Page 2 - Testify 1-14 Nov 2020

2 1 - 14 November 2020

Necessity is the mother of invention By Alex Iwuoha

COVID lockdown is forcing churches to come up with new ways of doing ministry

A new report shows that many
Christians are now turning to 2020 has changed everything. This is a highly
virtual churches and social me- contagious year. It is infected with a virus,
dia for their spiritual sustenance perhaps, we need to reboot or reinstall.
more than ever before, as the
UK Government imposes anoth- now, we have gone full circle and demic. One ad-
er COVID-19 lockdown. we are back to tablets again, vantage of this de-
only this time, electronic tablets. velopment is that
The report published by Future- many more people
Believers reveals that Christian A few years ago, you could are now connect-
ministries are experiencing con- read the Bible only through the ing with churches
sistent growth through their on- pages of a thick book, but now, than ever before.
line services. Due to a bigger you can have a combination of Likewise, ministers
reach, engagement, and con- your Bible, thesaurus, diction- are now connecting
version metrics, more churches ary, and Christian history all on with people outside
are now preaching the gospel your phone, tablet, smartwatch, their geographical
via zoom, WhatsApp, Facebook, and most electronic devices. As locations and out-
Instagram, Twitter, and other so- a result, many preachers are no side their congre-
cial media platforms. longer sure if their congregations gations. Howev- easier to switch between the The year has changed
are actually following when they er, the congregation is now sermon of a preacher at one everything. 2020 is a highly
The researchers say that “believ- nod in agreement during a ser- equipped with a choice. Per- church, to the exhortation of contagious year. It is infect-
ers” who did not believe in social mon, while fully concentrated haps, this is a good or bad another in a different church, ed with a virus, perhaps, we
media before the lockdown are on their phones. Sam Aluko of thing. People can now attend all in the comfort of their bed- need to reboot or reinstall.
now converted and convinced Church of God, in Sutton, Sur- more than one church service room.
that the way forward for minis- rey, said, “You can only imagine at the same time. It is now
tries is not only through the four that they (your congregation) are
walls of a church building, but following you. The interesting
also online. thing is when someone sits in
the pew and decides it is more
Chuka Ajeko, a Christian in interesting to listen to the same
Beckton, London, said, “There sermon, at the same time, on
is hardly anything you cannot do Facebook or Twitter.”
online, these days, from confes-
sion to communion, preaching, Interactive
praying, and prophesy. It’s all Be a
done online.” Social media gives people the
opportunity to make comments
“You can receive personal and ask questions, something Secret Santa
prayer, and you can join a zoom that would have been almost
group prayer meeting,” said Aje- impossible to do during a church
ko. service. for a vulnerable child

Today, the population of the Some people could present their
world is about 7.8 billion. 2.5 concerns anonymously, and ask
billion people are on social me- thought-provoking questions This year, vulnerable children
dia, which is about 33% of the that would have been very em-
world’s population. No wonder a barrassing if they were unable in the UK need a Secret Santa
lot of Churches now have online to hide under the anonymity that
services. However, that was not social media offers. more than ever.
the reason why believers em-
braced social media. The real Coronavirus
reason is as a result of lockdown The pandemic has had a
restrictions. If modern technology has
changed the way we read the devastating impact on their lives.
Innovation Bible, coronavirus has changed
the way we do Church. Thousands of children and
Over the years, we have seen
the Church grow with the times. This year, we’ve had the Drive- young people face Christmas
While some congregations are through Church, online services,
stagnant and stuck in their old Facebook Cell group, Twitter without a hot meal, a present
ways of doing ministries, many fellowship, sermon on Youtube,
are embracing new technology. Zoom prayer meeting, Tik-Tok or a safe place to sleep.
Remember, the first time the Bi- service of songs, and many
ble got to the hands of Moses, more. But with your help,
it was a tablet. Not IPAD or an-
droid tablets as we have it today, All these innovations are large- we could change this.
but a pure stone tablet. After in- ly due to lockdown restrictions
novations like scrolls and paper, caused by the COVID-19 pan-

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