2) When church discipline is involved. I know various churches view church discipline differently, and many churches don’t do it at all. But if, for Biblical reasons, you’re calling out someone or something on Biblical discipline grounds or informing the congregation of disciplinary action, then that’s probably not for the general public. Once again, it may be time to live-stream a previous service.
3) When a service involves an extremely sensitive testimony. Perhaps it’s a member who’s sharing their past story of child abuse, drug trafficking, violence, or other sensitive, personal topics. Don’t ever assume they want the world to know. Either ask permission upfront or drop the live-stream.
I could go on, but you get the idea. We’re all human beings, so as much as I support live-streaming services, there are times when it can be a very sensitive issue. Sometimes, an innocent joke isn’t received well; at other times, you make a huge mistake in your message. Whatever it is, always be sensitive to the congregation and know that some things don’t need to be broadcast to the world.
However – keep in mind that this isn’t about hiding or covering anything up. If you’re dealing with a legal, sexual, or abusive situation – especially when authorities need to be notified, then things need to be transparent, honest, and straightforward. You can find out more about those issues and how to respond in my book “Church on Trial: How to Protect Your Congregation, Mission, and Reputation During a Crisis.”
The key here is knowing when it’s a subject that only involves church members and not the general public.
Especially in the age of social media, privacy and discretion are still important.
This article on live-streaming church services originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
