Not the Same

I am thankful for the time in which we live. In a season of social-distancing and online-only church,

today's technology is an amazing and useful tool. We are engaging in worship services and small groups and student ministry from the confines of our homes. It's good...but it's not the same.

As a guy who travels a bit, I'm familiar with these tools. I will check in with my wife and family from thousands of miles away. It works well. It is a good measure for the times when we just can't share the same space. I have used these technologies to connect with friends, too. A text is nice. A voice call is better. A video chat takes it to the next level. There is a higher level of interaction and community when you can see a face. I am thankful for the tech that allows this higher level.

I also recognize the limitations. We are social. We desire community. We even crave contact. Technology gives us a shadow of these. There is no substitute for sharing the same space. My marriage would not exist if we could only rely on video chat. That is a stop-gap measure until we can be together in person. Similarly, my connection to church family would not exist if we could only rely on virtual gatherings. The tools that are so readily available today can carry us through a difficult time, but they can not sustain us.

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.