The application and development of network technology have played a positive role in the growth of the church and believers. However, some pastors have questioned whether the online churches are real churches.
With the development of technology, the church in the metaverse has come into view. In some countries, VR churches have appeared, using 3D technology to create and simulate real gathering scenes. At present, some churches in Hong Kong are already trying.
Although mainland China has not yet seen the emergence of VR churches, the three-year pandemic has made online ministry more popular.
Many pastors see that online meetings increase the inertia of believers and make them lose their sense of awe for worship, while pastors are unable to get to know their followers. In order to prevent the loss of believers, some pastors take care of those who do not want to go to in-person worship by providing livestream services, which increases the burden of ministry while holding online meetings.
Pastor Y who has served in Northeast China for many years, said bluntly, "In my opinion, the Internet church is not a real church." There are several reasons why he does not approve of Internet churches.
Christians can't fellowship with one another in online churches.
Pastor Y explained that in the church, there will inevitably be friction and conflict between believers. But at this time, we can see each other's sins and learn how to forgive and accept each other. As the Bible says, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." This is how our lives are honed and matured.
However, he doesn't think that online churches can do that. While the network can provide pastoral care, it cannot fulfill its function as a fellowship.
Role models and believers' faith practices can not be seen in the online churches.
The church is not just a place to hear the words of God. Believers can also go to "see" the life of the pastor and follow it.
Pastor Y believes that what changes a believer's life more than what they hear is what they see in the pastor or preacher. Just as Jesus said, "Come and see," when he called his disciples, the believers of the early church followed the example of the Apostles, so change in the lives of believers today requires a true example.
Internet churches are so chaotic that it is difficult to distinguish between true and false.
The Internet is a chaotic place, and not all groups that provide online pastoral care are legitimate. Many of them exist for fame and fortune.
Pastor Y has the inside scoop on some of the churches with popular webcasts. Many people now use the webcast to create exposure. They would show off how many people they had attracted online. and how many followers they have. Some of them do this for fame.
Compared with the people who simply make a name for themselves, there are more people who do this to make a profit. Some people may use some means to get an offering. Pastor Y said that a brother used to follow a pastor to do online ministry, and at the beginning of live preaching, although he put energy into it, no one offered. Later, that preacher first gave money to several co-workers, 200 yuan each, and let them take the lead in offering after the number of people in the broadcast room increased. As expected, many people followed their example and offered. That brother found that they were not really believing the gospel but profiting from it, so he left that online ministry team.
Some online preaching sometimes causes divisions among other churches. Some people who like to listen to sermons on the Internet may report problems with their churches to the pastors of the Internet church. Sadly, some dishonest online church pastors often judge their churches as problematic or heretical based on one side of the story, resulting in church divisions. When a church has problems, believers may turn to online churches. The essence of some online churches is to "assemble sheep" and "gather offerings".
Pastor Y also tried online pastoring during the pandemic and received high traffic in a short time. But after the pandemic was over, he chose to immediately shut down the online gathering and resume the in-person gathering. A co-worker told him, “Pastor, look, they make so much money through livestream preaching!” But when the pastor went to "observe," he found that believers and preachers were exchanging emojis of kissing and hugging in the broadcast room. Pastor Y thought it was unsaintly.
Pastor Y acknowledged that there are pastors who genuinely want to help believers who are unable to attend physical meetings by providing spiritual resources and spiritual support. But he warned that people who accept online pastoring must be careful because many people may rely on the Internet to "make a living".
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
网络技术的应用和发展，对教会和信徒的成长起到了积极的作用。但是也有牧者提出质疑，认为网络教会并不是真正的教会。
随着技术的发展，元宇宙教会也已经进入人们的视野。在一些国家已经出现VR 教堂，使用3D技术打造和模拟真实聚会场景。目前，国内香港已经有教会在尝试。
大陆虽然还没有看到VR 教堂的出现，但是三年的疫情，让网络牧养更为普及。
很多牧者看到在线聚会增长了信徒的惰性，也让他们对礼拜失去敬畏感，同时牧者无法了解自己的信徒。而有些牧者为了防止信徒流失，照顾那些不愿去实地敬拜的信徒，举行实地聚会的同时，也要提供了礼拜的直播，增加了事奉的负担。
一位在东北牧养多年的牧者Y牧师直言，“在我看来网络教会，并不是真正的教会。” 他不认可网络教会的原因有以下几点。
网络教会无法实现团契的功能
在教会里面，信徒相处难免会有摩擦和冲突。但此时，让我们可以看见彼此的罪，并学习如何去饶恕与接纳。经上说，“铁磨铁，磨出刃来，朋友相感，也是如此。”我们的生命就是这样被磨砺成熟的。
Y牧师表示网络教会无法实现这个功能。网络虽然可以提供牧养，但是无法实现作为团契的功能。
网络教会看不到榜样，也看不到信徒的“跟从”
教会不只是听道的地方，信徒还可去“看”牧者的生活，并且跟着行。
Y牧师认为比起听了什么，信徒生命更地改变是他们在牧者或讲员的身上看见了什么。耶稣在呼召门徒的时候说“你们来看”，初期教会的信徒也以使徒们为榜样，同样，今天信徒生命的改变需要有真实的榜样。
网络教会乱象丛生，难以分辨真假
网络本是一个鱼龙混杂的地方，并不是所有提供网络牧养的团体都是正当的，其中也有很多为了名利而存在的。
