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[The following is excerpted from the book, Gather: Getting to the Heart of Going to Church, Copyright © 2021 by M. Hopson Boutot. Click here to download the entire book for free.]

 

I’m currently writing this chapter in Bogota, Colombia where my family is finalizing an adoption. For twenty-three days (and counting!) our family has enjoyed the beauties of Bogota as we bonded with the newest member of our family. But not everything has been sunshine and roses. Our family’s usual practice when traveling is to find a local church nearby and gather with the saints on the Lord’s Day. These visits have always been encouraging as God reminds us how He’s working through His Word all over the world. But this time has been different. 

Its March 2021 and the Covid-19 pandemic is still a major topic of international discussion. Even in Bogota. While our family was willing to accept the risks and gather with a local church here in the city, we were sad to learn churches in the city were not allowing families to attend so they could protect children from possible exposure to the virus. And so, for the first time since May 2020 our family gathered around a screen to livestream a worship service.

Perhaps you’re confused. Why wouldn’t you just livestream in the first place? Isn’t that safer? And isn’t livestreaming your church’s service better than gathering with an unknown church in a strange city? Doesn’t livestreaming allow you to maintain faithful attendance in your church even when you’re unable to attend physically? 

Stay tuned to the blog this week as we begin to answer these questions and more.