Something Wiki This Way Comes

It’s a Wiki world. First there was Wikipedia, the website that markets itself as “the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.” (The name comes from a Hawaiian phrase meaning “no fuss, informal, and quick.”) At Wikipedia, anyone can add or edit a page, credentials are unnecessary, and the entries are constantly updated.

Now Wiki enters the church world. Karen Ward of Church of the Apostles in Seattle, Washington, believes the Wiki concept is consistent with the priesthood of believers doctrine: everyone has equal access and can contribute as they are led by the Spirit.

Here are some ways Wiki is working:

Administration. Some churches allow users to post announcements or organize events.

Theological reflection. Grace Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin, allows users to post meditations, links to other websites, and answers to questions about the faith.

Sermon discussions. Pastors post sermon ideas and invite the congregation to “Wiki” with ideas and observations.

Prayer groups. Like the Yada Yada prayer groups, Wiki prayer groups can bring dissimilar people together online to share requests and post responses.

Worship planning. Team members offer thoughts on upcoming themes, adding song suggestions, Scriptures, and dramatic and visual elements.

While many Wiki sites require the users to log in, Ward encourages churches to allow everyone to speak openly. “Don’t be afraid of wrong doctrine coming from members that are not experts in biblical study,” she writes. “People can learn to recognize and discern false teaching and can learn to handle difficult issues within community as part of the process of the Spirit’s leading the church into truth.”

—with info from Worship Leader and www.grace-els.org