Yesterday Per Byland, an economist at Oklahoma State University, wrote a Twitter thread discussing the effects of the coronavirus and government policies on employment. He’s convinced these are accelerating the “Information Revolution.” For a while, we’ve seen how the internet, online resources, and artificial intelligence have changed how we work, shop, and conduct business. But Byland claims that the present disruption of the economy will hasten the transition.
For example, as more companies set up their employees to work from home, they won’t need to bring them back to the office once this crisis passes. People will get used to the idea of remote work and many will want to stick with it. Others will fight the new reality and seek to restore a fading status quo.
Byland highlights those whose jobs or skills won’t survive the transition to an information-based economy. A few days ago, I received an email from the Illinois I-PASS system announcing it suspended toll booth collections. To reduce human interaction, it’s going with electronic payments only. If this program succeeds, why would the state bring back the collectors? Union contracts might keep these jobs safe for now, but you can see where this is going!
And the professor asked how governments can distinguish between essential services that must continue and those which it deems dispensable. My hair grows fast enough for me to get it cut once a month, but to save money, I stretch it out to every six weeks. If I got a haircut last week, a salon is a non-essential business for me. But if I’m into the seventh week, that’s an emergency!
Byland’s point is that we’re not returning to the way things were. The economic practices of the nation, and perhaps its governance, are transforming. To what extent, we don’t know, but they’re changing.
What about the church? Will she emerge from these troubles unaffected or will she break with the past and adopt new approaches to ministering an ancient gospel?
The church, like the world, has made slow but steady progress accepting and utilizing the technology of the Information Age. For example, congregations have moved from hymnals to overhead projectors to PowerPoint to full presentation software packages. Sermons used to be recorded on cassettes and CDs but now you can find them on podcasts and live streams. Churches still produce bulletins but more and more are posting them online. Saves on printing!
So the body of Christ has availed itself of the latest technology before the outbreak and quarantines. In the past, all these resources fortified the common structure of church life. Services took place in buildings. They had worship teams, preaching pastors, and collections for the ministry. Most discipleship activities occurred in the building when church members gathered together.
But for the moment, Christians can’t get together. We can listen to a podcast, stream a service, and use social media, but to slow the spread of the coronavirus, we’re kept isolated from each other. The ability to live stream has enabled churches to “meet” when protocols restrict large public gatherings.
Eventually, these restrictions will ease up and we’ll be able to resume church life as we’ve known it. But will we want to?
What is God showing His people now? Is the way we’ve done church adaptable to current conditions? What’s essential to our faith journey with Jesus and what’s superfluous? Consider these topics:
Gatherings
Some places in the country forbid any assembly greater than ten people. Most churches have more members than that, so they can’t hold services but small groups qualify. What’s to keep Christians from assembling in groups that meet in homes, work sites, or even outdoors?
“On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.” – Acts 16:13-15
Worship
The music ministry of a church can get complicated. Worship leaders have to deal with songs, instruments, sound equipment, and rehearsals. Quite a list! The results can be fantastic–inspiring us in our relationship with God.
But if we’re separated from one another by government edict, how are we supposed to worship the Lord? No problem, He has a way!
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1
It’s not easy, but it’s effective! Give yourself over to Christ; hold nothing back from Him. When you do, you will be worshipping Him as the Lord and Savior that He is.
Giving
Many churches have integrated donation links into their websites, so online giving has become routine. During this sudden economic downturn, people are starting to struggle with how to provide for themselves and their families. The need for believers to impact their communities has never been greater.
So we can fund our church by accessing the website, but we can also bless those around us who need help. These don’t conflict with each other; they reveal the character of Christ formed in the heart of a disciple.
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” – Proverbs 11:25
Conclusion
The coronavirus will pass and the limitations we’re under will drop. When that happens, what will we, the church of Jesus Christ, look like? Will we be identical to what we were before all this happened, or will we have grown in unexpected ways? God’s Spirit wants to use this time to make us more like Jesus. And by His grace, He will!
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18
