A while back I saw a lot of positives to this situation, considering the economic, personal and health negatives. Now 3 months after the start locally, a few negatives have appeared.
One of the good things is that distance is not the obstacle it once was. Now, there is NO substitute for being with some one physically, much can be done. I suspect much of the way we will do business in the future will be impacted by teleconferencing. A lot of travel time and expense will be replaced by the virtual meeting. Now, as my friends are quick to point out, it isn't quite the same--and I totally agree. But we have experienced something that won't go away after the corona virus does.
But let's talk about a bit negative. Teleconferencing has removed the time and trouble of traveling somewhere for prayer or Bible study. At first people attended in part because of the new convenience. That time appears past. Our own congregation, which is a solid, mature, Christian congregation has a pre-worship-service prayer time, which 3.5 months back met from 0830-0915. With virtual worship, we moved the time back to 0945 and at first our numbers more than doubled. After 2.5 months our attendance had returned to the "regulars" plus one couple. Our Wed. Am prayer time has never grown despite the great convenience. Our Friday 0600-0700 prayer time is about the same, with one new guy.
So folks, we don't miss prayer because of inconvenience, because of schedules or bad parking. We miss prayer because we do NOT wish to pray. My hope was in the former, and the latter is a sad revelation of the pandemic.
And, as I have mentioned, I have the gift/curse of Prophecy--calling the Followers of Christ into obedience. No one liked, or likes, to see a prophet coming. Sorry folks.
"L^rd teach us to pray!" asked the disciples. Lk 11:1
Indeed.
One of the good things is that distance is not the obstacle it once was. Now, there is NO substitute for being with some one physically, much can be done. I suspect much of the way we will do business in the future will be impacted by teleconferencing. A lot of travel time and expense will be replaced by the virtual meeting. Now, as my friends are quick to point out, it isn't quite the same--and I totally agree. But we have experienced something that won't go away after the corona virus does.
But let's talk about a bit negative. Teleconferencing has removed the time and trouble of traveling somewhere for prayer or Bible study. At first people attended in part because of the new convenience. That time appears past. Our own congregation, which is a solid, mature, Christian congregation has a pre-worship-service prayer time, which 3.5 months back met from 0830-0915. With virtual worship, we moved the time back to 0945 and at first our numbers more than doubled. After 2.5 months our attendance had returned to the "regulars" plus one couple. Our Wed. Am prayer time has never grown despite the great convenience. Our Friday 0600-0700 prayer time is about the same, with one new guy.
So folks, we don't miss prayer because of inconvenience, because of schedules or bad parking. We miss prayer because we do NOT wish to pray. My hope was in the former, and the latter is a sad revelation of the pandemic.
And, as I have mentioned, I have the gift/curse of Prophecy--calling the Followers of Christ into obedience. No one liked, or likes, to see a prophet coming. Sorry folks.
"L^rd teach us to pray!" asked the disciples. Lk 11:1
Indeed.
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