12 Things COVID Has Taught the Analog Church about Digital Church

Covid has been like a mission trip for the analog church.

We thought we were going on a short-term trip to a place that felt foreign.

We got there, and had to immediately learn some new languages and methods.

Turns out, this is becoming more like a long-term mission assignment. And since arriving in this digital Babylon (credit to David Kinnaman), we have been reaching people we never thought possible. It has actually led us to a stronger, more relevant and durable way of doing ministry with analog tools, digital tools, and everything in between. As Nicky Gumbel recently summed it up on Carey’s podcast, “we have tasted something better.”

For many leaders, the conversation around technology in ministry is relatively new. And not always welcome. Consider three postures that a leader might take when facing the possibility of innovation in the local church:

• Some leaders get excited at the thought of trying something new.
• Some leaders will try something new if they must (a good pandemic always helps).
• Some leaders will refuse to adjust methods no matter the circumstance.

Each leader has followers who take a similar posture, which usually enhances the confirmation bias of the leader. This makes it difficult to form a measured, objective opinion about how and whether to adopt the new method. All three postures can produce benefit or harm if taken to an extreme. Read More