Our (Virtual) Siberian Visitors

I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
H. W. Longfellow

As many of you know I run the video camera during our church's services. The services are streamed live using a service called LiveStream and archived for later viewing. Usually we have only a few viewers for the live stream, and a number more who watch later in the week.

I remember when my siblings and I were young and we were snow bound on Sunday, Dad would sit us down in front of the TV for Rex Humbard or a similar preacher in lieu of church. The streaming service is a different experience; not Rex and the folks in far off Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The stream is our folks worshiping together. I've been home myself with ailing kids or bad weather and we have joined the service online, and even said "Hi!" via chat. There is a personal connection.

A streaming service is also like Longfellow's arrow, who knows where it will land. A few Sunday's ago we had online viewers during the service from a church in Tyumen, Russia. Like ourselves they also stream their services online and popped in for a visit. Two small churches on different sides of the planet stopping by for a friendly visit. (No, I don't understand a word of Russian.) Kinda cool but makes you think.

On rare occasions I still fill the pulpit when the pastor is away. I preached two Sundays ago and the service was streamed as usual. I recalled our Siberian visitors when I was preaching and wondered who else might stop by. Where will my words end up? Preaching is always a serious matter, and the Bible has warnings for those who would be religious teachers. But now in the digital age "i shot a sermon into the air, it fell to earth, I knew not where."

On that note Christianity Today magazine has an article on theological debate in the digital age entitled "Not many of you should presume to be bloggers." Hmm.