One of the unintended and dangerous effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – and the associated lockdowns – has been that many people have bought into the lie that viewing a service online is the same as participating with the gathered body of Christ. It simply is not. Gathering with God’s people isn’t just a good idea, it is vital.

We are convinced that the Bible expects believers, unless providentially hindered (such as with sickness), to gather together with other believers to worship God through the Word sung, the Word spoken, the Word prayed, and the Word seen (in the ordinances). Therefore, we urge you to gather with your local church. If you do not have a church home of your own, and you live within a reasonable proximity of Mount Orab, we would be delighted to have you join us!

While we have resumed livestreaming our services after taking a break from doing so in 2021, our convictions remain the same about the corporate gathering of God’s people (see a blog article here that explains our convictions). We have found that, for the most part, those joining us virtually are our sick members and shut-ins, who can benefit from this less-than-ideal substitute for corporate worship. We have intentionally chosen not to invest in improving this online “experience” because our focus and resources are best spent equipping God’s people during our regular gatherings. Further, we are only livestreaming our Sunday morning service to allow free discussion and the sharing of personal requests during our evening service.