For Lent, I’m giving up something big: the church I always knew. And, unlike past Lenten disciplines that ended on Easter, this change is one I expect to be permanent. Slow to Change I remember learning in seminary that the church in all of its forms tends to change more slowly than the dominant culture. And, I remember hearing cases for why this was positive as well as ways in which it could be negative. Additionally, I recall a phase known to many as the seven last Read More …
virtual church
6 Months (and Counting) Without In Person Worship (#1888)
After participating in corporate worship weekly or more often for all of my life, I've now gone six months without doing so as a result of COVID-19. Both of the congregations I belong to continue to provide virtual worship alongside other virtual opportunities for connection and discipleship. And, both congregations have yet to set a date to return to offering worship services that parishioners can attend in person. The Unexpected: Virtual Worship Only As I reflect on Read More …
Welcoming Newcomers to Virtual Worship (#1884)
Warm Welcome Nearly every congregation thinks it provides worship services that are warm and welcoming. In reality, effectively welcoming and engaging newcomers is a growing edge for most congregations. While I recognized this challenge during my years in congregational ministry, I only began to grasp how widespread the issue was more recently. During the five years leading up to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I visited more than 50 congregations in the greater Dallas-Fort Read More …
Most Congregations Now Offer In Person Worship (#1881)
How many Protestant congregations in America are offering one or more in person worship experiences on a given weekend? A survey of American Protestant pastors conducted July 20-22, 2020 by LifeWay Research indicates that 71% of congregations provided one or more in person worship experiences on the weekend of July 19. When COVID-19 began to impact decision making about offering an in person option the percentage of congregations doing so declined steadily from 99% in early March to just 4% by Read More …
Not Comfortable Returning to In Person Worship (#1877)
According to a June 2020 survey conducted by the American Enterprise Institute nearly 2 out of 3 Americans (64%) are not comfortable returning to in person worship at this point in the COVID-19 pandemic. Group Differences Interestingly, this research found that white Evangelical Protestants are the most ready to return to in person worship. The percentage who responded that they were either somewhat comfortable or very comfortable attending a worship service in person by religious Read More …
Blogging in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic (#1869)
After blogging for 10+ years and publishing nearly 1,900 posts here at So What Faith, writing content about matters of faith that matter has become part of my identity. COVID-19 COVID-19 has disrupted all areas of life, and impacted how people experience community, including communities of faith. In recognition of this, I shifted from wide ranging content to focus on a series of posts about differing aspects of what is happening in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside a continuation Read More …
40 New Online Worship Experiences (#1864)
Online worship is what many are calling the new normal. Earlier today I asked my Facebook friends to share links to the online services they planned to participate in today. I was overwhelmed by the response! The following list is comprised of the first forty replies I received that included online English language services available on Facebook, YouTube, or the congregation's website. While I recognize that many congregations provide worship on multiple platforms, Read More …
Is Virtual Community Real Community? (#0278)
While most followers of Jesus who have been on the journey of faith for many years grasp both the theological and pragmatic need for community, newcomers to the faith may be unfamiliar with the concept given the increasingly individualistic society in which we live. Many local congregations would benefit from a renewed focus on Christian community. One helpful example of restoring an intentional emphasis is Our Savior's Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Circle Pines, Read More …