Thrown into the 21st Century

Life today looks much different than it did 40 years ago. In 1981, who would have imagined the services and options that a mobile phone offers to people in 2021? I can remember the push-button phone, and when traveling, looking for a pay phone to make a call. I remember the first ATM’s; today I can take a picture of a check and make a deposit using my phone without leaving the house. (I can also remember standing in line at the bank on Friday nights to deposit my paycheck.) The first time I received a faxed document I thought it was alchemy. Today, people scattered over the globe can work on the same document at the same time. In 1981, lovers wrote letters, now they text. There was a time when we had to visit the library to do research for a school paper. My grandchildren can watch a video, download a book, listen to a podcast, view a classroom presentation, and print their report in color without leaving home.

I share these thoughts because in 2020, a microscopic virus tossed the mainline church out of the 20th century and into the 21st. We were thrown, many of us begrudgingly, into the world of Zoom and high-tech. One year later, many church leaders have concluded that video sharing of our worship services is here to stay. Further, they are saying that we need to invest in the video equipment to make our worship experience meaningful and inviting. In resisting change, some leaders are saying that people will stop attending worship online once we are back to church in person. I’m not so sure. I think people who are home bound are finally feeling connected to their church. I think the parents who have kids in sports are unburdened by the guilt of choosing sports over church. I think people with busy schedules are pleased with the opportunity to schedule in Sabbath time. To put it another way, there is nothing quite like seeing the Celtics play in person. But isn’t nice to watch them on a widescreen TV at home?

On a positive note, many people have shared that they prefer church meetings on Zoom. Especially night meetings. The attendance is better, and the meetings can be recorded for people who cannot be there; plus, it is good stewardship as it saves on resources. The heat doesn’t have to be turned on at the church, and twelve people aren’t driving cars – saving on gas and their carbon output.

I think bigger changes are coming as the church accepts and transitions into the 21st century. For instance, giving online, or through our bank, is going to replace the offering plate. We will need to rethink the church offering as an offering of ourselves rather than money.

And consider the future of many of our smaller churches with an aging membership. Rather than spending time, talent, and treasure keeping a 100-year-old church building open, will the small twelve-person church meet at someone’s home and watch a professional video worship service at their sister church online? After the service, they could share a meal and have a bible study together. And to have a deeper in-person connection, they carpool 20 miles once a month to join their sister church at the Communion service.

Sometimes pace of change is troublesome and hard to comprehend. If it feels like you have been thrown into another place and time, you have.