and in this connection we

Finally allowed myself to be convinced by friends and colleagues to join a social network. Was immediately able to see the attraction to such concepts. Really, it speaks to a part of us that God made to connect with others. It's why Eve was created. It's why so much of the NT (especially the Pauline stuff) speak of "one another". Man was made to be a social creature. It's not surprising that there are versions of social networks made for believers.

Imagine if a church decided that an online community was the way it was going to stay connected. That 100% of members and regular attendees were part of the network. That prayer chains were run through it. That announcements were posted via it. That sermon notes and follow-up questions and ABF lessons were major focal points. Imagine if a church for the next century used the virtual church as its means of defining itself as a community.

I'll already go ahead and flag its prime reason for failure: the members and regular attendees would rather stick to their already existing blogs and social networks and not desire to update two sites. That these same people would rather not separate themselves from the world, and would not want to be bound so tightly to their brothers and sisters. That the virtual body would fail the same way the current body fails -- self always outweighs the greater good.