Worship services held at a drive-in venue are in the open air and encourage parishioners to remain in their vehicles. This is where a drive-in church is able to help. How can we accomplish church in a time when everyone is forced to be ten feet apart or may not even be able to gather in a church building? A new term that has come into popular vernacular during this period is “social distancing.” On an average Sunday at church, people are singing, hugging, and engaging in a number of activities which occur in close proximity to others. When a pandemic effectively shut down the world in 2020, the occasion called for unique solutions for social gatherings and ways of conducting business. Coronavirus and the Need for Drive-In Church As 2020 has taught us, there may be uses for these places of worship beyond what was imagined in the early days of drive-in churches. One can’t help but notice how the concept of a drive-in church never ventured beyond a novelty for beach towns in the national focus. While McDonald’s sure didn’t die off after the car craze of the 50s and 60s, there were many vehicle-targeted businesses that fell by the wayside. We suppose it’s only natural that the church would feel this impact as well. The production of cars in a post-war economy led to a number of new businesses such as drive-in movie theaters, restaurants, and fast food franchises. For both locals and tourists, drive-in church became a good way to keep the faith without missing out on a day at the beach. In the 1950s, these churches began to pop up in coastal communities in California, Florida, and beyond. These two markers make the enticement of drive-in church that much more interesting. We also find convenience a greater draw than tradition. Over the last 100 years, American society has grown more individualistic with our spare time. The church calendar was full of charity auctions, community meals, and social activity. Not only would this be an opportunity for worship, but local fellowship and engagement. Each weekend a small group of local congregants would gather at the neighborhood church house to sing hymns and hear a message from the pastor. For centuries, Western Christianity had looked the same. ![]() The idea of drive-in church was popularized by two driving factors: the rise of car culture in the 1950s and 60s as well as the unshakeable draw of convenience. The Matching Rise of Car Culture and Drive-In Church Here is some of the history regarding drive-in church, how coronavirus renewed interest, and where it differs with online church services. You might be surprised to know the concept of drive-in church has roots in the mid-20th century, but just as there are nearly countless Christian denominations, there are also quite a few ways to pull together a weekly service. Does the idea of attending church from your car sound a little crazy? We bet thirty years ago most Christians would have scoffed at the idea of watching church on your phone too, but here we are.
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