eArticle
The purpose of this article is to examine the reality and direction of the online church through the history of its development, and then to study the online church’s benefits, problems, and limitations in view of a theological and pastoral perspective. In the virtual space of the digital Internet, online church is taking place as a new form of church with the name of “church” for practical ministry.
Since the mid-1980s, churches in the England and American region have developed online churches by communicating through the Internet. Even within Korean churches experiencing the COVID-19 crisis, online churches are emerging beyond simple non-face-to-face pastoral ministry. The online church can be organized into two types. The first type is an online church established by an existing offline church as a branch church online, and the next one is an online church independently established online. The view in favor of online churches considers it as an alternative to a new church according to the development of innovative digital technologies of the 4th industrial revolution and the new normal era after COVID-19. Online churches can also play a beneficial role in connecting the bonds of faith to believers who believe in Jesus but do not attend church, those living abroad, and those having physical illness. In addition, the online church has the advantage of being able to plant a church with just one computer without the burden of the finances for renting a building and dedicated planting members.
However, in order for an online church to become a “church”, it has several problems and limitations in terms of biblical, theological, and pastoral practice. First, the online church is different from the biblical church as God's ecclesia, the body of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Spirit. Second, the online church has theological problems and limitations in that it cannot properly administer the Word, the sacraments, and discipline, which are the three major signs of the true church. Third, the online church is not only insufficient to strengthen the holistic faith formation and responsibility in the community, but also has limitations in setting up office and church council systems, so there is a risk that it will be shifted to a clergy-centered church like the medieval church. Thus, it cannot be denied that the online church has benefits from a practical point of view, but it has theological and pastoral practical problems to accept the online ministry in virtual space as a “church”. Although the Internet can be a useful medium for worship, evangelism, Bible study, and counseling in the digital age and non-face-to-face situations of epidemics, online churches cannot replace offline churches. However, even if the COVID 19 epidemic is now over, it will be impossible to go back to only the ministry of offline churches again. Therefore, the church should proceed with a ministry that combines digital-friendly online and offline pastoral ministry.
[b관점해석] [논문] 온라인 교회의 합당성에 관한 연구 부가정보본 논문의 목적은 온라인 교회가 발전해 온 역사를 통해 그 실체와 방향성을 살펴본 후, 온라인 교회의 유익성과 그 문제와 한계를 신학적이고 목회실천적 관점에서 살펴보는 것이다. 디지털 인터넷이라는 가상공간에서 실제적인 목회를 위한 “교회”라는 이름을 가진 새로운 교회의 모습인 온라인 교회가 일어나고 있다. 1980년대 중반 이후부터 영미권의 교회는 컴퓨터를 통한 인터넷을 매개로 소통하면서 온라인 교회를 발전시켜 왔다. 한국교회에서도 온라인 교회가 코로나19 사태를 경험하면서 단순한 비대면 온라인 목회 방식을 넘어 온라인 교회라는 이름으로 등장하고 있다. 온라인 교회는 두 가지 형태로 정리할 수 있는데, 오프라인의 기존 교회가 온라인상에 지교회 형식으로 세운 교회와 온라인상에서 독립적으로 세워진 교회이다. 온라인 교회를 찬성하는 견해는 4차 산업혁명의 혁신적인 디지털 기술의 발전과 코로나19 이후의 뉴노멀 시대에 맞는 새로운 교회의 대안으로 여긴다. 온라인 교회는 예수를 믿지만 교회에 출석하지 않는 성도와 신체적 질병이나 해외에 거주하는 성도들에게 신앙의 끈을 이어주는 역할을 할 수 있다. 또한 온라인 교회는 건물 임대에 대한 재정과 개척 멤버에 대한 부담이 없이 컴퓨터 한 대만 가지고도 교회를 개척할 수 있다는 장점도 있다.   
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