Naked church ... for real!

Got this Facebook message this past week.

So ... what do you wear when watching Church Online?

What do you want?

The Liquid Church Online team has started the process of rolling out a new interactive video player and we want to bring you in on the conversation.

We’ve laid out some of the features we want to see included in the new player, such as:
•    integrated chatroom
•    larger video screen
•    video quality choice (low, medium, high)
•    integration with Facebook and Twitter to update status and invite friends
•    My Toolbar  - a sliding toolbar with message notes, chatroom, Connection Cards, and Pay Pal and credit card giving portal built in

We’re also hoping to roll out a LIVE TALK feature for people who need a direct conversation for counseling or prayer.

Now, we think this is a comprehensive list of changes that covers most things – but we DON’T want to presume we have all the answers and know exactly what you want, so we want to work on this WITH you!

Here’s the latest design options so you can get a feel for what the new player will look like also.

So what do YOU think? Click on the COMMENTS link below and tell us your thoughts on new features and the design of the player.

What one thing would you change, add or delete?

The comments section will be open until Sunday night, October 11, 2009 at 8pm NY time. After that, comments will be closed and you’ll only be able to read a summary.

Make sure you read all the comments to ensure your suggestions have not been made already, and to respond to other readers.

For those who question Church Online - part 3

My five-year-old daughter wanted to watch a movie yesterday afternoon. We have a DVD collection of about 250 movies but, instead of going to the bookshelf, little Jordy went for mummy's laptop, got on Netflix.com, scanned through the selections and watched a downloaded movie through our TV.

She did this all - literally - with one hand. Check out the pic!

Here's the deal folks - Christians can whine and complain all they want about the way people are connecting with each other on Facebook instead of face-to-face ... over Twitter instead of over a coffee, but it won't change the fact that the way the world relates is changing by the second. 

We need to define reality as it is - not as it was or as we wished it were.

If we're going to reach a generation that is using the Internet to build and maintain relationships - a generation that sends an average of 357 texts a month, has access to 25.2 billion web pages, and takes 6 days to return a missed phone call but 60 seconds to respond to a Facebook message or Tweet - then we need to speak their language. We need to go out (which is what the "church" literally means) into their world and meet them where they are.

If we don't ... we could lose that generation.

This is what Liquid Church Online is all about!

Do your kids surprise you with their technical know-how?

For those who question Church Online - part 2

There are currently 335,000 pastors in the US serving a population of 304,000,000 … that’s 1 for every 907 people.

There are currently 42 church online pastors worldwide serving 1.7 billion Internet users … that’s 1 for every 40,476,190.

Why wouldn't you support Church Online pastors?

For those who question Church Online - part 1

So I've read this quote a few times now from Scottish clergyman George Macleod and believe it has significant implications for church online pastors around the world:

“I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap; at a crossroads so cosmopolitan that they had to write his title in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek … at the kind of place where cynics talk smut and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where he died. And that is what he died about.”
- George Macleod

So I have two questions for you:

1. What do you think of the quote - agree or disagree?

2. How does this relate to church online?

Personally I think it has EVERYTHING to do with church online. Think about it - what more cosmopolitan place is there in the world than the Internet. It's the easiest place - literally - in the world to find smut talk, cursing, gambling ... and much worse. In many ways it has become a digital garbage heap for the lost and lonely. 

So ... I argue that this is exactly where the cross should be raised.

The latest stats show that 1.7 billion people across the world use the Internet daily - they need worship, they need to hear God's word preached boldly, they need a community of people who will pray with them, help them grow and provide accountability. They need leadership and discipleship. They need Christ.

Just because they get all this from a distance through optic fiber cables does not make it less significant. Does it mean less because the person disciplining them is across the state or across the world? Ask the 30-plus churches mentioned in the New Testament - all of which were led from afar by Paul, Peter and the other disciples via snail mail!

What's one thing you agree or disagree with in this post? Click COMMENT below and let me know.

Awesome promo...

So our Liquid Church Online friend Shellyne created a Coffee with Pastor Dave promo a few weeks ago which we unveiled this morning. Check it out!

Great work Shellyne! Wanna participate in the conversation? Send us your promo to aussiedave@liquidchurch.com

Lights, camera ... LIVE action!

Don't miss the special Liquid Church Online LIVE broadcast of the Rock and Run for Africa event Sunday from 11:30am NY time. Click here her all the details!

In the news...

So here's the latest news report on Liquid Church's Rock and Run for Africa - specifically features the Liquid Church Online guys!

Click HERE for the full article!

On the Green

The Liquid Church Online crew hit the Morristown Green today for Coffee with Pastor Dave with the main aim to drum up some support for the Rock and Run for Africa this Sunday!

I was very proud of the guys who put together a totally portable outdoor live broadcasting unit - that fits in a backpack! From this ingenuity, we broadcast live for an hour - we started as the church bells rang out eight times and ended after they hit nine - to the world! We had viewers fro across the US, Australia, the Philippines and even Tajikistan!

All these folks got to see the venue where the Rock portion of the event will happen, we heard from Pastor Bill about Liquid family ministries, Rich Birch updated us on the run and fundraising, Taryn dropped in to say g'day, Aussie Karen told us about the Liquid Melbourne run on September 13, Pastor Mike dropped in for a chat, Suzy updated us on her tattoo situation, my eldest daughter Chelsea told us how she was getting involved, and Matt raised $150 for the cause by doing 150 push-ups!

All-in-all you missed a great show if you weren't there! Remember - every second Wednesday at 8am NY time you can have a coffee with me, ask any question you want about Liquid, and get the inside word on Liquid Church Online.

Were you there? What did you like or what do you hope we never do again?

Whaddya mean there's NO services this Sunday?

No Church Online - Sept 6th! from Liquid Church on Vimeo.