The purpose of this article is to examine the reality and direction of the online church through the history of its development, and then to study the online church’s benefits, problems, and limitations in view of a theological and pastoral perspective. In the virtual space of the digital Internet, online church is taking place as a new form of church with the name of “church” for practical ministry. Since the mid-1980s, churches in the England and American region have developed online churches by communicating through the Internet. Even within Korean churches experiencing the COVID-19 crisis, online churches are emerging beyond simple non-face-to-face pastoral ministry. The online church can be organized into two types. The first type is an online church established by an existing offline church as a branch church online, and the next one is an online church independently established online. The view in favor of online churches considers it as an alternative to a new church according to the development of innovative digital technologies of the 4th industrial revolution and the new normal era after COVID-19. Online churches can also play a beneficial role in connecting the bonds of faith to believers who believe in Jesus but do not attend church, those living abroad, and those having physical illness. In addition, the online church has the advantage of being able to plant a church with just one computer without the burden of the finances for renting a building and dedicated planting members. However, in order for an online church to become a “church”, it has several problems and limitations in terms of biblical, theological, and pastoral practice. First, the online church is different from the biblical church as God’s ecclesia, the body of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Spirit. Second, the online church has theological problems and limitations in that it cannot properly administer the Word, the sacraments, and discipline, which are the three major signs of the true church. Third, the online church is not only insufficient to strengthen the holistic faith formation and responsibility in the community, but also has limitations in setting up office and church council systems, so there is a risk that it will be shifted to a clergy-centered church like the medieval church. Thus, it cannot be denied that the online church has benefits from a practical point of view, but it has theological and pastoral practical problems to accept the online ministry in virtual space as a “church”. Although the Internet can be a useful medium for worship, evangelism, Bible study, and counseling in the digital age and non-face-to-face situations of epidemics, online churches cannot replace offline churches. However, even if the COVID 19 epidemic is now over, it will be impossible to go back to only the ministry of offline churches again. Therefore, the church should proceed with a ministry that combines digital-friendly online and offline pastoral ministry.