The digital divide is giving American churches hell

Enlarge (credit: Leon Neal | Getty Images)

For Clay Scroggins, preaching on Zoom was never part of the plan. As lead pastor at Buckhead Church in Atlanta, he was accustomed to services in a 3,000-seat auditorium, with live music and a jumbotron for people in the back. But God's plan is often mysterious, so when the city of Atlanta forced him to shut the church's doors last spring, Scroggins faithfully moved his ministry online. Ultimately, we were really informed by Jesus' calling for us to love our neighbors," he says, and the most loving thing we could do was to continue to meet virtually."

And continue to meet virtually they have. Sunday sermons are broadcast live and posted to the church's YouTube channel for congregants to watch any time. Bible study and small group meetings have moved to Zoom. Buckhead has even managed to replicate spontaneous church lobby bump-ins" with video chat breakout rooms for some events. Donations, which provide all of the church's operating income, remain the same, they just come via a digital collection plate. At Buckhead Church, virtual worship is going so well that some parts of it might be here for good. But not every congregation has been so blessed.

Read 11 remaining paragraphs | Comments