Is an online church service a valid way to do church?

I would like to answer this question upfront with "no". We can't! It would be too simple to just point out that the Bible does not know such a virtual meeting. The word “coming together” does not in itself say anything about whether it happens real or virtually (I only refer to the English word “meeting”, where we naturally assume that it can be either “real / live” or “online”). Nevertheless, I would like to show that coming together in the Name of the Lord requires the actual (physical) presence of the participants. The arguments presented are both of a fundamental and practical nature.

a) A very important argument is that it is impossible for us to come together for the Lord's Supper online. Paul writes: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor 11:26).

According to biblical teaching the breaking of bread is linked to the meeting of the local assembly. For example, it is not possible for individual participants in a virtual meeting to break bread for themselves at home (i.e. in different houses). That would not correspond to the statement "... for we all partake of the one bread" in 1 Corinthians 10:17. This is not possible online!

We are grateful to the Lord that this situation has hardly occurred in Germany so far. And yet, especially at the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, we saw that, for a brief time, meetings were discontinued in some places.

If the case should actually occur (which should be checked very carefully), and there are actually no other real possibilities of coming together as assembly, then there is basically nothing that speaks against meeting online as brethren , as a temporary solution.

However - and this should have become clear by now - such online meetings are not a gathering as an assembly according to Matthew 18:20 (and that is precisely why we have to check very carefully whether it is really impossible to meet as an assembly!). We can pray together, read the Word, and praise our Lord together online. All of this is a great blessing. Yet it is never a real substitute for meeting as a local assembly. We have to be aware of that.

The flow of an online meeting may be similar to that of a regular assembly meeting (apart from breaking bread). It is important that the brethren who speak (pray, read a word or text, give an exposition) do so under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Those attending should try hard not to be distracted. And yet the fact remains that it is not an adequate substitute. Participants in such an online meeting will notice the difference very quickly.

The gatherings as an assembly have a high priority and we do well to remind ourselves of this. Digital alternatives for spreading the biblical message can easily be used. However, they never replace real meetings of believers. However, if individual brethren cannot attend the meetings, digital solutions are definitely worth considering. Even in absolutely exceptional cases, it is not possible to come together digitally to the name of the Lord. Nonetheless, online meetings can provide a measure of comfort, edification, and fellowship - even if they are in no way a substitute for physical gathering. Our Lord's promise: "For where two or three are gathered unto my name, there am I in their midst" applies when believers meet, in person, as local assembly.

The answer to this question is: it is possible, but not necessarily desirable. As we have seen, the assembly is supposed to come together in reality, and only those who are present are gathered in the name of the Lord. If someone - for certain reasons such as e.g. illness or old age - cannot attend in person but follows the meeting online, he will most certainly have a blessing. He is not gathered with the others in the name of the Lord, however, and thus something crucial is missing.

For this reason, it would be better not to talk about someone attending or participating in the meeting online. Rather, he follows the gathering of the local assembly from outside.

Local gathering becomes visible when the believers actually (factually) gather and not when they meet hidden digitally somewhere in the global network. An “online meeting” cannot be an adequate substitute for coming together unto the name of the Lord.

Every now and then the question is asked whether the “place" where we gather, could perhaps be a “spiritual place"(Mt 18:20), so that it does not matter whether the meeting is "real " or "virtual". Indeed, the “where” in Matthew 18:20 has to do with the biblical basis of gathering and not with physical location. Unlike in the Old Testament, the believers of the time of grace do not come together in Jerusalem and not in a house of God (a special temple or church). It doesn't matter what location it is. Still, it has to be a locality.

You can do a lot virtually, but you cannot eat and drink and proclaim the Lord's death this way.

c) In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul deals with the gathering for the preaching of the word. In verse 29 it says: "But let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge." This is much more difficult to implement in a digital get-together, and almost impossible in a live stream. Therefore, a live stream cannot replace a gathering for the preaching of the word.

e) There is singing in the meetings of believers (1 Corinthians 14:15). Common praise is an essential element. As practice shows, this is more than difficult to implement digitally.

Sometimes it is objected that it is better not to provide such online offers (broadcast of the meetings) in the first place. Admittedly, on the one hand, they again harbour the risk of encouraging an attitude of easily staying away from the face-to-face meeting, and one can only warn against that. It should also be remembered that the distraction factor at home in front of a screen is significantly greater than in a real meeting. On the other hand, we should not forget that in some places there are old and sick brothers and sisters who - perhaps for years - have not been able to attend the meetings. Do we want to deprive them of this opportunity and joy of following the meetings online? The counter-argument that you can visit them afterwards is of little use, because firstly - unfortunately - it is hardly practiced anymore and secondly, in practice it only applies to the ministry meeting or the Bible study. We also think of parents who have to stay at home with the children and thus have the opportunity to listen to the meeting. Job-related absence could also be mentioned at this point. We should be careful here in our judgment and “go softly” (Isa. 38:15).

Attendance at the meeting (in person) is to be sought in any case. But if there is no other way, we should have a wide heart and consider together before the Lord how to decide on a case-by-case basis. It is important that peace be kept in the assembly.