Originally posted 08-30-2009. Reposted 10-04-2010.
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Online Small Groups PART 1
A friend of mine and I started an online small group and it’s an incredible experience! In a very short time it has become one of my favorite hours of the week. Thanks to the internet and webcam technology small groups are no longer limited by geography.
Today I’ll tell you why I love my online group. Later I’ll write about ways that ANY church can make online groups a part of their small group strategy, what tools/resources are readily available for online groups, the challenges of online groups and why Senior Pastors in particular can benefit from participating in an online group.
For now, here are some reasons why I LOVE my online small group:
1. I get to do group with some great friends from across the country.
2. It’s simple.
3. I attended once in my bathrobe when I was sick!
4. We don’t have to coordinate a snack schedule.
5. We hold each other VERY accountable.
6. It’s one of the rawest, most honest group experiences I’ve ever had!
7. We all speak the love language of “sarcasm” and “abuse”. 😉
By the way, here’s a pic of my friends Dave (Chicago), Boyd (Dallas Metro), and me (Oklahoma City) during our online small group. Boyd and I look serious because we were listening to Dave as he confessed his addiction to gummy worms.
Sounds like what you have is an online men’s accountability group, which is excellent!
I would like to ask though, is this the only community to which you are committed? I’m thinking not. I bet you also have a face to face small group that you and your family attend, right?
One thing I’ve discovered is that online groups like yours must be constantly evaluated, not for what they provide, but what they may be denying others in your face to face community life small group.
As long as the online relationship/meeting doesn’t deny someone in my group of receiving accountability and a deep relationship and it’s over and above all the conventional interaction we must maintain locally, I think it’s a great thing.
It’s when it replaces face to face relationship is when it becomes unhealthy in my opinion. Some blog readers may think, “This is good enough and I don’t need to be a part of a face to face small group in a local church.
Thanks for the thoughts and questions Randall.
No, this is not my only small group.
Yes, my family and I attend another one on Wednesday nights.
No, my online group is not ONLY a men’s accountability group…it’s much more than that
I believe that online groups can provide community as completely as face-to-face groups. I believe this not because of a theory, but because of my personal experience.
My online group is as authentic and powerful as any face-to-face group I’ve ever been in. I don’t say this to diminish my face-to-face group, but to amplify my online group.
The dangers with online groups are the same as face-to-face groups. They are only as meaningful and transformational as the people within the groups allow them to be.
Great points of clarification for me and mostly for the many who will read your blog post and think, “I only need an online community.”
Online small groups rock! I am the Community Leader @ a church in Southern CA – at present we have 10 online small groups, going for lots more! You are right – we can get HONEST online! In the past four weeks we have had 3 SOULS receive Christ – all from different parts of the world. We have now trained our first online host for a MUSLIM COUNTRY. God is working!
Building community – WOW – we have a lady in the hills of East Tenn who, while attending the 2:00 pm WED group became a great-grandmother. WE celebrated with all participants – had a “cyber shower” for the great grandmother!
We have participants in Sweden, Holland, Africa, Thailand, Samolia, Canada, Chile, and all parts of the US. We are family! We minimize the tech portion so we can get directly to the real business @ hand – building relationships ….to Christ and to others!
ONLINE GROUPS ROCK!
Jim
Congrats on the comment in favor of online groups.
Thanks Jim! GREAT stories!!! While I was at LifeChurch.tv we had tons of online groups with similar stories. Since I left those stories have only increased. I guess I was holding them back a little. 😉
Tomorrow I’m writing about how any church can make small groups a part of their ministry. I’d live to hear your thoughts again tomorrow.
Alan – great to hear this addressed in your blog. I’m in an online group with LifeChurch for a year now, and just love it. I’ve been a small group director at my church for 5 years, and outside of Celebrate Recovery (heard from participants), our online group had the fastest authentic relationship building I’ve experienced. I think many barriers are removed by online relationships. Those who have not experienced an online group don’t know what they’re missing, and really can’t speak to the idea of real ‘community’ being experienced there. Glad you found your online group a blessing, and after all, isn’t that the key? Looking forward to reading your next posts on this.