We have all heard Jesus’ words quoted and misquoted a thousand times: “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20, TNIV).
But can two or three gather together if they are hundreds or thousands of miles apart? Can multiple believers fully and truly commune with each other electronically with the help of technology? And, more importantly, can a group of Christ followers gather via the internet in a way that would build the type of community Jesus intended for a New Testament church?
Some would give a qualified “yes” to all of these questions; many of these same individuals now regularly gather together over the Internet through online churches. Some of these churches are established, most have sizable congregations, many have healthy budgets and a few are backed by major denominations. LifeChurch.tv has been an American pioneer in this arena, while i-church.org has existed since 1994. Alphachurch.org has about 6,000 regular online participants. Church on the Net, or “CotN” (www.church-on-the-net.com), is a joint initiative between the Methodist Church and the Church of England. In fact, every major religious tradition, including the Amish, now has an online presence.
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article courtesy of UrbanCharistianNews.com
