What is Your 4th Space in 2025?
The 4th Space concept has existed since the early 2000s when the internet became more social. Sure, the web was social even in the early days with message boards and private chats, but when social media exploded, this idea reached a whole new level. That’s when network effects really kicked in, pulling tens of millions of people onto platforms like MySpace and Facebook.
Network effects occur when something becomes so popular that not being on it feels like missing out. I didn’t even want to join Facebook in 2008, but everyone told me I had to. Quickly, Facebook became a 4th Space. It was the place where people hung out online for that season. Then, in 2010, Facebook Groups took that idea to another level.
Quick summary of the “Spaces” concept:
1st Space – Your home
2nd Space – Work or school
3rd Space – A community gathering spot (coffee shop, church, park, etc.)
4th Space – A digital space where people gather, create, and connect, unrestricted by geography or time zones
So here’s my question: what’s your 4th Space today?
A few years ago, ours was Facebook Groups. But now? I honestly don’t know. Engagement has dropped off. Our church’s Online Community doesn’t see the same activity it used to in our Facebook Group. Since Facebook started prioritizing video content (to compete with TikTok), Facebook Group engagement has dropped drastically. We stopped using our Facebook Group six months ago as a key space for our Online Community at our church.
Platforms we’ve experimented with over the last year:
WhatsApp – Great for groups of up to 75 people. It feels like a more powerful group chat than iMessage. But once a group gets bigger, it turns chaotic. I love it for volunteer teams, not for a real 4th Space.
Mighty Networks – A paid platform that functions kind of like a Facebook Group. I actually really like it. But it has no network effects. People must download an app, make an account, and remember to return. Only a small part of our Online Community uses it. Honestly, it’s been a grind to promote it. It hasn’t become our 4th Space yet, but maybe one day.
YouTube Communities—There was some hope here. But overall, YouTube Communities haven’t taken off. They feel more like a paid Patreon alternative than an actual 4th Space.
Apollos has some promise for the church space but requires fully adopting their app ecosystem. I’m keeping my eye on this platform. If we didn’t already have an app, I might lean towards it.
Again, I’m legit curious: What’s your 4th Space right now?
So much of online community in 2025, not just at our churches, has moved to private messaging like iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Instagram DMs, and Messenger on Facebook. Meanwhile, the only 4th Spaces left are massive ones like X or trending moments on Instagram and YouTube. But what about mid-sized 4th Spaces? They’ve kind of disappeared. Everything is video-driven, and there isn’t a great place for a Facebook Groups-like space to thrive anymore. We may be too segmented now online. We either have large spaces or small spaces, but no mid-sized spaces. It doesn’t have to be this way, but it feels like this is just where we are in 2025.
We need a good 4th Space for our churches, just like you need a patio, foyer, or courtyard for people to connect before and after church services in-person. I wish Facebook Groups was still booming, but something else exists. Keep trying out things, and something will stick.
If you know of a good 4th Space, share it. Let’s figure this one out together. This is a moving target.
I do explore this concept in detail in Chapter 9 of my book. The chapter is all about creating digital spaces and the 4 S’s. Check out Online Church Is Not The Answer: Beyond Just Streaming Church to Hybrid Disciple Making.
