Intern Crosses Borders, Helps Church Connect With Web Worshipers

Written by: Robert Andrescik, Director of Public Relations on May 13, 2010

Oh, that Google. A few months ago, Meindert Kramer was searching for sermons online from his home in The Netherlands. Included on his playlist were some of America’s most prominent preachers: John Piper, Tim Keller ... and a certain Florida pastor with a penchant for telling stories.

Looking over Meindert’s shoulder was his son, Wilbert, age 21.

“It was 8 or 9 months ago that my dad came across our website,” Wilbert remembers (note that he says “our” website, even though he lives more than 4,500 miles away). “I had never experienced anything like Northland’s online worship environment. I was touched by the sermons and felt connected with the people here—always greeting you and willing to chat.”

As Wilbert continued to worship with Northland, he built relationships with the online ministers and others in the church’s Web community, which recently hosted more than 5,000 worshipers during Easter weekend.

So what is it like being a part of a church without a building?
“There is always some sense of disconnection—you don’t exactly meet people in the hallway,” he admits. “On the other hand, I always have a connected feeling when worshiping and hearing the message, because it’s the universal message touching hearts. God’s work isn’t bound to country or language borders.”

Speaking of crossing borders ... Wilbert recently accepted an invitation to come to Longwood for an internship with Northland’s media design team. He will spend the next several weeks helping the church to launch a revamped website.

Nathan Clark, Northland’s lead online minister and director of digital innovation, notes that as a distributed church, we’ve gone out to others time and again. Now, others are coming here to have an impact on us.

“Wilbert provides a critical perspective of someone who has only ever known Northland through online worship and the Web. This is crucial as we continue to build tools not just to help our congregation in Central Florida, but our congregation everywhere,” Clark says.

He adds, “A lot of traditional missions is ‘us’ going to ‘them.’ Conversely, the distributed church recognizes that there is no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ That’s what Wilbert is such a good reminder of. He’s not just connected to Northland, he’s a part of Northland. He is Northland!”

Having only worshiped online, Wilbert says setting foot inside Northland’s facilities for the first time was a surreal experience: “I was a little sleepy ... jetlagged after a 17-hour flight. But it was amazing. The fact that I actually shook hands with another congregant was an ‘awakening’ of sorts.”

Currently a student at Christian University of Applied Sciences in Ede, Holland—studying communications, PR and marketing—Wilbert has already started his own company with three of his friends. He hopes to continue building that business after graduation.

Meantime, he hopes to offer some fresh, inspiring and different ideas about Internet communications to Northland. He says that he’s enjoying his time here, although he admits some things take some getting used to.

“I’ve actually had an easy time adjusting to American culture, apart from the fact you eat out a lot. In Holland, we do that every month. You do that everyday ... twice!”

Visit Wilbert’s blog to learn more: http://www.wilbertkramer.nl