Cyber-Vitamins, the Web, and the Church

We are increasingly aware that the web and other aspects of what some call "electronic culture" are having sweeping impact on our society and on the church. This interview with Christian Community’s project director Steve Clapp speaks to a few of these issues. Steve and Dr. Martin Siegel of Indiana University recently co-authored The E-Mail Diet Book which will be released in the fall of 2000.

Question: Some people fear that the church will be negatively impacted as people substitute the electronic community of e-mail and the web for the deeper community of the body of Christ in the church. Do you agree?

Response: People who have discovered true community in the church are not going to give that up. Some people who are not actively involved in a church (or who have been involved and have been disappointed) may find that e-mail, electronic chat rooms, and other web connections provide a measure of community. We are challenged as individual Christians and as congregations to find effective ways to bring people into meaningful relationship with the body of Christ.

Question: What in the world is a cyber-vitamin?

Response: That’s the name some pastors and congregations have given to weekly devotional messages distributed by e-mail. It’s relatively easy for a church office to send a devotional to a huge e-mail list, and there’s no cost for postage or paper! Some campus ministries have found this especially effective and have had the devotions requested by hundreds and even thousands of students.

Question: What are some of the other practical ways that churches are finding to use e-mail and the web?

Response: All kinds of ways! The web has a tremendous number of resources that can help pastors and other church leaders research areas of need and find solutions to problems. Many pastors find the web a great resource to help in sermon preparation by doing topical searches. Some other examples:

• Some churches send board and committee minutes and meeting announcements by e-mail to those who are online, thus saving paper and postage costs.

• Many churches are establishing websites which provide basic information about the church’s staff, services, and programs. Church members enjoy exploring the sites, and they can also be of interest to prospective members.

• Some churches are using e-mail as a way to share prayer requests with those who are online.

Question: Can we do anything about pornography on the web?

Response: People who are concerned about this issue can certainly use letters, e-mail, and phone calls to encourage Internet Service Providers (such as AOL) to provide filters and other parental controls that can help keep young people away from such websites and that can block unsolicited, offensive e-mail. Children and teenagers need to be given clearly defined rules about the web, and there is a need for parents to monitor activity just as they need to be aware of what television programs their children watch. Some denominational groups are experimenting with offering their own e-mail and web connections which provide high quality filters.

At a deeper level, I think we need as congregations to help children, youth, and adults relate the Christian faith to their sexuality. Pornography on the web is flourishing, and Christian people are among those interested in it. This represents a challenge for the church–not simply to teach that pornography is "wrong" but to help people in the development of a healthy sexuality.

Question: Can a church website actually draw new members?

Response: In some instances, yes. People who are searching for a new home and who are online may well search for information on local congregations. We may come to a point in time when many people who move into a community will use the web to search for a church much as they use the yellow pages today. Most people who visit a church, however, do not do it because of the yellow pages advertisement–and the same will be true for the web. Most people who visit a church (between 67% and 75% depending on the study) do so because a friend, relative, neighbor, or coworker invited them. That is not likely to change.

Question: What plans does Christian Community have to provide resources to help people deal with the web and other aspects of electronic culture?

Response: Some of us who are part of Christian Community are in the process of forming a separate, stockholder owned corporation which will, among other things, provide a range of resources to help people deal with the practical and spiritual issues involved in the emerging electronic culture. The E-Mail Diet Book will be one of the first publications of the new corporation. Christian Community will continue as a separate, nonprofit organization. If you would like information about the formation of the new company or about resources that will be available from it, send an e-mail to me at: DadofTia@aol.com. 

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