Y牧师了解过有些网络直播很火的教会的内幕。很多人会利用网络直播来造势，他们会跟人讲在网上牧养了多少人，有多少万的粉丝。这一部分人是为了扬名。
单纯扬名的少，为获利的人是更多的。有些人为了索取奉献，会使用一些手段。Y牧师说一位弟兄曾经跟随一位牧者做网络事工，刚开始做直播讲道虽然投入了很多精力，但是没有人奉献。后来讲道人先给几个同工发钱，每个人200元，等到直播间的人多起来之后让他们带头奉献。果然，很多人就效法他们跟着奉献。这位弟兄发现，他们不是以福音养生，而是以福音获利，所以离开了这个网络服事团队。
另外有一些人在网络上教导别人，有时造成其他教会的分裂。喜欢到网上听道的一些人，会把自己教会的问题向网络教会的牧者反映。而不正直的网络牧者常常只凭一面之词，定其教会有问题或异端，结果造成教会分裂。教会有问题，信徒就换到这个网络教会。某些网络教会的本质是在“拉羊”、“拉奉献”。
Y牧师在疫情期间也尝试了网络牧养，短时间内也获得了超高流量。但是解封之后，他选择立马停掉网络端，恢复实地聚会。也有同工跟他介绍说，牧师你看人家直播讲道多挣钱！但牧师去“观摩”的时候，发现信徒和传道人在直播间互发亲亲、抱抱的表情包。Y牧师认为，这不合圣徒体统。
Y牧师承认有牧者是真心想要帮助无法参加实体聚会的信徒，提供属灵资源和属灵支持。但是他提醒：接受网络牧养的人，一定要慎重。因为不少人可能是专门靠网络“谋生”的。
一东北牧者：接受网络教会牧养的人要慎重
The application and development of network technology have played a positive role in the growth of the church and believers. However, some pastors have questioned whether the online churches are real churches.
With the development of technology, the church in the metaverse has come into view. In some countries, VR churches have appeared, using 3D technology to create and simulate real gathering scenes. At present, some churches in Hong Kong are already trying.
Although mainland China has not yet seen the emergence of VR churches, the three-year pandemic has made online ministry more popular.
Many pastors see that online meetings increase the inertia of believers and make them lose their sense of awe for worship, while pastors are unable to get to know their followers. In order to prevent the loss of believers, some pastors take care of those who do not want to go to in-person worship by providing livestream services, which increases the burden of ministry while holding online meetings.
Pastor Y who has served in Northeast China for many years, said bluntly, "In my opinion, the Internet church is not a real church." There are several reasons why he does not approve of Internet churches.
Christians can't fellowship with one another in online churches.
Pastor Y explained that in the church, there will inevitably be friction and conflict between believers. But at this time, we can see each other's sins and learn how to forgive and accept each other. As the Bible says, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." This is how our lives are honed and matured.
However, he doesn't think that online churches can do that. While the network can provide pastoral care, it cannot fulfill its function as a fellowship.
Role models and believers' faith practices can not be seen in the online churches.
The church is not just a place to hear the words of God. Believers can also go to "see" the life of the pastor and follow it.
Pastor Y believes that what changes a believer's life more than what they hear is what they see in the pastor or preacher. Just as Jesus said, "Come and see," when he called his disciples, the believers of the early church followed the example of the Apostles, so change in the lives of believers today requires a true example.
Internet churches are so chaotic that it is difficult to distinguish between true and false.
The Internet is a chaotic place, and not all groups that provide online pastoral care are legitimate. Many of them exist for fame and fortune.
Pastor Y has the inside scoop on some of the churches with popular webcasts. Many people now use the webcast to create exposure. They would show off how many people they had attracted online. and how many followers they have. Some of them do this for fame.
Compared with the people who simply make a name for themselves, there are more people who do this to make a profit. Some people may use some means to get an offering. Pastor Y said that a brother used to follow a pastor to do online ministry, and at the beginning of live preaching, although he put energy into it, no one offered. Later, that preacher first gave money to several co-workers, 200 yuan each, and let them take the lead in offering after the number of people in the broadcast room increased. As expected, many people followed their example and offered. That brother found that they were not really believing the gospel but profiting from it, so he left that online ministry team.
Some online preaching sometimes causes divisions among other churches. Some people who like to listen to sermons on the Internet may report problems with their churches to the pastors of the Internet church. Sadly, some dishonest online church pastors often judge their churches as problematic or heretical based on one side of the story, resulting in church divisions. When a church has problems, believers may turn to online churches. The essence of some online churches is to "assemble sheep" and "gather offerings".
Pastor Y also tried online pastoring during the pandemic and received high traffic in a short time. But after the pandemic was over, he chose to immediately shut down the online gathering and resume the in-person gathering. A co-worker told him, “Pastor, look, they make so much money through livestream preaching!” But when the pastor went to "observe," he found that believers and preachers were exchanging emojis of kissing and hugging in the broadcast room. Pastor Y thought it was unsaintly.
Pastor Y acknowledged that there are pastors who genuinely want to help believers who are unable to attend physical meetings by providing spiritual resources and spiritual support. But he warned that people who accept online pastoring must be careful because many people may rely on the Internet to "make a living".
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
Pastor: Christians Who Attend Online Churches Must Be Careful
