On Worship: on-line vs in-person

This will be at best controversial.
Some might say confrontational.
But it’s just contrarian.
Even contributing.

Internet has been around for ages.
It was the target of derision, that it was the tool of the devil. Not difficult to appreciate that with online games, porn and gambling all raging.
A lot of junk and pollution came through iPhone or iPad.
Good Christians should stay away from instruments of unrighteousness.

Until the pandemic.

With many things, the pandemic upended the deep rooted and ideological dislike of anything online.
The most significant and unavoidable reality was that there could not be in person worship service.
Even mega churches needed to stop.

Forget about Don’t stop coming together（不可停止聚會）.
Forget about collecting tithe.
Forget about hand shakes.

Survival meant turning to the previously supposed instrument of the devil—the most profane internet!
Worship services, Sunday school classes, and fellowships all migrated to online.
And oh so cherished then to see friends on TV, iPad or iPhone!
And without wearing a mask!

Forget about the Devil.
Forget about theology.
Forget about right or wrong.
Just so church must go on, even only online.

Every pastor claimed the internet for Jesus!

Those are now in rear view mirror.
Historians and theologians will wrestle with the legacies of these few years.
Now consider its lingering consequences.

Sunday services are still available online.
At least the more sizeable churches, definitely international mega churches.

Smaller churches, especially those in Hong Kong might have reverted back to physical in-person worship services.
Members are forced to return.
Theological justifications, muted during the pandemic, retake the seat of Moses.
Not showing up in person might be sent on guilt trips.
It’s not the plan to speculate what motivated those decisions though plenty could be suggested.

The focus should be on the practical implications of keeping or ridding of on-line worship.
It will not be an attempt to argue for on-line replacing in-person.
Not even to seek the position of primacy.
Just a humble effort to invite objective consideration of the merits of on-line worship services.

Consider the practical advantages.

First, elders and especially those with accessibility challenges already loved it, from experience during the pandemic.

Second, those fallen ill too.

Third, on-line opened up choices. For those fortunate ones who had, during the pandemic, bumped into services with good preaching (unfortunately difficult to find good preachers in Hong Kong), this source of excellent biblical teaching remains a viable supplement, if not supplanting.
Pastors of small churches, even sizeable ones in Hong Kong just can’t compete with the likes of Rick Warren, David Jeremiah or even David Pao.
With ideological and theological badmouthing already thrown out over the past three years, hardly any argument against liking, listening to and benefiting from on-line preaching can hold water.

Fourth, and it’s really personal and denominational, on-line worship at home offers the best environment for individuals to sink deep into worship over the hymn singing segment, with no regard of how others may view oneself.
Whether it’s closing of eyes, meditating on the lyrics, or simply refusing to be distracted by any graphics or performances, on-line worship is unbeatable.
It becomes a lot more God-oriented.

Since it’s never intended to argue for replacing in-person worship services, so the argument on the basis of the least carbon footprint and thus best “climate” option is not entered here!

There are obvious and undeniable benefits for in-person worship services. There’s no need to rehearse those.
But it’s also undeniable that on-line worship services do fill the need for individuals with various needs, or at particular stages of life.
To rid the option appears to be too business oriented and, callous.
Where theology doesn’t classify it as enemy, on-line worship services, whether provided by one’s own church or other churches, shouldn’t be anathematised.

Perhaps it’s incomplete without considering some negatives that might prompt a non-provision of on-line worship services, or outright ban.

Most readily put forth is limited resources.
But honestly, all equipment is there; all operators have been trained.
Any additional resources approach to zero.

The other is of course the legitimate concern of weakening group dynamics and building up of camaraderie for church outreach activities. This is valid. But experience overseas of work from home somewhat mitigates its negative drag. Of course in Hong Kong churches where population are aging and computer literacy is weak, that might be a disadvantage.

Then there are the less legitimate reasons: Tithes and preachers’ self esteem.
The former is really not dependent on mode of worship services, but on a grateful heart. Donation has been done overseas and in China via QR codes or direct debit.

The latter, preachers self esteem, is more tricky. How could one inferior preacher keep an audience captive by outlawing stronger competitors? Surely it is not an election where the use of DQ or administrative imprisonment can ensure victory, is it?

To recap, no one is clamouring for on-line worship services replacing in-person ones.
Rather the clearly obvious benefits, and flexibility given to some at particular stages of life, are sufficient to maintaining it at least in parallel with in-person ones.

Unless of course leaders begin to revert to pre-pandemic labelling of anything on-line as from the Evil One.

Perhaps then only those leaders who could wipe the years between 2019-2022 from collective memories and rally “We are back!”