Post-lockdown: is anyone really there? by Cornilius Parwaringira

Cornilius Parwaringira wonders how attentive we really are when we join in church online; taken from observations and conversations about different churches across different denominations.

Post-lockdown church attendance 

When I first went to watch my football team play in the stadium, I had a sort of discomfort as I found it difficult to focus on where the ball was, having watched matches on TV only. When I asked the person I travelled with why he had bought a Chelsea season ticket, he said he gets a better experience watching in the stadium than on the screen.

During lockdown, many skipped online church services and the question was, would they return post-lockdown? Now that we are in the post-lockdown era, I have observed four different categories.

1. While most governments have lifted restrictions on numbers that can attend church, the pandemic is however still wrecking havoc, with precious lives still being lost. So there is a section of believers who are genuinely scared to go to any gatherings. These won't go to any gathering or any place where they can be exposed to the virus. Some also have underlying health issues that make them more vulnerable. My thoughts and prayers go out to them. 

2. When lockdowns started and people couldn’t attend church in person, my sister said to me there are some who would be happy as they never genuinely liked attending church, but just went because it was Sunday or Saturday. Church attendance was more of a tradition to them than any perceived benefit. Now that church buildings are open, they use the pandemic more as an excuse – but we still see them at parties and other gatherings – when it comes to attending church all arguments, including 'protecting others' kick-in. The pandemic revealed their true colours. Evangelists have more work to do, starting from within.

3. By their nature and design, church in-person gatherings play a strong role in developing faith and encouraging believers to hold on to their faith. Just being among people of similar belief in a physical environment is motivating and helps strengthen our hope. As a result of the long absence from physical church attendance, unfortunately there is a category that has been reprogrammed back into slumber and are backsliding. This category needs serious encouragement and intercession on their behalf, so that they reconnect with church and with God.

4. Another category will join an online service and leave the phone there while they go on with other activities. Meanwhile, the preacher thinks he/she has many listeners.

5. The 5th category are those who attend church and any other gatherings of their choice, as long as the law permits – and they fear spiritual death more than natural death.

In conclusion 

The trend seems to suggest that in-person church attendance has been affected more in more developed nations. One understandable reason could be that they have better means of connecting online. However, with churches now operating both online and in-person, the online numbers do not suggest there is a reasonable number joining church online, which calls for more work among believers who are still standing, to pray for anyone spiritually indirectly affected by Covid-19. It’s also a call for stronger discipleship – so that believers become more and more like Jesus Christ when away from the church buildings and that their church attendance is for their love of Him rather than to make those around them think they are Christians.

Cornilius Parwaringira 
Cornilius Parwaringira is a born-again Christian since childhood. He is an Elder in his church, an assembly of AFMIM UK (Apostolic Faith Mission International Ministries) church, and enjoys encouraging brethren through writing.