An End To A New Beginning

When the Covid pandemic struck, it wreaked unprecedented havoc on our daily lives. Most of our daily activities have been altered, none more so than our church lives. In fact, church life as we know it has abruptly ceased since the pandemic. We can no longer gather every Sunday to choose our favourite seats in the pews, to worship God with a live team playing, to hear sermons delivered directly from the pulpit, and to fellowship over lunch. Instead, we sit in our homes on Sunday, some in bed wearing pyjamas, others on the sofa dressed up nicely, watching the sermons through computers, television screens, and even handphones, just as we would with Netflix or any other regular television show.

While new technology has allowed many who were unable to attend church physically to come to service without fear of persecution or being watched, it has also become a time when those who have grown accustomed to the comforts of church are no longer as appealing online. This abrupt change in pace and way of life has forced the closure of countless ministries in which many people have spent years faithfully serving. Ushering ministries, hospital ministries, cell groups, media ministries, hospitality teams, and children’s Sunday school have all been eliminated in the blink of an eye. The abrupt change has resulted in the sense of loss for many who have faithfully attended over the years. At the same time, these abrupt changes in events appear to act as a litmus test, revealing what the true motivation is for why we go to church.

It can be seen in the low attendance found in online views that range from hundreds to tens of people on a given day, despite churches having physical attendance in the thousands. Many faithfully served to appear to have stopped “going” to church when they no longer had a job. In some ways, it reveals the true motivations at the heart of the church. Is church just another hobby or duty, a social club, a place of entertainment, or is it truly about finding God, whether online or in-person?

Perhaps we need to reconsider our relationship with the church. It is more than just a place to do one’s duty; it is also a place to experience God’s presence. When two or more are gathered, the Lord is present, as the saying goes. When one is too preoccupied with serving and trying to find meaning in one’s work rather than the God for whom we work, the church becomes just another part of one’s schedule.

So we’re left wondering why, despite our prayers and fasting, the pandemic hasn’t completely subsided. Well, this entire situation can be considered a time of tremors. It is time to determine whether the church is merely a social club or a real place of worship. We are not just getting ranks, positions, potential spouses, praise, and credentials, but also a place of worship. We still follow and worship without the adoration of the masses. Is God truly our obsession?

This time has allowed many of us to visit other churches. Some are even considering leaving after years of attendance, but we cannot blame the pandemic for everything. The lockdown has made it more convenient for many to act on what has been buried deep within their hearts. So, yes, this is a time of upheaval, not persecution, but trial, tribulation, and even convenience. Convenience because when everything is at the tip of a finger, it is almost impossible to neglect God and church because everything is just a click away, and services can be rewatched and rewind at any time.

Well, thank God that the lockdown phase has is now coming to an end. As the MCO is being lifted and many churches are allowed to have church members gather again, this seems to be an end to a new beginning. That of the digital online church. Yet is this really true? Are we really at the end of a new beginning, or are we at the end of an old era? A time where the church could never be imagined to be anything than a place we had to be in, as it was the most respectful place of worship for God.

It may take some time to return to the way things were. Even after the physical church has been allowed to reopen, it is clear that the pandemic has impacted all churches. Attendance is not what it used to be, and even with the limited spaces, it is never wholly booked out. Many people have grown accustomed to the new conveniences provided by the church, and they no longer regard the physical church as a necessity but rather as a convenient option. After all, when you’re not in “church,” there are no more questioning looks, disapproving looks, or worried phone calls.