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A recent article suggested that the Christian church is seeing a decrease in attendance largely due to the ability to connect with people electronically. In other words, instead of going to church for a weekly dose of social interaction, people can just hop on Facebook, send a text to a friend, or connect in some other way.

Given that telephones have been meeting that need, although to a lesser extent, for decades, I don’t think this is the root of the problem. Personally, I see a lack of solid, relevant education being the greatest problem the church has faced over the past few decades, leading to generations leaving en masse. Quite honestly, if the only thing bringing people to church is social activity, then the church would do better to sell its property to its host city so the space can be used by multiple social clubs throughout the week. More importantly, if that’s all the church is providing (well, that and some nice music), it’s completely missing its mission and deserves to die.

But if we’re going to do the work of the church, the question then becomes, “How do we use this technology and information to do the work of the church?” Roughly 2/3 of all Americans between 18 and 45 have a Facebook account. Facebook is all about communication with people. Nearly every American in that age range has a mobile phone. Mobile phones are all about communication with people. Jesus came for everyone. Jesus is the Word of God in the flesh. You don’t get much more about communication than that. So then it just makes sense to use these (and many other) means of communication to connect them with The Word.

We’re already working on some upcoming projects that will use these technologies to connect with people, or more to the point, connect people with the Word. That said, there are many other opportunities we haven’t dreamed of yet, not to mention opportunities that can be done individually by you.

“But,” I hear you say, “I’m not on Facebook! I don’t have a computer!” (This article will be printed in our monthly newsletter.) You have a phone, right? And people you see regularly? And so far, the Post Office is still in business. We still have opportunities to share God’s love with those around us, both in word and deed. Let others see the New Creation God has made you to be by your Baptism, dead to sin and alive to Christ’s love.

How do we do that? You don’t need a demographic study to answer that question. Look at the needs of those around you. If you don’t know what they need, ask them! If they seem down or stressed or frustrated, offer to help. When they politely turn you down, say, “No, seriously. I’d like to help. Really.” If their needs are beyond what you can do to help, then offer to pray for them, and actually pray for them. Check in with them, let them know you’re still praying, and keep checking in.

If you have other ideas, post them below (if you’re reading this online) or drop a note in my box, or call me.

Originally written for Shepherd of the Ridge Lutheran Church, apply these ideas to your local context.

We’re busy, no question about it. Schools don’t respect Wednesday nights or Sunday mornings for church time, so not only might you sometimes have trouble getting here for a service, but forget about any other activities without some major restructuring of the schedule! When we came to North Ridgeville, we were looking forward to making friends and geting together, and while we’ve made friends, we’ve been so busy between work and our kids that we just haven’t had time for anything social, and I know we’re not alone in that.

Beyond just meetings, we’re not a business–we’re a family. We love each other and want to stay in touch with each other. When someone hurts, as strange as it may sound, we want to share that hurt, not just in sympathy, but so we can be praying for and encouraging each other. And as a family, we also benefit from being in God’s Word together!

So while there’s no substitute for being together and meeting face-to-face, because that’s just not possible, I’d like to propose an experiment to build each other up in the common bond we share.

On our website, I’d like to begin an online Bible Study. Genesis has a lot to talk about, so we’ll start there. (Good place to start: “In the beginning,” huh?) Each week, I’ll post a short reading, probably just a few verses, some comments or background information, and a couple open-ended questions, like, “Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this?” or something like that. Then you can leave comments and ask further questions. This way, anyone with internet access (if you don’t have a computer and are interested, the library does) can join in.

I’d appreciate your feedback on this idea. Does this sound like something you’d like to try? Should we make this a private members-only study, or should we use this as an outreach and allow guests around our community and world to join in the conversation? Would you like other groups on the site set up, like a parenting group (what to say when kids ask tough questions, where to find various resources, or even good places to go on the weekend for fun) or some other topic?

The toughest part of a project like this is getting the ball rolling. Once people get involved in the conversation, the project generally keeps pretty good momentum, but people tend to be afraid of being the first to comment, so I’d appreciate, if we begin this project, a few bold people being bold about commenting. Note that comments don’t need to be insightful or brilliant–this is all about relationships, not impressing people.

Again, this is not a replacement for seeing each other face-to-face. When someone is hurting, they will likely appreciate a personal visit from more than just the pastor. We still have phones to call each other and check in. We still need to work together to meet the needs of the community. And we still need to join our voices as we worship “with…all the company of heaven.”

I look forward to your feedback and covet your ideas.