Online Small Groups, International Reach: Community Bible Church

Sixty-year-old Jim Hebbard accidentally found Community Bible Church when he was searching for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation online.

He was captured by the preaching, which he watched at OnlineChurch.com, CBC’s Online Church website. After a month of asking questions, he committed his life to Christ and soon became a leader at Online Church. He has ministered to hundreds of people around the world as a volunteer host, group leader and social media or prayer team member. The San Antonio, Texas, church attracts online worshipers from 160 countries who have joined the more than 33 online groups and Bible studies.

“The online church is for those like Jim who may be uncomfortable attending a physical church,” says Innovation Pastor Nils Smith, “but God is doing a great work in and through Jim at Online Church.”

COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH San Antonio
Website: CommunityBible.com
Lead Pastor: Robert Emmitt
Founded: 1990
Affiliation: Interdenominational
Locations: 1
Attendance: 14,031
A 2013 Outreach 100 Church
No. 24 Largest

Rhonda Sholar
Rhonda Sholar

Rhonda Sholar lives in Orange City, Florida, with her husband, Darrin, and two children. A newspaper and magazine writer and editor for 20 years, she returned to the classroom in 2013 to teach writing to 40 fourth graders.

How Does Church Planting Benefit the Sending Church?

Can giving away your best people be a good thing?

How Does Understanding God’s Happiness Change Lives?

As much as I believe in the holiness of God, I also believe in emphasizing God’s happiness as a legitimate and effective way to share the gospel with unbelievers or to help Christians regain a foothold in their faith.

You Can’t (and Shouldn’t) Please Everyone

Learning to balance the natural tension of loving and caring for people, but not allowing someone to leverage their personal agenda or hijack the vision of your church is part of the leader’s responsibility.