SO, what am I saying here? The Church is open? Isn't it just the opposite? Has not the COVID-19 pandemic forced all the churches to shut their doors, denominational to non-denominational, underground to mega, liturgical to freestyle?
You're absolutely right. All across the world, due to "social distancing" norms to control the spread of the coronavirus, churches have been forced to remain shut. But this has only meant that they have had to force open some lesser known windows so that the people of God can continue to commune with each other. Yes, there has been a "Zoom boom" as far as churches and church-based organizations are concerned. Almost every church in the world, which did not previously have an established online streaming platform, has taken to digital platforms to host services, prayer meetings, and other church routines. In many ways, the Church has to be thankful to the Internet and to online services such as YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and others including the archbishop of them all, Zoom itself.
It is fascinating to see how quickly churches have adapted to this change. It was indeed easier for those in urban areas with good technology although churches in rural areas have done their best to accommodate internet-based church life. While there have been live streaming of services, pre-recorded services too have kept congregations connected to their churches. I have personally helped the church back in my hometown to make the best use of their resources to commune with each other online. Since the demographic is mostly elderly folk, they were happy with having a liturgy and the sermon circulated on WhatsApp.
The Church has definitely stepped up its game. It has opened, for now, some windows through which congregations have a sense of their church being a part of their lives. It is strange and difficult in these trying times for church leaders, but technology has come to their aid. In all, the real question is this: Are these windows really open?
In my first year at seminary, I had the most wonderful privilege/opportunity of visiting and participating in the worship services of churches from various denominations. It was called "Ecclesial Exposure"(click on this link to see the video of the experience of my class). Some of the church traditions we worshiped in were Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-day Adventist and Jehovah's Witnesses. Of course, this was an organized and planned exercise and it was a requirement for us students. Even though it was challenging in the beginning and some of us were uncomfortable, as the experiences grew on us, we were changed for life. Just the fact that we were able to participate in worship along with friends from a different tradition from ours was beyond our imagination. At the end of it all, our minds were opened, our perceptions changed, we began to see how we all are so different yet we worship the same God.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Church to go digital. Of all the possibilities that arise from this, one of the biggest is that of the shrinking of space and time. In regard to space, with this being the new Church, you and I don't really need to physically go to our church anymore. It is only a click away. In regard to time, you and I can be in any part of the world in any time zone and still be able to access Church. This means something.
Yes, the church is actually more open than ever before and yet if we look around, we are all still stuck to our own individual and personal churches. We still involve in its life as before and we are still continuing its tradition even though the church itself has broken tradition and moved online! A few days ago, I actually saw an Instagram post by a church stating the importance of being committed to one's own church in this e-church era. I really beg to differ on this opinion.
The present reality is a perfect opportunity for church leaders to consider opening up their windows and doors and let people who are not their own experience their traditions. It definitely does take courage to do so. On the other hand, it is a perfect opportunity for each one of us Christians to use this time to watch a service from that church tradition we haven't even heard of, to sing that hymn in a completely different style, to responsively read that liturgy and to listen to that preacher who in all likelihood wants to preach the one and the same gospel of Jesus Christ.
Dear Church leader, are you willing to share your Zoom link?
The Church has definitely stepped up its game. It has opened, for now, some windows through which congregations have a sense of their church being a part of their lives. It is strange and difficult in these trying times for church leaders, but technology has come to their aid. In all, the real question is this: Are these windows really open?
In my first year at seminary, I had the most wonderful privilege/opportunity of visiting and participating in the worship services of churches from various denominations. It was called "Ecclesial Exposure"(click on this link to see the video of the experience of my class). Some of the church traditions we worshiped in were Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-day Adventist and Jehovah's Witnesses. Of course, this was an organized and planned exercise and it was a requirement for us students. Even though it was challenging in the beginning and some of us were uncomfortable, as the experiences grew on us, we were changed for life. Just the fact that we were able to participate in worship along with friends from a different tradition from ours was beyond our imagination. At the end of it all, our minds were opened, our perceptions changed, we began to see how we all are so different yet we worship the same God.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Church to go digital. Of all the possibilities that arise from this, one of the biggest is that of the shrinking of space and time. In regard to space, with this being the new Church, you and I don't really need to physically go to our church anymore. It is only a click away. In regard to time, you and I can be in any part of the world in any time zone and still be able to access Church. This means something.
The present reality is a perfect opportunity for church leaders to consider opening up their windows and doors and let people who are not their own experience their traditions. It definitely does take courage to do so. On the other hand, it is a perfect opportunity for each one of us Christians to use this time to watch a service from that church tradition we haven't even heard of, to sing that hymn in a completely different style, to responsively read that liturgy and to listen to that preacher who in all likelihood wants to preach the one and the same gospel of Jesus Christ.
Dear Church leader, are you willing to share your Zoom link?
Dear Christian, are you ready to open it?
Great!
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