What is Worship? Reflections For the Livestream Era of American Christianity
I've been thinking of this question a lot: What is worship? What does it mean to worship? I would have answered this question a lot differently a year ago. I recognize now how much many denominations and traditions within the Church looked down upon and devalued online worship. We would never have had serious conversations about livestreaming, nor would a majority of people within my denomination experience what it is like to worship online firsthand without the pandemic. Livestreaming worship has been around for over a decade but mostly found in megachurches and some more evangelical tradition. Worship services have been on TV and radio a lot longer than that, but now the ability to join in worship without leaving home is becoming a universal part of Church in America. To be honest, this shift is necessary. There are so many reasons why people have been unable to worship in a particular building at a particular time that has nothing to do with their devotion to God. M...