AUDIO
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Phillip Jensen speaks on Anger as part of a series on emotions in the Christian life, delivered at the Australia Day Convention 2010
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It happens more often than we’d like.
The sermon is preached. The last couple of songs are sung. The service leader closes the service. And as we walk out to morning tea (or supper) the performance of our favourite sporting team and our stresses at work or family are closer to our lips in conversation than the truth we’ve just heard in the sermon. Not only this, but as the week continues, it can be increasingly difficult to continue to meditate on the truth of the weekend’s sermon.
Our church websites provide some unique opportunities to extend the life of sermons, and encourage those who heard them to continue to discuss and apply this truth to their lives. I thought we’d take a look at how four churches are using their websites to extend their sermons, and then open the floor for you to share what your church is doing (or would like to do!).
Covenant Life Church
Covenant Life Church (in Maryland, USA) has a resource library where you can download the sermons from the weekend. Attached to some sermons are application questions, e.g for this series on the church:
Also, on their church blog is a category for ‘sermon application’. Posts in this category provide links to listen to the sermon, download a summary and a list of questions for further reflection and application. For example, check out the latest post supporting a sermon on Jude.
Reality Church
Reality Church (around the world, but with their first campus in Carpintaria, USA) have the unique domain ‘jesusisreality.org’. In the ‘Reality Messages’ section of their website, the preacher has provided some comprehensive study notes for download.
Another church that does this well is Mitchelton Presbyterian Church (in Brisbane, Australia). They also provide study guides to accompany the sermons (I think their Bible study groups study the same passages that the sermons are preached on).
College Park Church
One of the most aesthetically-pleasing websites I’ve ever come across, College Park Church provides a ‘Sunday Package’. In the package is the sermon to listen to again, a manuscript of the sermon, a study guide, as well as the weekly church bulletin and news and opportunities. What a great idea!
Over to you…
How is your church website used to extend the life of a sermon?
Can you think of any other ideas for using the web to encourage reflection, discussion and application after a sermon?
I think Steve's point here is absolute gold.
But, it just so happens that most of these churches have big (30+) staff. For example College Church Park (which does have a pretty awesome web site) has 2 full time tech staff to administer this kind of stuff.
This is much harder to do with smaller staff teams and harder still if you are the only one.
We have found running bible studies on the same passage that was preached the week before to be a great way to revist and reinforce teaching. Any other ideas for smaller churches?