As our church members feel isolated, fearful, anxious, and uncertain, they need the truth of God’s Word. This brings us to our first component of the online education framework called “The Community of Inquiry,” which is the need to connect members to content. During this chaotic time, church leaders must help members engage with Bible reading, teaching, preaching, and thinking. Thankfully, in our technological age, there are plenty of ways to fulfill this task:

Livestream Service: Of course, live streaming your service (or at least the sermon), is the most obvious way to keep content coming to your members through your various social media platforms. Many members are already familiar with engaging with content in this medium, so it is a natural transition.1

Prerecorded Service: If you aren’t up for all the tech juggling while also trying to preach your heart out to a camera, a pre-recorded sermon may provide a bit more comfort for you. You can try and try again, edit, stop and start as you fine-tune the content to deliver quality to your people. Bonus if you can also prerecord your announcements and even songs (given you have proper licensing).

Podcast: Perhaps your church simply does not have all the video equipment needed to do either option above. A very simple way forward could be recording the audio and delivering it as a podcast format for your members. The drawback of this is that they don’t see your visual cues, but it’s a solid choice.

Manuscript: That sounds pretty ancient to some, but a good old fashion manuscript may be the ideal solution for those members who are not tech-savvy and won’t be tech-savvy by the end of this pandemic. You can email (if they have it), post it to the website (again, maybe a stretch), or simply mail it to them earlier in the week so they have it by the weekend. Include a bulletin, a copy of a hymn, and even a handwritten note for an added touch.

In addition to delivering your content from the weekly service, you may also consider some other ways to get your members to engage with content. Here are some possibilities:

Virtual Bible Study: Using a video conference platform (like Zoom), a live stream, or simply even a Facebook group, you can encourage members to continue to work through their small group curriculum together.

Bible Reading Devotion: You can equip your members to stay in the Word daily by texting them (or using whatever communication methods that work for them) the reading for the day and one or two devotional thoughts that might encourage them.

Other Resources: Through your various communication channels, you can also share articles, blogs, other sermons, stories, and prayer requests so your members are engaged with supplemental content throughout the week.

There are a lot of ways to get content to your members, so don’t get overwhelmed. Know your people and the ways that they prefer to engage with technology (or not). Just because another church is doing a live stream doesn’t mean you have to do it in the same way. Give your people content in the way that they need it and will use it, but don’t stop there. Our next two blog posts will address how to help members to engage with leaders and with one another as they build a community from a distance.


1 For livestream advice, take a look at this resource: Phil Thompson, “How to Live Stream Your Church Service: A Practical Guide.” The Gospel Coalition, March 12, 2020. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/livestream-church-service-practical-guide/


Read More

A Love for Scripture

Damaris Scrima, MTS student, shares the importance of cultivating a love for God’s word.

Damaris Scrima
Student | MTS
Damaris Scrima holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Theology from California Baptist University. She is currently pursuing a master’s in Theological Studies with a concentration in Biblical Studies at Gateway Seminary.

Excerpt — Another Move God?

Beth Runkle, Gateway alum, shares her reflections as a military wife and seeks to encourage other military wives in her new book Another Move, God?

Beth Runkle
Gateway MTS ’24
Author Beth Runkle has been married to her military man for twenty-five years. Faith in Christ dramatically transformed Beth from a bitter and reluctant military wife to one who embraced the community. Beth is called to encourage other women to intentionally pursue Christ in military life.

Listen

The Study Podcast
February 4, 2025

Exodus Chapters 19-40

Dr. Wegner and Tyler finish up the book of Exodus, covering chapters 19-40, mainly focusing on the covenant between God and His treasured possession, Israel.

The Bible Teaching Podcast
January 31, 2025

Bible Teaching Conference 2025

Several special guest join us and introduce their topics of teaching at the Bible Teaching Conference 2025: Gospel-Centered Teaching. If you are interested in any of these topics, below are the resources mentioned in this episode if you would like to engage further!


Watch

Jonathan Edwards and the Asbury Revival

Chris Chun and Chris Woznicki discuss the signs of true revival, signs of the work of the Holy Spirit, and why it is important to critically assess the characteristics of revival in a spirit of charity.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

Jonathan Edwards and the Baptists | Douglas Sweeney, Nathan Finn and Chris Chun

Dr. Douglas Sweeney and Dr. Nathan Finn joined Dr. Chris Chun for a panel discussion on Jonathan Edwards, recorded live at the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

Get updates on new content!