Churches have found a lot of success through launching online campuses. These virtual campuses offer a space for people who want to learn about and connect with a community in an online environment. It could be that they’re not comfortable attending a church yet or they are physically incapable of making it to church every week.
An online campus offers more than streaming services. It provides a place for people to connect with others, pray, respond, and give.
If you’ve been toying with the idea of an online campus, here’s why you should launch one this summer.
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1. It’s easy to start
Be careful not to get into a situation where you’re continually aiming and never firing. Online campuses are relatively easy to get started, and elements can be added as you go. If you’ve got a good camera for livestreaming, you’re just about ready.
Make a list of the elements that you want to include in an online campus, and then prioritize them. Figure out what existing tech options you can use until you’re able to move onto a better solution. For instance, you don’t need to worry about launching with a perfectly working online forum if you can get the same engagement from a Facebook page.
The truth is that launching with a barebones alternative gives you the freedom to scale up in various ways. After a couple of weeks, you might decide to take things in a completely new direction. Launching complete from the get-go has a tendency to lock you in.
2. It’s an affordable way to reach more people
Unlike a physical space, an online campus will accommodate any number of people. You don’t have to figure out how to add new services or find a new meeting space. With a fairly modest investment, you have an unlimited opportunity to touch hearts and change lives.
As long as you have the infrastructure in place to engage with people, pray for them, and update content, it’s not going to take a lot of energy to maintain.
3. It can help with the summer slump
A virtual campus isn’t just a way to reach new people; it’s also a way to keep church members engaged when they can’t make it to church themselves. Churches struggle every summer when families become too busy to stay heavily involved. Once attendance begins to dip, finances aren’t far behind.
An online campus can help people feel connected—even when they’re far away. They’re involved with their church community, staying up-to-date with teachings, and reminded of needs and opportunities to give.
It’s hard not to see how an online campus wouldn’t be a net win for churches struggling with low summer commitment. If you can create an infrastructure that doesn’t demand attendance at a physical location to keep things operating smoothly, why would you stick with the status quo?
Nurture the church
Your church wants to nurture people in the various stages of their faith journey. An online campus offers new occasions to do just that. And when you combine the online campus concept with a church app, you exponentially increase your opportunities to keep people engaged and following that maturity trajectory.
If you’ve been thinking about an online campus, don’t wait. Launch it this summer and give yourself the leeway to learn as you go—you’ll be surprised by what God will do.
