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![The [C]hurch Is Virtually Winning](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57dbe9895016e1537d276bbb/1663034608222-XFP3845FEA8HSJ75OWRR/Pico-Neo-3-Link-image.jpg)
They press into the excitement, they see the need, and potential, but they also feel they are not the right person to lead the charge in this arena. And, honestly? VR ministry isn’t for everyone. It is a scary unknown new frontier for the Church to be pressing into, and yet, so much is at stake if the church doesn’t adopt it, and get the right person for task.
Jesus didn’t call us to be soil analyzers, he called us to be people who scatter seeds of hope. It is not your job to determine whether or not a person is ready to hear the good news of Jesus Christ, it is simply your job to spread that good news everywhere you go. There will come a time that you will need to take the next step and water what you have sowed, and sometimes water the seed someone else has scattered, but remember, God does the growing.
Incorporating virtual reality technology allows churches to remain inclusive, innovative, and adaptable, ensuring they can connect with and serve a diverse and evolving congregation.
Currently, there are roughly 20 active churches in Virtual Reality, the majority of them running their services in platforms like VR Chat, Bigscreen, RecRoom, Spatial.io and Horizon Worlds. That’s 20 churches trying to plunder hell and populate heaven by reaching the 171 million people.
No matter how your story reads. No matter your rebellion, God loves you. His love is unfailing. He desperately desires a relationship with you. Maybe your dad wasn’t around growing up, or maybe your dad wasn’t the greatest to you, what I hope you learn from my own failures is this, at the end of the day, God is the standard that every dad is to live up to. Don’t let the faults of an earthly dad deceive you from the truth of who God is. He is not wrathful, and He is not unfair in His discipline. He is for you and wants the best for you. You can never do anything that causes God to love you any less. Know that. Believe that. Live in that.
So here I am, a Virtual Reality Church doubter, now spear heading a Virtual Reality Church (who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?). A couple of weeks into being a Virtual Reality pastor, one of our IRL (in real life) church members asked me what I enjoyed most about doing church in VR. I hadn’t really put much thought to that at this point, but I loved his question. I thought about it for a second, and I told him, “I get the opportunity to be an international missionary all from the basement of my house.”
For over a year now, I have been leading a church in Virtual Reality as a campus pastor for our IRL (in real life) church, and I know that, for many people, the idea of virtual reality church is..
Have you ever wondered why there are so many churches? I mean, if we are all supposed to be on the same mission, to make disciples of all peoples, why does it seem like there is one on every street..
Social media and news stations are saturated with images of unrest, protest, and violence. Destruction and death seem to top the headlines of every post. And in every social media feed: hate speech, heated arguments, and (here’s that word again) division.
Churches have possibly benefited the most from this pandemic…In the past couple of weeks, churches have been “forced” to shut their doors for the purpose of limiting mass gatherings of people in an effort to slow down the spread of COVID-19. This has caused nearly all churches to conduct their weekly services via live-stream, as well as forced churches to get creative with how they will stay connected with their congregation in a time of social distancing.
Next generational leaders, I can’t stress this enough: now is not the time to sit around twiddling your thumbs waiting for the pandemic to end and life to get back to “normal.” Satan hasn’t shut down his attack methods on destroying families, which means we have to be all the more intentional with the time that we have. Now is the time to make an impact on families that will ripple through time. Now is the time to leave a legacy that out lives your life.
My child, who was developing ears, is hearing fully the voice of God and more clearly than I do now. My child’s eyes that were being uniquely designed by my God are in full strength seeing my God and King. My child’s hands that were taking shape are holding his heavenly father’s hand. My God who gives hearing to the deaf, words to the mute, sight to the blind, and brings healing to the sick did all of that for my unborn child in an instant. My prayers were answered. I have a perfectly healthy child that knows my God better than I do right now. I can have peace in that.
the lifestyle that is glorified is the busy lifestyle. In fact we tend to wear busyness like a badge of honor.
In the center of the City of Lights, a place to worship the Light of the world was erected; and yet darkness engulfs the country more than the flames that engulfed Notre Dame.”
Even when we try to hide our true identity from others, we are exposed in the darkness by God. God knows who we are better than we know ourselves. He cares for us better than we care for ourselves, and God has a better plan than we have for ourselves. Our true identity is not in what we make ourselves to be, but in who God masterfully created us to be.
If we are so quick to make sure we are fed, clothed, warm and happy, how much more should we be focused on making sure others are fed, clothed, warm and happy? Especially when we are supposed to love others as what? As we love ourselves.
It has been over a year since the shutdown. So, how are VR churches doing? Well, I would argue that the Church has been more effective than ever before at reaching people in VR spaces.