I know it won't receive the same attention as some of the other proposed
#SBC26 resolutions, but I am especially grateful for the resolution "On the Nature and Importance of the Physically Gathered Church in a Digital Age."
This matters deeply.
We can deliver content online, but we cannot deliver the church online. The church is not merely information to be consumed; it is a people gathered in the name of Christ. You cannot fully practice the one-another commands, observe the ordinances, shepherd a flock, or embody the church's incarnational nature through a screen alone.
The internet is not going away, nor should we ignore its usefulness. Digital tools can serve the mission of the church. But they must never replace the church itself.
Pastors are called to shepherd people, not platforms. Churches are called to gather, not merely stream. Proximity matters. Presence matters. The local church must remain visible, embodied, and gathered.
In a digital age, the gathered church is not less important. Rather, it is more important than ever.