I believe that God is in control of all things and that includes the pandemic that we’re in right now. That makes me hopeful of His good purposes for all that we’re experiencing. But there is genuine cause for concern as well.
When COVID-19 first caused churches to close their doors, there was a lot of optimism and even celebration. Early on in the pandemic, Carey Nieuwhof, announced that church growth had spiked 300% in the month following the shutdown and cited research that showed that 49% of all churches were growing. Church growth soon showed itself to be little more than online church curiosity. Christians were popping around to various churches to see what everyone else was doing.
Soon, views of digital worship services began to drop. Churches of all sizes were reporting a decline in online attendance and some of the solutions being proposed were more troubling than the problems. I read one article that recommended churches stir up the troops with pre-service trivia games, gift card giveaways and cutting away at various points during the service to see the youth pastor getting a COVID-19 haircut. If any of these ideas solve anything, then I must have completely misunderstood the Bible!
Two weeks ago, Barna Research released a report with the most detailed survey yet of what is happening with the online attendance of practicing Christians. It surveyed professing Christians who had attended church regularly before COVID-19 and who said that their faith was very important to their lives. Their engagement with online worship services over a 4-week period during the height of social distancing measures was assessed. What the research found was troubling.
Almost 1 in 3 practicing Christians had stopped attending church altogether. Whether it was losing the routine of going to a church building that was the stumbling block or the lack of accountability from other believers or the absence of worship elements that were a draw to them (e.g. live worship and fellowship), 32% of practicing Christians who attended church in person stopped doing so when church went online.
At first, I wondered whether this figure could be explained by older Christians for whom technology and internet access prevented them from connecting digitally. But, in fact, the research showed that the younger the Christian, the more likely the person was to have dropped out. So, for instance, while a third of all Christians didn’t bother to attend online church, that number climbs to 50% among Millennial Christians (26 to 40 years old). Clearly, technology is not the obstacle.
In case you were wondering whether online church attendance made any difference, the research proved that also. Practicing Christians who had stopped attending church were more than 50% more likely to express insecurity than those who didn’t, and they were almost 3 times more likely to say that they feel bored all the time. If you believe in the Bible, you didn’t need a research survey to tell you that church attendance influences your spiritual and emotional well-being, but there it is anyway.
How do we understand all of this? How will people look back on this period of church history where 1 in 3 Christians choose not to make time to listen to an online worship service from the comfort of their own sofa? Is this what Jesus warned of when He said that “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). You might think so except the falling away He was speaking of was in response to intense persecution where people were being killed for their faith (v. 9). His words sound more like what’s being faced by believers in underground churches in other parts of the world where Christianity is outlawed and people are tortured for their faith. Today’s circumstances couldn’t be more different. Far from the threat of death, you can participate in an online service today while sipping on a latte.
The survey didn’t highlight the amazing things that are happening in the lives of the 2/3 of Christians who are engaging in worship, fellowship and teaching despite COVID-19. And there is great evidence of faithfulness among God’s people. But there is much cause for concern as well. Pray for God’s mercy for the church. Pray for God’s Spirit to revive His people. And pray that we might see Jesus as our greatest delight. May God pour out His blessing as we do.
In awe of Him,
Paul
