March 2020

Churches across the country are announcing the closing of in-house worship this coming weekend. Many are prepared for worship online, but most are not. The Governor of Kentucky has asked people to voluntarily not attend worship services for an indefinite period of time.  Our Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has exempted religious groups from his directive about meeting together in public gatherings, but he has encouraged people not to meet in groups larger than 100. No one knows how long or what impact this virus will have on public gatherings or the outcomes of its viral impact on public health.

Church attendance has been in decline for decades. One source published that only 4 percent of 18-35 year olds are actively participating in a Christian community. So, the question has been asked: if the responsible restrictions on public gatherings last for an extended period of time, what impact will it have on church participation?