Covid-19 Pandemic and the Church in Kenya in the Context of Modern Information Communication Technology

Abstract

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has had devastating effects as well as positive lessons: socially, economically, and spiritually on the church, going forward. Social media or modern technology came in handy to enable the church activities go on during lockdown. This study was premised on the following objectives: to discuss the negative effects of Covid-19 on the church, socially, economically, and spiritually, to examine positive effects of Covid-19 on the church, socially, economically, and spiritually, and to explore solutions of Covid-19 and other pandemics on the church in the era of ICT. Hypothetically, the church has what it takes to provide solutions to pandemics because God has the will power to save his people. This notwithstanding, the problematic question was to find out how ICT was used as an enabler during the pandemic and why a loving God allows calamities to befall his people yet he can avert them. The research methodology was historical discourse analysis of library and archival data which was employed to describe, collect, collate, and to discuss data findings. Discourse analysis was also used to draw summaries, conclusions, and recommendations. The main findings and implications were that the pandemic led to believers’ faith relaxation, low church activities as they hoped in God’s salvific ability and yet questioned why he allowed these prolonged suffering on the church. Conclusively, God in His will power can rescue his people and as well allow them to experience calamities as part of the way of the cross. The lessons of pandemics positively prepare the church for its second advent among others.