Virtual Reality Church
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Note: Transcript of video follows:
Virtual reality church. Yes, it’s a thing. Yes, it’s already happening, and yes, this is exactly what we’re going to be talking about today.
So last week, I had the opportunity to not only attend a webinar called VR Church in the Metaverse, put on by VR Church and the awesome D.J. Soto, but Digi got to sponsor this event as well.
I don’t have a ton of experience with VR Church, so this is more about what I learned during this webinar and what I think you should know.
One of the first points that I wrote down in my notes that they talked about in the webinar is that we are kind of at the end of the information era, the information age of technology. So for so many years, it’s been all about content. But now we’re shifting into this experiential age, which we can experience in the metaverse.
I thought that was a neat concept to point out right at the beginning because a lot of people might be sitting there watching going “what is this VR nonsense!?” This is unlike anything we’ve seen before done before… Which… Exactly! Technology changes fast.
Web 3.0, as people are calling it, is entering in – virtual reality being a huge component of this.
One thing I learned during this webinar is that there are multiple ways to connect in virtual reality. It’s not like you just put on the headset, and all of a sudden you’re in one metaverse. No, there are different worlds based on what you want and what kind of vibe you’re looking for. So there are kids oriented places that are mostly filled with games and kept pretty “G” or “PG” as far as the content.
Then there are spaces where it does get a little more unhinged, I guess. They said it was like the wild wild west of the Metaverse because, there are more trolls, there are more people trying to take advantage of situations and like use them for their own fun like trolls do.
And then there are spaces that would be more appropriate, safer, perhaps for your church events or ministry events, ministry gatherings. And so you kind of have certain options. It’s not just like we’re going into one space.
Another thing I took away from this webinar is that the anonymity that your avatar gives you is powerful.
It can be the best thing and it can be the worst thing.
It can help people to be completely raw and real and vulnerable in an instant because there’s nothing to lose, right? You don’t know who they are. Especially if you show up in a room and and there was no like scheduled meeting time or just in one of those spaces where like people can just kind of pop up and connect.
They may never see you again. So why can’t they share one of the biggest things on their heart and mind at that moment? Because again, what is there to lose? So that can be kind of like the best thing, right?
In some ways, but it can also go the other way. It could be the worst thing because what is there to lose? I can be a jerk and I may never see you again. So that always is a problem with the internet, though, right?
I mean, we see that with TikTok comments and trolls on YouTube and all that sort of thing. So. You kind of take the good with the bad there, but I really appreciated the way that the avatar in VR really takes that to another level.
It’s really interesting to me.
Another idea I heard from these leaders that I want you to know about is the idea of ask a pastor anything. And so for VR, this would be creating an event and saying, like, I’m going to be here at this time and anybody in the world in the metaverse can come and ask me anything.
As a pastor, I will give you my $0.02. Beautiful. And people do this. They’re actively doing this and people will pop in. And, you know, again, be real. Maybe they have something really on their heart. They want to talk with a pastor about and would they ever walk into a church to do this?
Maybe a lot less likely than, you know, popping in, sharing question here, and what the answer is, and then like peacing out. Never seen them again. Like it’s just – it’s a lot more transient. And so there can be a lot of opportunity in that.
Now, if you’re not in VR quite yet, I think you can still put that idea in your back pocket or even in your hand to use immediately. Because how many other platforms can we do? Ask a pastor anything on so many?
Right? You can do a live video. You could make a TikTok and just respond to all these answers. You can make a post on one of the platforms for people who are more engaged than you can even have a way for people to anonymously submit questions online and then you take them in and then record a video and post it. It doesn’t have to be live, doesn’t have to be in the moment, although VR offers quite the opportunity to do this.
The last thing I learned from the leaders that they told us straight out is that everybody is doing this their own way.
So if you are eager to get on in the metaverse and you’re, you know, getting your headset, you’re trying to figure out what to do. Don’t stress about doing it right. This stuff is so new. VR church in general is so new.
People have learned great ways to do it, but that doesn’t mean they’re the perfect way. Doesn’t mean they’re the exact way that you should be doing it. So experiment a little and know that your right way doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
Learn from other people, learn what they’re doing, but know that again, everyone’s figuring this out. At the same time, I’m going to give you some next steps. Now, if you are interested in learning more or taking action, but before I do, I want you to know very clearly that this is already happening.
There are people I talked to about this that are like, “Oh, that will never be a thing.” And like, “there’s no way people can engage in this way.” But they are. They already are. I learned that some of the gatherings have 40 to 50 people consistently every single week in the metaverse.
They have 200 people in their community engaging in virtual reality. In this way, online, this is not coming. This is here. It’s going to grow from here. People are going to be learning about it from here. Are you going to be there too?
That’s the question. I’m not saying that you have to take the steps to be there today or next week or even this year, necessarily. I’m just encouraging you to continue to learn and listen and don’t close down when you hear virtual reality because it’s coming in hot.
This webinar was all about how to start a VR church in three days, and so the initial steps they gave on day one was to actually create your avatar and then just start exploring the different worlds that are out there in virtual reality.
I would say if you’re going to use a headset, you probably want to get that hardware too. So if you’re trying to get started in this way, headset avatar, start learning. There’s really no like immediate action that used to be taken other than just exploring the world, trying to figure them out, trying to figure out the settings, get your toes wet. I mean, there’s so much to learn, right? There’s the same thing we always say about TikTok. We say pastors and church leaders and faith leaders really need to just kind of be scrolling to understand the app before they can just start creating content on it.
Otherwise you’re going to be talking to it like it’s a YouTube video, which might not be what you need to do. Now again, after you get your headset, you get your avatar, you have explored all the worlds. You’re going to have 1,000,000 questions.
And I know that because I saw it in this webinar and I can’t answer those for you, but what I can do is tell you that VR church dot org. There are some super talented, super enlightened from their experiences, folks that can walk with you through this, so I’m not sponsored in any way by, you know, I wasn’t asked to make this video, but I want to let you know that they have coaching. They have consulting for church, like specifically for church leaders who are trying to start churches in the Metaverse. So I would invite you to check out VRChurch.org
See if you can find any information that you need for free through any of their content. And if not just like sign up for a month of coaching so that you can get started, at least get the ball rolling for whatever you think about and feel when you hear the words Virtual Reality Church today.
I think five years from now, it’s going to be a very different experience for you. So I would invite you to continue to listen and learn and ask questions, learn from experts that have been doing this if you are ready to move forward.
That is it for today, my friends. If you would like us to make more virtual reality church related content, maybe get some answers from D.J. Soto. Maybe. Just dove into this a little bit more comment below, shoot us a DM, let us know – we’re around.
I do want to point out that if you need more answers about websites and social media, we just created a free one hour long webinar with the top ten ideas for impact you need to know before Easter 2020 for websites and the top ten ideas for impact that you need to know for social media before Easter 2022, which is coming in so quickly.
Enjoy. It is free. It’s all yours. We hope that it helps you reach people with hope, healing and light online. That’s why we exist.
We brought the knowledge, now it’s your turn to put it into action – or just keep learning more. Peace.