual world." What it really is is a variation on Church of Fools or St. Pixels: a fairly clunky graphical interface in which one can move an avatar around and chat with people. Two immediate downsides, as far as I'm concerned: 1: You have to download and install their 26 MB graphical environment, which is no where near as smooth or as easy to navigate as Second Life. And the name? New Christian Chat. (not a chat room, huh?) 2: The guest avatar is a smiley face. Come on, how cheesy can you get? The website itself has a sort of cursory interface. I think the movie is the best part of the whole thing, and certainly worth a look, as it upholds the ideals of online church connections. The site proper is just a couple of pages, with basic information designed to get you to download their proprietary chat software. While they do have a "real time" worship service once a week, there are no archived services readily available for download. One wonders, too, how they handle the "troll" issue that was a problem for COF. It's really too much work to interact or participate with, and there's nothing in the "public spaces" to tell you how they mean to be missional, relational, or incarnational, although these values are expressed in the vision movie. They do, however, offer online baptism, if you can navigate and relate to it well enough to want to take that step; they acknowledge that having done so online, you may also wish to do so in real time. The New Christian Chat graphical environment is pixielated and small (a small window in the center of my screen). The movement controls are not intuitive, and there's no real instruction given (unless you stumble upon it) as to how to navigate the church environment. Apart from a voice that says, "welcome, new guest" there was no overt "help" or reaching out; I was on my own from there and quickly lost patience. Besides, who wants to download such a big file while they're in a coffee shop? What if they are using a public computer, such as one in a library? All in all, infinitechurch.com just doesn't life up to its own press. Shame, really. I'd like to see someone make a go of it.

Church on the Net

Church on the Net's "signature" graphic is a little unusual. From the website:

Why the apple core? Adam and Eve ate the fruit of knowledge, thinking it would tell them everything they wanted to know and make their life complete. In fact, it broke their reliance on God. So, now that we've enjoyed the apple, why are we still looking for answers? What will fill that hole inside us?

Church of the Net, a ministry of Holy Trinity Ripon, which is parish of the Church of England, is an online community aimed at helping those with no church background find clarity about God and the church. Among it's useful features are very spare webdesign without a lot of graphics, so that it loads very quickly. There is also a glossary in the left column to explain a variety of terms from God, Jesus and Holy Spirit to Christian Ethics, Angels, The Bible, and Sexuality. The language is very plain and uncomplicated, all the better to help those who haven't grown up in the church, and don't come "pre-loaded" with the vocabulary. What it is not is a worshiping body: there is a weekly article posted, but not an online service. Church on the Net doesn't mean to be the only church connection for people; instead their goal is to help people become better informed and more comfortable with joining a worshiping body elsewhere. There are three blogs, one on faith and current events, one offering "a wry look at some of the weirder things Christians get up to", and a third on science and faith. There are also forums for discussion on the weekly articles, other articles on the site, and other site feedback. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a lot happening on the site; both blog and forum posts are weeks or months old. The articles, however, are up to date and include a "Go Deeper" section which offers suggestions for prayer and reflection, as well as links to video clips and suggested reading (conveniently available from Amazon). I like this one a great deal. While it provides a very comfortable public space, there are options to move into social space, and potentially personal space as traffic increases on the blogs and forums. However, Church on the Net has no intention of replacing brick and mortar church; while they are intentional about building an online community, they focus on low-demand, easy to accept relational language and efforts, trusting that as they are able to "interpret" the church to their visitors, they will connect with a brick and mortar church for relationship. The site is an expression of the incarnational and missional focus of the church, and so there is no real emphasis on reaching out to others; the visitor is the other here. This is a model I'd like to see succeed, and think parts of it could be duplicated well.

Full frontal church: LiveChurch.tv

In contrast to some of my other reviews, I'm going to state my opinion of this on right up front. I don't like it. I don't even think I really have a good reason. I just don't. I do not believe that online-only church can really offer the fullness of relationships and incarnational connection that happen when we occupy the same space as one body. I'm not suggesting that it has to be exactly a brick and mortar church, but that there are some experiences of church, worship and otherwise, that I believe can only really offer meaning and relationship and yes, incarnation, in the physical presence of other people sharing in and participating in the same experience. Now, that said, I've shown my prejudices. And LiveChurch.tv doesn't really live down to them. I mean it; it's not as bad (I think) as I feel about it. LifeChurch bills itself as "one church, multiple campuses". Live worship experiences are offered online (you can even get yourself e-vited) weekly, and the same worship service is broadcast by satellite to the 12 campuses nationwide (and on Second Life) that make up its congregation. The site is easy to navigate, with comprehensive "frequently asked questions" and and links to basic information. All that sounds pretty good, right? But: there's no real interaction. Yes, I can receive the "What's Next Kit?", a bible, t-shirt, cd and dvd. I can click through a contact link and even find an area to volunteer. But the language seems a bit exclusive to me: unlike Church on the Net's intentional use of non-church language, terms like worship, salvation, mission are given without reference. In addition, it's hard to see how twelve separate bodies are going to feel connected to one another via satellite broadcast, nor how any individual congregation will feel like much more than a spectator. They do offer the whole package: children's and youth programs, LifeGroups (local small groups) and global missions from the brick and mortar campuses. But I just don't feel it. It's not a web church; it's a slick invitation to a pre-packaged worship service. The web version leaves a lot of room for visitors to observe at a remove, and never engage. Even the physical campuses seem to lend more towards watching and less toward participating. The MRI variables all seem to be there, and one would think this would be a technological solution that works for me. Instead I find it canned and sterile, uninviting.

