Digitalisation of Worship: Assessing the Effectiveness of Christian Worship via Social Media Platforms during the Covid-19 Lockdown in Nigeria

Abstract

In John chapter 4 verse 21-23, Jesus Christ envisaged a time when true worship will not really be defined by physical gathering but by a simple act of believers worshipping in spirit and in truth. While the statement was meant for a Samaritan woman, the reality of having to worship in spirit and in truth played out during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The fact that believers could not gather physically paved way for digitalisation of worship. This study assesses the effectiveness of digital worship for Christians in Nigeria during the Covid-19 pandemic when services had to be held live on digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Zoom. Drawing from both primary and secondary data sources, the study finds that digitalization of worship was made effective by an already entrenched Christian-based faith that God is

Omnipresent and assessable even through the use of their electronic devices. It also finds that miracles did not dwindle in spite of lack of physical contact. The study concludes that contrary to predictions that flexibility introduced during the Covid-19 lockdown would cause attrition of Christian brethren, resumption of church activities in Nigeria have grown stronger. This could be perceived as the outcome of the strengthening of Christian faith via social media worship during the lockdown. The use of social media as a channel of worship and ministration during the period of Covid-19-induced restriction reinforces the existential and transcendental nature of religion. The religion adherents deployed digital technologies to demonstrate their spirituality and faith during that period of global health emergency, navigating the challenges posed by poor infrastructure and relatively low internet accessibility in a poorly governed African context.