I read a book in the late 1970s called “Future Church.” The author envisioned a time when the church would be a place without any outwardly identifying marks. In his imagination, he saw the future church with no crosses or other symbols Christians have used for hundreds of years.
COVID-19 created a pandemic worldwide, and, for a while, churches began to stream their services while their buildings were closed. Coming out of the pandemic, churches continued to stream their services along with in-person worship. Now that churches are gathering in person again, what happens to the digital skills they developed during the pandemic?
In his 1983 book, “Great Doctrines of the Bible, Vol. 3, Ecclesiology,” W.A. Criswell wrote, “Why would a man choose to go through life and separate himself from the sweet and precious fellowship of the Lord and His people?” He was obviously a believer in people gathering at church, but he did not live in the age of the digital revolution.
Some refer to the massive involvement in digital communication as the digital continent. You can receive counseling, have a telemedical visit, do banking, continue education, buy, sell and much more — all within the confines of your home. The digital continent seems to be the place where something like a special people group reside — chiefly the younger generations.
We are beginning to live in the era of the post-pandemic church (even though various strains of COVID will likely continue for many years) where more churches are streaming their services. This practice, by necessity, proved to be effective during the COVID lockdown. Churches have returned to in-person worship but with attendance less than they had pre-pandemic. Yet, more people are viewing their online worship services.
Ed Stetzer has counseled the church to maintain its engagement with digital culture and use social media as a tool for evangelism. Jay King, in his book, “Analog Church,” states that in the digital church, “interaction is too quick, too individual, too isolating and too shallow.”
Joe Holland, editor for Grimke Seminary and Sola Ecclesia, wrote, “The in-person gathering of God’s people for worship and fellowship takes significant priority over anything digital technology can or ever will produce.” Another argument against the so-called digital church is the incarnational dimension. The reasoning goes like this: Because God became a man and lived among us, we, as His people, should gather in person when we assemble to worship Him.
However, Paul Nixon, president of the Epicenter Group, has pointed out that most people under 30 “came into consciousness as children with digital devices in their hands. This segment of the population finds themselves profoundly disengaged and disconnected from their parents’ churches.” He believes digital ministry is “paradigm disruptive,” and, as a result going forward, there will be a lesser emphasis on video presentations in worship services and more digital experiences designed particularly for and with people who are digital natives.
Almost all of us have now watched worship services online. COVID-19 created a new opportunity for digital experiences. Today, people are connecting to about everything under the sun on their smartphones. Several writers have suggested that the church must meet the digital generation where they are — online.
In-person worship, I believe, is the best way. However, it is not the only way — and churches can use digital technology to reach and teach people when they cannot physically come to the assembly. Digital can be a tool for connecting with people, sharing the gospel, and leading them into full participation in the in-person church. When God’s people gather physically — worshiping, learning, and praising Jesus — it is contagious and encouraging. Hebrews 10:24-25 teaches us to “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.”
There is a field that is ripe for harvest in the digital world, but the goal should always be to get them to the place of in-person worship if possible.