Churches have been streaming their worship services since the early 2000s, and platforms like the church online platform, commonly called CHOP, provided free services to the public in 2011. It wasn’t till Facebook launched live streaming in 2016 that the masses turned on their stream. It was free, which was awesome, but it also meant nobody thought about it strategically.
Should we be streaming?
What should we be streaming?
These were the questions many just ignored.
Recommendations For Smaller Churches
Most churches with under 500 people should stick to a weekly audio podcast and maybe an on-demand video option on YouTube. Stay away from live streaming your worship service.
If you have limited time and resources and want to invest in digital, think beyond just streaming and look towards discipleship opportunities online. I would rather you launch online Zoom groups or a compelling Reels outreach strategy for Instagram than push your in-person experience onto Facebook and YouTube.
Now, if you have a vision for streaming that aligns with your objectives, jump right into it. All I’m asking is if you should be streaming right now.
Understanding Your Streaming Audience
You have three audiences that are engaging online:
- New people near your church just checking it out
- Engaged people who attend in person and watch online (they may be sick or traveling)
- Faraway people (members who have moved away or just someone tuning in)
I think that most churches’ number one audience is the engaged person. People who attend regularly and give also want to watch online throughout the month. New people tune in, and faraway people watch, but core members engage online.
Impact on Physical Attendance
There is some new data from Pew Research Center that supports the idea that online streaming doesn’t hurt your physical attendance and really supports people attending your physical worship services.
Strategic Considerations
The next time you think about streaming your worship service, be more strategic about how you do it and consider your audiences. Don’t just copy and paste from another church. Pick what makes sense for your community and your church’s objectives.
Learn More
I have a whole chapter on streaming church in my new book. You can read “Online Church Is Not The Answer: Beyond Just Streaming to Hybrid Disciple Making” to learn more about this topic.
