I continue to blog for the New Media Project where we help religious leaders become theologically savvy about technology. For the series on community formation and social media, I write about a recent loss, and turn to online communities for support.
Here is an excerpt:
Here, I’ve knelt for as long as I’ve needed—30 seconds to ten minutes—pouring my heart out before God. I can kneel and pray at home, but doing so at an altar rail reveals that I’m also pouring my heart out in front of and with my church family. I’ve rushed to the altar rail in seasons of heartbreak, grief, disappointment, and illness. I know there’s nothing magical in the wood, but there’s something about the altar rail. Whenever healing occurs, I think God is involved. Many people experience healing in brick and mortar (or wood) churches. Other people experience them online. Or perhaps, like me, people experience different kinds of healing online and face-to-face.
Read more here
