Exploring the pros and cons of the new media craze

It was probably easy for Jesus’ disciples to understand being “fishers of men” as an analogy for missionary work – they were fisherman.

They knew that to catch fish, they had to put the nets where the fish were. It’s not so different today. The only thing that’s changed is the type of net, according to the charismatic pastor of The Church at South Las Vegas, Benny Perez.

“I think today technology is the new net,” he said. “Social networking is literally exploding – it’s where the people are.”

Adding on to his Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, blog, online campuses, and satellite locations, Perez now has an iPhone application for his church, being one of a very few churches that has one in America. With this app, anyone can stream and view Perez’s sermon (or as he calls it a celebration worship experience) from their phone.

Technology and its connection to Christian churches continues to be a debated topic among the religious sphere. With thousands watching Pastor Perez from home over the Internet, or through television, it’s not the same church experience that people were accustomed to 20 years ago.

But Perez doesn’t claim to be the pastor of the type of church where he knows the names of all his church members and their life situation. With a congregation of thousands, and thousands more watching him online, it wouldn’t be possible to personally meet with everyone on Sunday. But Perez says he feels his role isn’t to always be a personal pastor, but to get the word and message of Jesus out to as many people as possible, and technology does that.

“Let’s go back to the guidebook, to the blueprint,” he said, referring to the Bible as he opened it up, and quoted from Ephesians 4:11, the scripture referring to the different role in Christ’s church: the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. “The apostles were in charge of the ministry, but the people did the fellowshipping,” he said.

In his opinion, similar to how the apostles in Christ’s church had the responsibility of equipping God’s people to build the body of Christ, Perez sees his role is to be that of equipping his church members to do the work of the ministry, allowing them to feel the spirit of Christ through serving, and allowing him to focus on preaching and spreading the word. “Definitely we’re pastors, and we love the people,” he said. “But preaching the word, for me, is the best way to serve them. It is a calling. It is a gift.”

So, do members of his congregation feel like they don’t have a pastor to turn to? Just the opposite, Perez says. “You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who feels ‘I don’t know my pastor,’” he said. He just reaches out to them in a different way. He reaches out to them by being “real.”

Sitting in his office with All Star tennis shoes, faded jeans and surrounded by basketball memorabilia, it’s apparent that Perez is not the traditional pastor with the parted hair and suit. He’s not afraid to let people know him, his thoughts, his strengths, his weaknesses, his successes and even his tragedies.

Exactly how his church members learn about him isn’t traditional either – it’s through, as you may have guessed, the Internet.

Over Easter weekend Perez and his wife experienced the loss of their unborn child when his wife miscarried for the second time, and even she was in serious condition.

Instead of shying away, Perez posted on Facebook, the simple but grievous words, “Lost my baby today.” He then, through the grace of God he says, preached 10 sermons over Easter weekend about celebrating life through the Resurrection.

Even Perez said he didn’t expect the impact that it had on people from all over the world – Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and local. On his Facebook and Twitter pages, people would post stories of their own losses.  Posts were full of gratitude for being able to relate to someone regarding tragedies and example of allowing Jesus to carry Perez through the struggle. “There were more Facebook and Twitter hits than before of people just saying, ‘Thank you Pastor Benny to show what it’s really like to walk stronger through God,’” Perez said.

Internet outreach doesn’t end there. Before he went to pray, he posted on Facebook, “Prayer in 30 minutes. Give me your prayer requests.” Within those 30 minutes, 73 people sent him requests – “Pray for healing for my eyes.” “Pray that I find a job.”

While scrolling down on his iPhone, Perez reviewed all the requests he had received and had prayed for. “This technology. I love it,” he said.

To combat the old argument that providing church through online campuses decreases the needed fellowshipping and face-to-face interaction, Perez points to the numbers. Since using the technology, more people are coming to church.

“People see Pastor Benny online, then they show up for the first time, and end up coming week after week,” said Mitch Fox, partnership ministry pastor for The Church at South Las Vegas. Over Easter weekend, more than 9,000 people attended the 10 different services, and on an average basis, 4,000 people attend, making The Church one of the top 100 fastest growing churches, according to Outreach Magazine.

Although the church does seem to cater to young people, apparent in its youth ministry of 500 youth, and extensive youth programs (like the Kid Cast – a television program just for kids where they learn about Jesus) , the adult experience is “world class as well,” Perez said. Adding to that is the experience of the diverse congregation that gathers to hear Perez – young, old, and of all races.

And not everyone who attends heard about The Church through the Internet, but they come anyway. “Facebook page? I’m so old fashion, I don’t have a computer, I don’t go online. All my younger friends who are in their 50s and 60s do all those things, but I’m old fashion that way,” said Grant Russell, 95, who is a faithful member of the congregation. “I don’t go to the computer to learn about Jesus. I go to church to learn about Jesus.”