One of the recent advances in the church world is the web campus. Churches planting a “site” on the internet where people can attend weekly services online, interact with other church goers via an exclusive chat room, and even respond to the message. Two churches that are doing this the best are LifeChurch.tv and more recently Newspring Church.

I think this new technology is a great use of ingenuity and creativity on the part of the church world. This truly takes to heart the principle of reaching as many people as possible by whatever means necessary short of sin. However, as is true with any new technology, there is one weakness – the lack of true face-to-face interaction.

Well, I have an idea to counter that.  I don’t believe this is being done, but if it is, awesome!  If you’re out there and have a web campus or are thinking of starting a web campus, feel free to use this. (just remember us little people when you make it big!)

Here’s the ‘Manic Monday’ idea: In addition to the weekly live broadcasts on your web campus site and the additional online connection tools, release another pre-recorded video in the middle of the week. This video would be focused on discipleship and would include relevant discussion questions. Weekly attenders to the web campus would be encouraged to recruit 5-10 others in their community/neighborhood to a weekly small group. This small group would consist of showing the pre-recorded video and going through the discussion questions. In providing this additional video, the campus would encourage the needed face-to-face interaction, provide a discipleship & accountability solution, as well as reach new people the web campus isn’t reaching.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts or additional ideas?