The trappings of church are not the church. A biblical ecclesiology reminds us that the church is not buildings. The church is not defined by the American traditions and programs that we cherish. I have visited believers in the underground church where small handfuls meet to study the Bible in secret. The underground church is more alive and far healthier despite the limitations placed on them by the state than many large American churches I have visited. The state may shut down the trappings of church, but, perhaps, God intends that for good so that we might focus on His values, not our comforts.
We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, but we are to consider how we can stimulate one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24-25). The author of Hebrews was not referring to gathering in large buildings dedicated to corporate worship. The early church did not own church buildings. They worshiped in homes, in small businesses, in courtyards, and on riverbanks. The command is not about assembling in a religious sanctuary or else much of Christianity throughout history and around the globe has disobeyed this command. Pastors are to equip believers to serve one another in their personal relationships for the growth of the church in love and good works (Eph. 4:11-16).
Ezekiel challenges us to feed the flock but warns us to care for their needs as well (Ezek. 34:1-10). He indicts the false shepherds for not caring for the flock, and we would do well to consider his warnings. He wrote: “those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought the lost” (34:4). Ezekiel’s prophetic metaphor of shepherding reminds us that shepherds must do more than preach. We must care for the broken and protect the weak, the vulnerable, and the hurting in our churches, not just spiritually but physically and emotionally as well.
God’s prophetic warning should give us pause in the rush to reopen our church buildings. There are cases of people contracting COVID-19, which can be traced to church gatherings, and some have died. Our situation in Maine is mild compared to other parts of the country, but, even here, I know people who have been sick with the virus. Pastors in some parts of the country face widespread sickness and death in their churches and communities. One pastor in the Bronx has faced 13 deaths in just his own church during this epidemic (Bailey, The Washington Post, 5/5/2020). We mourn with those who face such suffering and death as we pray for the Lord to give them strength in their pastoral ministries.
Ryan Burge wrote an interesting article in Christianity Todayentitled “Churches Should Not be the First to Reopen” (April 23, 2020). Many church attendees fall into the high-risk category and so are vulnerable to the virus. He wrote, “The demographics of many U.S. congregations make sanctuaries a risky place for gathering to resume.” Maine is still the oldest state in the country. Our churches are full of older people who are vulnerable, but they are not alone. We have people who are immune-compromised, have high blood pressure, cardiac problems, and diabetes. All of these and many other factors make gathering in church a concern. As pastors, we need to consider how we will protect these vulnerable people as we regather in worship.
In the immediate future, we can use drive-in services in the church parking lot to gather our people. Maine regulations allow this format for worship. One pastor simply put the audio speakers in the windows overlooking the parking lot and held church with people in their cars. Others are using FM transmitters so that people can tune their radios to listen. The state of Maine plans to allow gatherings in groups of less than 50 beginning in June. Churches can run multiple services with less than 50 in attendance as they worship together, making sure to allow some space for visitors at each service.
We will need to restore confidence that we can gather safely. Church needs to be a safe place for vulnerable people. Yes, we must preach about faith in a sovereign God who cares for us in our needs, but people need to trust the church leadership too. New regimens of cleaning and disinfecting must be put into place, and we may want to consider investing in periodic professional cleaning to disinfect our buildings regularly. Social distancing practices will continue for now, and we will need to adjust our brotherly and sisterly greetings. Church suppers may need some extra protocols to make people feel comfortable. Small groups (home groups) may need to change since some people may not want to host outsiders in their homes. One solution is to set up a couple of rooms in the church building which meet social distancing requirements and are disinfected regularly. Bible studies could meet in these rooms instead of private homes.
We will need to adjust how we practice communion during this time. The “common cup” will undoubtedly disappear. We will no longer be able to pass the bread and the cup safely down the aisles. One solution is to use individually wrapped communion packets that are placed in the pews or seats. Another solution is to set up tables with bread and cup sets for family units. The head of each family takes a single set back to serve their families in their seats. Elders in the church could serve communion to small groups of believers scattered around the room.
Churches must recover financially. The impact on many churches is significant. Churches that have little online giving are faced with the loss of offerings each Sunday. It will take time to recover from that loss. Many are now unemployed or underemployed. It will take time for people to recover financially, so giving will suffer. Christians living paycheck to paycheck will find the recovery slow and painful. Churches that functioned with little margin or had incurred significant debt will face the task of digging out from the avalanche of bills. We may discover that some large campus churches with high overhead and deep debt may end their ministries. All of these challenges will affect church budgets for at least the next year.
As our churches emerge from this crisis, how will we respond? Crises reveal the values of a church. Will we view our culture through a socio-political lens, spending our resources fighting the culture wars and attacking the infidels in our society? What about the entertainment-oriented churches? Consumer Christianity may decline as people decide that, for now, it isn’t worth it to attend the big box, music and light shows that some churches have developed to attract crowds. Are we anxious to return to the status quo – get back as quickly as possible to doing church like we always did? The world is changing rapidly, and status quo churches may become anachronistic in the eyes of people in our communities.
We need to become missionary minded churches. COVID-19 is a great opportunity to reach our communities for Christ. People are fearful and uncertain. The virus has disrupted the comfortable and complacent lives that many have enjoyed. They will be open to hearing the good news we can offer in Christ if we look for new ways to engage them. My daughter’s church in Massachusetts worked with hospitals in their area to eliminate the medical debt of people in their community. They wanted people to see the extravagant love of Christ in practical ways! Now that is a missional attitude!