Virtual Worship

Hi this is breeding welcome to the Salvation Army's words of life. Welcome back to words of life on Bernie Dake and with this again is our producer Chris Benjamin and everyone Chris. I'm glad that you're back. I am glad to be back this week in our series, the postcode, the church, the group discusses some of the challenges and victories their church experienced as some of them started streaming virtual worship services for the first time this was an interesting challenge for us because working in the music department. We were all having to work from home and our team was learning how to edit video, which was not something that was previously on our radar. That was a new thing and then trying to coordinate or just come alongside with our peers that were are are all around the southeastern part of the United States was so disposed so many different challenges meanwhile were hearing stories of how our core officers and pastors are trying to inspire their congregations to do the most good. If you will, and we heard some really great stories and I think that the thing that I was really glad came out of this conversation. I know churches all over the world felt this way and it was really easy for people get caught in the comparison trap and even seen competition from from other churches because suddenly they see other churches doing an amazing job having online services that were probably doing this well before Copen and said they had Artie built up skill sets and employees you know to be able to create this type of experience and then we come into Covidien now pastors that that may not be there gift are now feeling responsible, at the supposed measure up to this and I think it was really me that Liz actually mentioned she was like that in my thing so we didn't do happy debtors differently and I think that's a really valuable lesson is to just know God's gifted you in very specific ways.

You don't need to know compare yourself to someone who has that gift, exactly.

I think I'm very proud as someone who is a member of the Salvation Army to hear some of the different things that people did including the incorporation of an emotional and spiritual care hotline or helpline, or hope line for people that just needed someone to talk to or to pray with.

It wasn't meant to be a resource type line, but they do have the ability to steer people towards resources in their communities and that that just kinda gave me that proud chest puffed out absolutely actually I got to do have the privilege of being a part of that when it was first launched, and so that was pretty early on into lockdown so my team we were all working from home and all of us signed up to be a part of that is, it was challenging. I mean it. It definitely took a toll during your scheduled time to be answering the phone.

Yeah, it was amazing to get to be there for people, but it was so hard to hear someone that really does want to give a hug.

Have you prayed with them and he just couldn't and just felt so helpless. But we offer them prayer and then we have resources that we can point them towards in their communities are silly. I think it such a powerful thing so we really encourage you if if you need someone to speak to that's still active, but still live call 18444580. That's 1-844-458-4673 so we just start getting into the exciting part of how God inspired these different ministers to get to it. In Jesus name.

And there was just one little thing we thought we should touch on related technology because that was certainly thought to be a piece that could be a game changer for us. Let's get into that.

What are some of the challenges related technology in each of your different churches who have technology wins or lessons learned so it was scary at first it was as new well first started we were sharing other resources other churches worship service this week. This is so we started on recording our own virtual worship services and some Russian army has incredible multimedia data base is what is located.

I don't know who will successfully do we were we were doing something. Resources are provided as is our home. We switch through all time concerning here you screaming or trucks, running into the wall. We made it happen. As you can see is there draws one week my sermon you just went all is something is God's old and still trying to connect with as much as possible, but it wasn't where it is important to have that worship and offer worship experience. Really we we are created we can worship where we are now. I love this worship service is close to the corporate worship service, but there are other ways we are learning that there are other ways we can find this waste day in the way possible as quickly as people all you know is to be on and they also may this is an extension is to be in proximity to have conversations with ourselves and will reach the church were just as essential piece of relationships is as is. We know from people all over the world and were thank you for this experience of worship are welcome. Like where you live, where you from me and how we utilize this virtual world reject community and was looking at the screen right now listening and so we also experience that we had people and then when we do ministry outdoor parking lot service.

People are coming who found us through our online services purpose and intention behind it not only provided worship experience for your current church members. That experience is still going to want to hold the same time. How are we using that outlet will reach for a part intention. Okay, just share the same year as people face to communities not retreat as if you are not excited about was being shared around this table you may need to turn your volume up just a little bit some great lessons that were learning from each other as we learn that when the things that has come up is the comparison trap, particularly related to how we were building our services not virtually them and they were actually services but online things is what were saying anybody finds that routine re-comparing yourselves or feeling that there was a competition church is 1980 and get on screen and actually people who can't read screen and started getting stressed. Now I'm not as good as doing as well as it is not about being able to answer Jesus can do for our people were there where they are for later recall seniors is walking through the church first.

Jesus is generally literally rock stage churches were helping and I think really what Chris said some of the resources you are creating were actually benefiting other people as they were able to share use as well because of the resources to share those but I also wanted to say it doesn't even then there comparison because even though we did have some good quality that was out there that some of our church members were saying why this what I'm going to like this church because were not. I don't like what you're doing and it's not that negative but we hear that you from our church members and their self and they get fearful… When we do come back to lose people because they are now making another church are so I think I think that is real through that goes back to how can we do the best you can with the resources that we have that in the Lord's hands. A blessed okay well I think that's a good place to stop. This episode will come back next week talk more about how we were able to respond.

The Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping people with material and spiritual needs become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army visit Salvation Army USA.org to offer your support and love to hear from you. Email us@radiouss.salvationarmy.org or call 1-800-229-9965 right SI PO Box 29972, Atlanta, GA 30359 tell us how we can help share prayer request or share your testimony. Would love to use your story on the air. You can also subscribe to our show on iTunes podcast store and be sure to give us a rating search for the Salvation Army's words of life. Follow us on social media for the latest episode extended abuse and more. And if you don't have a church home. We invite you to visit your local Salvation Army worship center will be glad to see this is brain join us next time for the Salvation Army's life