Nu Faith Community: Online and in person

Nu Faith Community UMC is a new church plant in northwest Houston, TX, that's starting up in a new way. The church "launched" online well in advance of the "brick and mortar" launch in April 2008. The stated goal is to reach out to those who are not connected to church, to foster diversity in the church, and share the love and relationship with Jesus Christ. The founding pastor and "Launch Team" have created a website that seeks to answer preliminary questions about Nu Faith Community as well as the Christian faith, offered opportunities to become a part of the community through online, telephone (Talkcast) call, or on location Bible study. The pastor is also available via sermon downloads or email contact, and she includes a phone number on the site. She engages with the Houston area with local radio broadcasts, preaching engagements at other UM churches, and joint studies with other churches, in addition to the website. Interaction is available via participation in the Bible studies at any level, a variety on online forms to enable people to make contact with the pastor or to volunteer to take part in missions, in the launch in April, or to assist in other ways. Meetings and information sessions are held in the pastor's home on a regular basis. Multiple efforts are made on the site to make engagement easy. This site is targeted to a particular geographic location, and it does not offer weekly worship. What it does offer are multiple spaces to engage in, from public all the way to intimite, if one chooses to do so. It also emphasizes connection to a brick and mortar church (albeit one that does not yet exist) and does so in a relational, missional, and incarnational way. One criticism I have, however, is that the website's terminology locates it within the "Christian bubble" and may not be as accessible or inviting to those who are not familiar or have a negative opinion of church. By the way, the pastor, Rev. Jacqui King, was originally part of our DMin cohort. When she was appointed to Nu Faith, she deferred for a year.

Rev. Jacqui King and Nu Faith Community

Rev. Jacqui King is the Church Planter for Nu Faith Community UMC in northwest Houston, Texas, a new church launch that is starting with a web presence in advance on it's on-the-ground launch in April 2008. Anne: How do you describe Nu Faith to people you meet? Jacqui: I share with people that Nu Faith is a unique faith experience where they can meet God in an on-line environment. I usually ask them about what they search for on-line. This leads to a conversation about what to expect on-line such as Reflections, Study @ and Meet Us @ options. Anne: How are you working to make face-to-face contact with people in advance of the launch? Jacqui: Meet Us @ and Study @ are the two primary face-to-face contacts where fellowship through service, prayer, worship and study occur. Also, launch team meetings, retreats, and Serve @ add extra connection for persons who feel called to build a new community. Other events that will occur prior to Launch Sunday will be preview services and outreach community projects involving Plummer Middle School. Anne: Please tell me a little about the web ministry: what areas do you feel are most effective? What’s your favorite part of the website/interactive web ministry? What do you like the least? Jacqui: The web ministry was launched as virtual church. I enjoy sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in a technological forum where people from all over the world or around the corner can encounter God @ Anytime. My favorite part of the web is the Study @ options because my husband and I have connected our families from various cities together to study God’s word together. I enjoy the broad flexibility that the reflections and study offers persons working non-traditional hours. They can experience worship, study, and prayer like never before. Right now I do not have a thing that I rank least favorite. The virtual church is part of our DNA that will continue to grow beyond Launch Sunday on April 6, 2008. Anne: We’ve been reading Joe Myers’ The Search to Belong and Organic Community. In them, he talks about 4 kinds of relationship space we can occupy: public, social, personal, and intimate. If you are familiar with his terminology, can you tell me a bit about how NuFaith.org is helping people find their way into the spaces? If not, can you tell me about how people are entering into relationships with God and one another as the Nu Faith community comes together? Jacqui: I have read just a few chapters of the book and I believe that Nu Faith offers public space through the study options of Study@ The Line and Study @ Anytime. This is a space where people can connect loosely without a great deal of self-disclosure. For instance, a person can text me on-line a question and I will share it with the group without disclosing their name. Also, the site can be accessed without registering email or password. Worship gathering would constitute public space. The social relationships evolve in the launch team meetings, service projects and Meet Us @. These spaces include relational building moments coupled with fun. Personal and intimate include sessions with family, prayer and retreats. I believe the community is growing and formulating. The Study @ The House is a small group that is both personal and intimate space. Eventually, small groups and service teams will represent social, personal and intimate space for a faith community which operates in both virtual and brick / mortar spaces. Anne: How do you tie together online church experience with “real world” connections where people can be in some kind of physical contact? Jacqui: Study @ The House and Meet Us @ serve as connecting spaces for “real world” fellowship. In situations where people live in other cities beyond Houston, I will respond to those requests via internet by encouraging positive hand-off to churches in their areas. Anne: What do you feel are the keys to success for Nu Faith’s success as a web ministry, followed by a new church launch? Jacqui: I can look at web stats and gauge some success. The reach data coupled with on-line giving is an indicator of connection. I am praying about what success means. However, success is defined the virtual church allows people to meet God in a new way in the places where they live on a daily basis. Accessibility is important; relevancy is crucial; being real is real important; being responsive is important. The success is making disciples for Jesus Christ. Right now people who drive trucks, work late hours, have crazy commute times and small children have a new way to grow spiritually because Nu Faith is alive. God’s grace is sufficient and can meet us right where we are…searching, seeking and wanting answers. When the church launches, the virtual church will grow to reach more; teens will help develop myspace and facebook pages; college students will expand their social networks; families will connect with forums and prayer groups for specific needs. Success is the love of Jesus Christ being shared all around the world over and over so that all will be saved! Virtual Church wants to be a part of the Great Commission in a new way! Anne: Can you briefly describe the model for planting/growing Nu Faith? What will the role of the website be after the April launch? Jacqui: Nu Faith is a parachute drop. I am using a hybrid model that I will share in the writings at Drew in Fall 2008. The website will be integral in the church following Launch Sunday. Anne: How do you see incarnational ministry happening online? Jacqui: I have not explored this ministry area at this time. Anne: How do missions work during this phase of Nu Faith’s development? How will the website be used after the physical launch of Nu Faith Community? Jacqui: Missions primarily are part of community outreach and managed through Serve @ projects. We are a faith partner to Plummer Middle School, where we have various projects for December ’07. Mission trips will be arranged through partnerships with area churches. The website will continue to grow. Anne: Are there other church websites or online ministries that inspired NuFaith.org? Can you suggest any others that you think are particularly good (or not)? Jacqui: http://www.techforall.org/history.html http://www.umtv.org/archives/computer_recycling.htm

