When most churches start using a live stream, they think that they'll only be reaching out to shut-ins. That's what my church thought, but we were wrong. Sure, we get some of that, but there are other uses for the live stream that we hadn't even imagined.
I remember sitting in the leadership gathering not long after we started live streaming, just a few years ago. My pastor said that we were starting to get quite a lot of traffic from deployed soldiers. They thought of it as going to church "with their families." The service times are inconvenient for those serving abroad. That didn't matter. Knowing that they could attend their church brought them comfort. Listening to their pastor live was a luxury they loved. Talking to their families about the same service made them feel like they were home, if only for a short time.
That's when it occurred to me that live streaming the service was bigger than we thought.
Now, we have people who attend our church both locally and from all over the world. Some are soldiers overseas. Some people are new to our area, and are just checking us out before they visit in person. Others are unable to leave their homes for whatever reason. Some are forming communities which are local to them but quite distant from our location.
Watch parties and unofficial campuses
We actually have quite a contingent of mini-campuses which use our worship service as their own. They form small groups that meet in homes, unified around their common experience of church.
This all started with our worship leader's mother who lives in Australia. What started as her attempt to keep up with her son has blossomed into a full, albeit small, community that meets there.
Official campuses before the building is ready
Our church is getting ready to launch another campus, two hours drive from our main campus. The people who moved to launch that campus currently gather on Sunday mornings at a local hotel to watch our live-stream. Their building isn't ready yet, but that isn't stopping them from having church. Because of the wonders of technology, they can watch it live.
For some that's a temporary solution, like our new campus. For others, it's more permanent.
One pastor, many churches
There's a group of smaller churches in New Mexico that share a single pastor, since each can't afford one on their own. They could trade out sermon recordings or having sermons by lay-leaders. Instead, they use a live-stream to unite the churches. Each church has the pastor for one weekend, while they watch the stream from one of the other two on the other weekends. This isn't like a campus model. Each church is an independent entity with separate governance. They simply share the pastor and denominational ties.
Missions
A live stream can also be a missionary outreach to places that can't have large Christian gatherings. Imagine a small group of persecuted believers in China or India finding connection with the church in the U.S.
By teaching on topics that are universal, some churches are showing up in intenet searches for those terms. Imagine a person in Pakistan, searching for marriage help, and finding your church. It could happen and does.
Special Events
In 1999, when I got married, I thought of another use for a live stream. Unfortunately, back then, it was impossible to pull off, but I wanted to live stream my wedding. I only wanted one person to watch--my father. He'd been sick for some time with the illness that would take his life only five months later and couldn't travel. I couldn't imagine the thought of having him miss one of the most important days of my life. Because the technology was too expensive back then, he missed it.
Now, it's possible that other families won't have to let the dream of a sick loved-one participating in a special occasion die. Today, a bed-ridden father can watch his child's wedding.
If you're out of town when a family member dies unexpectedly, you could watch the funeral, even if you can't get a flight to get home in time.
Have an emergency meeting come up for your team at church, but you're stuck on a business trip? You don't have to miss it, you can watch via a live stream even if you can't call in any other way.
The possibilities for unusual uses for your church's live stream don't stop there.
Not just for Sunday anymore
Why only use it on the weekend? Perhaps the pastor could have a weekly show about sermon material that didn't make the cut. The children's pastor could have a weekly parenting tips show. The student pastor could talk to parents about helping their teens navigate adolescence.
The barrier to entry on any of these ideas is low, especially if you already have all the equipment and personnel.
Think of all the people who your church would like to reach. What can you make to engage with them on the level of their needs?
Think through other ways to use your live stream. Maybe it's reuniting families for one hour a week or sharing a pastor with another church that can't afford one.
I promise you. There are more ministry opportunities to be had. Just look for them and embrace them.
