The presence, and how to think about it

A few days ago, I was invited to share about dGCM with some of the GCM leaders from East Asia. In talking about the digital expression of the church I mentioned these three:

• Digital
• Phygital
• Meta

I was very hesitant to mention Metaverse church because it might be very futuristic and not easily graspable. I briefly explained what I meant by Meta church and moved fast to the next slide. At the end of the presentation, the Korean GCM leader picked up exactly on the Metaverse church and he shared that his church was already moving and investing in the Metaverse as a mission field.

I admit that it caught me by surprise even though it should not, knowing that East Asia is one of the global centers of technology and innovation. It was encouraging to see that our staff is keeping up and redeeming technology by using it to lead people to Christ and launch new communities.

At the same time, I realize that there are still lots of people that are struggling with where the technology is moving. Can this be real evangelism, discipleship, or church? Why does it feel like a heretic territory?

It reminds me of a quote from Hellen Keller:

“The heresy of one age becomes the orthodoxy of the next.”

Thus, today I wanted to share with you what has helped me answer questions like the ones above, and hopefully, it will help you or the people you are leading that are struggling with the same questions.

The Presence
The Bible does give us some great ways to think about virtual reality. Even though virtual reality is virtual, the experience is real. People have the sense that the object and the people they meet are there. They are truly present. Mark Zuckerberg in his keynote used the word PRESENCE.

You are present even though your body is geographically somewhere else

VR generates an intense and convincing sense of what is generally called presence. – Kevin Kelly, WIRED

My first experience (with Meta Quest) was this amazing sense of presence – Cory Ondrejka, Facebook
So virtual reality blurs the line between what is real and what is virtual and blurs the line of what it means to be present and what it means to be distant or absent.

The Scripture has a lot to say about the topic of presence. And I will share with you a few passages from Paul’s letters:

       1 Corinthians 5:3-4 - For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am                with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already                      passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing              this. So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of                  our Lord Jesus is present

Paul is expressing his firm belief that he is present with the Corinthians. Even though he is not there in the body he is still there to pass the judgment on that person that had sinned.

         Colossians 2:5 - For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with                     you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in               Christ is.

Geographical distance is not synonymous with being absent. Even though I am far away my heart is there with you.

         2 Corinthians 12:2-3 - I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was                         caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do               not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart               from the body I do not know, but God knows.

I am not saying that Paul’s experience is the same as the virtual experience. I am trying to make a point that our mind and attention can be in one place, while our bodies are in another place. There are various relationships where attention is in one place, while we sit in another. Like with our mind we can go in our past, but with our bodies, we cannot go back to our past. This is a simple example that can help us think through some challenges we have in understanding virtual reality. After all, we have all experienced our mind and attention being in one place even though we are not physically present.

As the world pushes into connecting through the creation of Metaverse, people will move there. Actually, they have started to be there and believers are still called to go to the places where people are gathering. They will be there doing business, attending school, sharing ideas, seeking entertainment, and being “present” with one another.

How do those of us with an evangelistic or missionary calling enter into this way of connecting and bringing the gospel?

What does a missional community of disciples look like?

How can they be “sent”?

May the Lord guide us and open up doors for us as technology keeps growing.”