So you’re looking for a church service you can actually watch online? Maybe you’ve got a crazy work schedule, or you’re dealing with health stuff that makes leaving the house hard. Or maybe, and this is totally fine, you’re just not ready to walk into a church building yet. Watching church online isn’t some weird compromise anymore. Over half of Christians now stream services at least sometimes. It’s just how people do church now I guess.
But man, finding good livestreams is harder than it should be. Most churches treat their online viewers like an afterthought. The audio’s terrible, the camera’s pointed at nothing useful, and you feel like you’re spying on something you’re not really invited to. A few churches get it though. They’ve figured out how to make watching from home feel like you’re actually there. Here are seven that do it right.
7 Churches Streaming Sunday Service Live
1. Elevation Church (Steven Furtick)
Steven Furtick’s church started with seven families in a Charlotte high school back in 2006. Now Elevation has 20 locations pulling in around 17,000 people each week. Yeah, it grew fast. They go live every Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday. You can watch on YouTube, Facebook, or their website, whichever works for you. What’s different about Elevation? They actually act like you matter if you’re watching online. When they’re singing, the screen shows you what song it is, who wrote it, where you can download it. The camera work doesn’t make you dizzy or bored. It’s smooth, well-lit, and genuinely engaging. But they haven’t polished it so much that it feels fake or over-produced. Furtick talks like a normal person. He tells stories, makes jokes, and explains things without assuming you grew up in church. If Christian-ese usually goes over your head, you’ll appreciate how straightforward he is. They call their online people “eFam,” and there’s actual community happening. Not just people staring at screens alone. Live chat, prayer volunteers, ways to connect if you want more.
Lakewood Church (Joel Osteen)
Lakewood drops something like $30 million a year on their broadcast ministry. Joel Osteen’s messages hit about 7 million people weekly across over 100 countries. Those are huge numbers, but somehow it doesn’t feel like a soulless mega-operation. They run four English services and two Spanish ones from that massive former Compaq Centre in Houston that seats 16,800 people. Everything goes live on YouTube, Facebook, and their website. About 45,000 people show up in person each week. Look, Joel Osteen gets criticized. A lot. People say his prosperity gospel stuff waters down the hard parts of faith. But millions tune in because his messages actually encourage you without beating you over the head. He talks about getting through tough times, staying hopeful, believing things can get better. The production is spotless, perfect sound, pro cameras, zero technical hiccups. But Lakewood hasn’t forgotten what church is supposed to be about. They’ve got online small groups, they take prayer requests during services, and volunteers who’ll actually get back to you.
Bethel Church (Dann Farrelly)
Dann Farrelly’s been at Bethel Church in Redding, California since 1991. He’s the Lead Pastor now and runs their School of Supernatural Ministry. Bethel’s known for two things: worship music that basically shaped modern Christian sound, and supernatural ministry stuff that either speaks to you deeply or weirds you out. They stream through Bethel.TV, YouTube, and their app. They’ve built a whole digital campus thing with recorded services, worship sessions, and community features. Around 11,200 people attend Bethel Redding. What makes Bethel stand out is they’re serious about spiritual experience. Farrelly preaches with biblical depth but keeps it witty and anointed. The worship is incredible, not just because it sounds good, but because the leaders (Jenn Johnson, Brian Johnson, and others) bring real vulnerability and authenticity. Bethel’s not everyone’s cup of tea. They’re into prophetic ministry, healing, Holy Spirit experiences that some people find too charismatic. But if you want worship that feels like more than a performance and teaching that actually challenges you spiritually, they show up week after week.
Saddleback Church (Rick Warren)
Rick Warren wrote that Purpose Driven Life book everyone’s heard of. His church, Saddleback, takes the same practical approach. They stream on YouTube, Facebook, and their website. Simple access. Saddleback’s strength is discipleship. They know watching one sermon isn’t enough. So they’ve built systems around it: sermon notes you can download, topical libraries, small group guides, ministry directories. There’s literally a pastor whose job is making sure online people don’t get ignored. Warren teaches evangelical theology but makes it relevant to actual life. He addresses marriage problems, money stress, parenting struggles, doubts about faith with biblical wisdom that doesn’t sound dated. His sermons aren’t fancy, but they’ve got substance. If you want structured spiritual growth with clear steps, Saddleback’s worth your time. Their website makes sense, their resource library is packed, and they’ve made discipleship feel doable instead of impossible.
Life.Church (Craig Groeschel)
Craig Groeschel’s church draws 76,000 people weekly as of 2024. But here’s what blows my mind: Life.Church basically runs services 24/7. Multiple times every week mean you can find something that fits your schedule, whether you work nights and watch at 3 AM or you’re a parent catching it during naptime. Life.Church pioneered multi-site video teaching and created YouVersion Bible App, which hit 500 million downloads back in November 2021. They stream on their website, YouTube, and their app. They’ve got online small groups, watch parties, and volunteer networks that turn watching alone into actual community. Groeschel preaches practical stuff. He’s honest about struggles and funny enough to keep you engaged. He uses stories and examples that actually land. The church weaves scripture in smoothly through YouVersion, so you don’t have to fumble around looking verses up yourself. Life.Church is massive, but they’ve kept it personal through chat hosts, online volunteers, and real pastoral care. If you’re isolated or need worship times that bend around your life, their flexibility beats everyone else.
Transformation Church (Michael Todd)
Michael and Natalie Todd took over Transformation Church in Tulsa back in February 2015. Michael Todd’s become one of the most recognizable young pastors around, partly because his Relationship Goals book hit the New York Times bestseller list in 2020, but mostly because his preaching just connects. Transformation goes live at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM Central every Sunday. Their YouTube channel blew up through consistent, quality content that feels real instead of manufactured. Todd addresses actual life, relationships, identity, spiritual growth, cultural stuff, through biblical teaching without sounding preachy or out of touch. Services mix intimate worship with solid production. It feels genuine and spirit-led while still looking and sounding professional. They’ve got small group resources, online community engagement, and discipleship paths that help you go from just watching to actually participating. For younger believers, communities of colour wanting culturally relevant leadership, and anyone wanting contemporary worship with prophetic depth, Transformation brings authentic ministry that deals with modern struggles honestly.
Hillsong Church (Australia/Worldwide)
Hillsong set the bar for worldwide worship. Based in Australia but running on multiple continents, Hillsong streams polished services that reach millions through YouTube, their website, and apps. They’re famous for worship leaders like Taya Smith and Joel Houston. Hillsong’s music basically defined contemporary Christian worship globally. But leadership keeps clear pastoral vision beyond just great music. Their website’s loaded with sermon libraries, devotionals, and giving features. Production values match professional TV cinematography, audio, stage design all show respect for people watching online. They’ve got closed captions in multiple languages for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and multilingual viewers. Hillsong’s had major leadership controversies recently that damaged their reputation. But their commitment to worship excellence and digital accessibility is still obvious. For high-level worship and professionally-run services, Hillsong delivers quality spiritual experiences.
Explore the Entire Directory for More Resources
Want more options? FeedSpot keeps updated directories of top churches and worship resources. Whether you’re looking for specific denominations, prophetic ministries, contemporary worship communities, or contemplative traditions, their lists connect you to thriving spiritual communities that match your faith journey. Digital worship keeps evolving, making genuine spiritual community more accessible than ever. These seven churches prove online ministry can have intimacy, authenticity, and spiritual depth. Whether you’re starting to explore faith or you’ve believed your whole life, streaming services create new paths toward real encounter with God. Start your worship journey this Sunday. Do check out the Catholic Mass Podcasts list or Sunday Service Podcasts list if you’d like to explore further.