On this Rock: Charting the Future of African Virtual Churches

Abstract

Immediately after the onset of COVID–19 and the consequent restriction of physical gatherings in Kenya and many parts of Africa, several churches onboarded their members in the virtual spaces. Virtual churches were quickly and haphazardly constituted, some as ad hoc and others as permanent ways of remaining a church in contemporary times. These churches were received and transmitted via many gadgets, but mostly via mobile phones. As a result, there is currently a sizeable African church in virtual spaces. Initial findings from a Nagel research team that focused on the phenomenology of virtual churches in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa congregations in Nairobi reveal that the COVID–19 pandemic restrictions brought into reality a virtual church that will last for many years in Africa. The research further revealed that various forms of “church" being transacted in the virtual space remain inchoate, unformed, and mimicked misrepresentations of African realities. This state represents potentialities for weak theologizing and nurturing of believers in the African space. If the African church is to remain truly African and truly virtual beyond COVID–19, then her sons and daughters need to conceptualize its virtual presence to make it a solid virtual rock, relevant to Africa's evangelistic aspirations. Based on Matthew 16, this paper proposes conceptualizing ways the African virtual church can remain faithful to Jesus's promise to build and sustain a prevailing virtual church beyond the pandemic.