Why "virtual church" isn't really church

I listen to a lot of sermons on my iPod -- John Piper, Tim Keller, Sinclair Ferguson, etc. It's a rich blessing. Those sermons are usually better than the ones I hear on Sunday at my church. Nevertheless, there's intrinsic worth in hearing the Word read and preached by one's own pastor in community with fellow believers. My pastor may not have the preaching chops of a Piper or Keller (few do!) but he'll be there when I need prayer or counsel. Most gospel growth happens within the context of a local church body.

More on that from Pastor David Livingston:

For the first time in church history, our generation is able to watch and hear quality Christian preaching and music seven days a week, morning, noon, and night. And indulging in this wealth breeds in some a “consumer mentality,” such that they can simply change channels or turn off completely whatever they don’t like. In this, many people fall into a similar pattern with their actual church participation, i.e., to routinely “surf the Web of congregations” instead of hanging in there with all the other imperfect people in their church.

They, therefore, ignore the plain biblical instruction for their good—that God ordains struggles, conflicts, and outright orneriness within a church body so that he will get the glory of saved sinners like them growing in their faith, practicing his “one another” commands, and showing a clueless, alienating world his alternative community of reconciliation and grace.

"Is Watching a Very Good Sermon on TV or Online the Same As 'Doing Church'?" (March 23, 2010)