Virtual Church: When the Stage is Gone, Jesus Takes the Spotlight
Nearly every type of institution has been affected by this global pandemic, including the familial, religious, educational, economic, and legal. In the last several weeks, I have thought a lot about the ways the coronavirus has impacted the religious sector, as the majority of churches all across the globe have pivoted to online services and virtual fellowship.
While it’s easy to see this temporary replacement for in-person gatherings as a negative, I’ve actually noticed many positive outcomes as this has played out. And let me make it clear: I am in no way saying virtual community should be a replacement for physical connection, where you can give a hug, handshake or just a smile. But I am noticing some unexpected side effects of switching to this model for this undefined yet impermanent period of time.
Reaching More People
It’s easy to forget, but there is an incredible amount of vulnerability and bravery required to step foot into a church, especially for the first time. This is something I’ve never had to “muster up” because I’ve been in a church environment since I was born. But for many, getting the courage to dress up (am I wearing the right thing?), navigate a parking situation (is it street parking or is there a designated lot?), mingle in a lobby (who do I talk to?) and sit in a service (what’s the protocol at this church?) is a LOT to handle. Not to mention, so many have been hurt by the church in the past, so sometimes stepping back into a church building takes even more courage and strength.
However, clicking a link and joining a service from your living room is far less intimidating if you’ve either never stepped foot in a church or it has been a long time. You can be a fly on the wall of sorts, as you take in the service from the comfort of your home. Again, I am not arguing that we switch to a virtual model from here on out. But this could be an incredible opportunity to reach those who would otherwise not attend in person, with hopes that they might join us when the church doors swing open once again.
Not to mention, there are many who find it extremely difficult to attend in-person services due to disabilities and social challenges. There’s actually a church that has addressed this very issue by existing completely in the virtual world. VR Church is “one church in many metaverses” in which attendees gather in a virtual church through VR equipment (like an Oculus). While I feel a little weird about this being only accessible for those who can afford such an expensive investment, I do feel like it’s an incredible opportunity for those who are otherwise unable to attend a physical church. One person who was interviewed (virtually) in this BBC video was physically disabled and another had autism and is very sensitive to sounds and crowds.
Stripping Away the Excess
When the lights on the stage, decor in the lobby and the beloved coffee station are all gone, all we have is Jesus. And the gospel. Stripping away the physical makes room for the eternal. Yes, I know those things are necessary for a church to exist in the modern age — but are they, really? Some of the most powerful “church-y” moments in the Bible involved nothing but Jesus and a captive crowd, all spread out on a grassy hill and other remote places (take the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew 14, for example).
I’ve seen both extremes of a physical church building becoming a distraction. I’ve been in the fog machine/light show church setting but I’ve also seen the more conservative crowd judge the flashier churches for their grandeur or flashiness. Both stances can completely miss the point of it all.
So when you remove the physical realm completely — when the lights are off, the stage is dark, and the lobby is empty — we’re all on the same playing field, where the 3-D church experience is stripped down to the same 2-dimensional universe. Here, churches don’t have to compete for the trendiest or most exciting performance, or judge each other for those very things.
And finally, Jesus takes the center stage. He gets the mic back.
Appreciating of In-Person Gatherings
I’ve read some arguments from pastors fearing that this temporary reality will make their church attendees less inclined to return to in-person gatherings. Personally, I’ve found the opposite to be true, as I so desperately long to return to our church building (when it is safe to do so, of course). This has given me an entirely new appreciation for face-to-face conversation, hugs with old friends and handshakes with new ones, and the energizing buzz I get from being in the same room with a ton of other people. And my hope is that we will return with a renewed focus on Jesus, after having spent so much one-on-one time in his presence.
On the micro scale, our house church (otherwise known as a small group) has switched over to weekly Zoom meetings for the time being. And while I have loved this opportunity to catch up and pray together Brady Bunch-style, I cannot wait to return to our cozy living room setup, share food together, and see each other face to face.
Looking for a Virtual Church to Attend?
Tomorrow is Easter. If you are looking for a church to attend, ours is meeting online LIVE at 10 a.m. CST tomorrow (Sunday, April 12). So no matter where you live, whether it’s here in Nashville or 4,355 miles away in Amsterdam, you can “go to church” with me in your sweatpants. Plus, if you can’t join right at 10, the recording will be available for you to access whenever you want throughout the day or the rest of the week. Go to ethoschurch.org/easter to join and for more information.
And if you’re reading this after Easter, Ethos Church will continue to meet virtually for the next several weeks (months?), so you can visit ethoschurch.org/athome to join us every Sunday at 10 a.m. CST.