What is church?

So now it's time to offer a summation of sorts; I've certainly made my opinions known throughout. But here are some personal reflections on what I think about church in general, and online church expressions in particular: As I've worked through this project, I have come to one conclusion: church is more than worship on a screen, or Bible study at any level of participation, or shared prayer concerns. It's more than a place to give charitably or meet people with similar interests, or join a mission team to some faraway clime. Church to me is the incarnated Body of Christ, and I simply can't separate that image from the need for live and in person community, people participating together in worship, in mission, in study, in life together and out in the world...people you can reach out and touch, if you need to. In my second post on the Church of Faith and the Jay Voorhees interviews, i referred to a story about Jesus with skin on. That's what I need for church to be truly church: Jesus with skin on, in the person of people who I live in community with, in the neighborhood, in the same city, going to the same grocery store, with kids in the same schools, and worship, study, play, and work with in mission to one another and the world. I have seen online churches with a missional emphasis. Church on the Net does an excellent job at interpreting Christian concepts and church language for those who do not have a church background, or seek a way to interact with church in a way that places minimal demand on the individual, but invited interested persons into deeper relationship with the church and Christians. Their mission is to be reach out to such people. Other online churches have mission emphases and high missional sensibilities toward others, but most of them seem to be "other" directed. It's hard to be relational online; there is a distance inherent in packaging one's church interface for a mass audience on the scale of the internet. It's easy to say you are open and welcoming to everyone, but much harder to actually pull it off. Liquid Church stands out to me as demonstrating their high value on relationships in the ease with which their website (actually a blog on typepad) is navigated. I was also particularly impressed with their presence in the community. The account of the church's generosity and accepting spirit at the gay pride event demonstrates the relational character of this church, and it comes off in their websites. As I said above, some kind of physical presence is inherent in the notion of incarnational ministry to me. The best of the websites I've reviewed have sought to draw people into relationship with a brick and mortar church, with real people, live and in person. This is the ideal for me. I am not satisfied with the level of interaction with the virtual environments of St. Pixels and Infinite Church. I've described it as clunky, and it is: cartoonish avatars, text-driven interface (sound takes too much bandwidth to really work), slow movement in a poorly animated environment. I was not able to feel connected in any meaningful way. Also, these are primarily worship environments; it's hard to image what kind of real, personal, relational missional relationships can develop in that kind of space. Some of the elements I miss: the very sensory engagement of the sacraments of baptism and communion, and the sacramental moment that is the greeting time. I miss in person prayer; it's powerful actually hearing someone's prayer for you. I'd miss joint participation in the music; live worship music brings something special for me. And in any online church setting, I would miss the "editability" over a cup of coffee that I share now. Digital coffee just doesn't cut it. Nope, guess I just like my church like I like Jesus: with skin on. At the heart of things, I need people. As Len Sweet pointed out in an online discussion several weeks ago, online relationships increase peoples' desire for in person relationships. I hope that's true.