My 5-year-old daughter woke up early Sunday morning and asked me a pretty profound question, “Dad, what are we going to do this morning after fake church?” COVID-19 had interrupted her normal routine and she was just trying to figure out what her day would look like after we worshipped and received God’s Word via live-stream. I don’t recall ever sitting down and exegeting the many biblical descriptions of church with her but somehow, she still got it. My 5-year-old knew that church was more than just a digital experience. So, what was missing? Cherry-picking a few lines out of Acts 2’s beautiful description of a thriving body of believers surely answers that question.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…
All the believers were together…
Every day they continued to meet together…
They broke bread in their homes and ate together…
Disconnected believers couch-surfing live-streams doesn’t seem to check all the boxes of “together”. We must praise God for technology and for our how our church leaders are using it to creatively shepherd us during a difficult time with little to no heads-up. Online services offer us the teaching of God’s Word and even prayer but what about the rest of the equation? In a season of social distancing and self-quarantines, when “fellowship” and “breaking bread” with other Christ followers could exacerbate a pandemic, here are a few ways we can still be the church together.
1. Recognize that, sometimes, not going to church is the most church thing you can do
Our faith is founded upon Jesus, who sacrificed His life for the helpless and vulnerable. Randomly open your Bible and read the first paragraph you see. Chances are pretty high you’ll find a story or a command about putting others first or helping the least. That’s what the church does. It’s kind of our thing. We sacrifice vacation days and hard-earned money to serve the lost and hurting at home and overseas. We lead bible studies in prisons, we start homeless shelters and alternative pregnancy centers, and we leave lucrative careers to become missionaries and ministers. We stack chairs, we work the nursery, we stand up for Truth, and sit down with the broken. When told temporarily sacrificing our weekly gatherings will protect the elderly and health-compromised in our communities, count us in. It’s in our blood, it’s who we are. We sacrifice together.
2. Seek creative ways to be together without being around each other
“Social Distancing” is a bad name. Don’t be less social, be more. Just do it differently. Reach out to your normal church community through phone, email, and social media. I love how one of our church partners, Pastor Jeremiah Fyffe of CrossPointe Coast, encouraged his people to interact with their community group via text messaging during the video broadcast of his message. Another, Westside Church, allows you to comment and interact with them on Facebook Live. Check in with people during the week, ask them their takeaways from Sunday’s digital sermon, and ask how you can pray for them. Encourage your pastor, confess your sins to one another, and keep making disciples. Do all the stuff we should always be doing. Do it differently but keep being a community together.
3. Support Your Pastors
You know what they didn’t teach in seminary? This. Chances are pretty high your pastor is swimming deep in uncharted waters right now while trying to be as faithful as he can to his position and calling. Your church leaders need more grace than you have toilet paper as they seek to lead you through this ever-changing worldwide crisis. Pray for them like never before and give them the daily grace to figure this out and follow the Lord. And whatever you do, don’t stop giving. Give even more if you can. Tithe online or mail in a check. Your local church needs that now more than ever. The sheep might be scattered but let’s keep following our shepherds together.
4. Love your neighbors
Pandemics cannot pause the Great Commission. In fact, they just might act as a fast-forward button. I had more interactions with my neighbors this Sunday than I’ve had in the last month. One asked to borrow my truck, another asked for a jump, and another finally opened up to me after I asked how I could help during this crazy time. With everyone running around and hoarding supplies in self-preservation, taking a second to look out for others will surely go a long way. Check in with your grocery-store-clerk neighbors, your delivery-driver neighbors, and the ones in your actual neighborhood. Fear and tragedy force people to ask questions they’ve never dealt with before. Be ready to respond with Hope. Church has never been just about one person sharing the love of Jesus one day a week on a stage. It’s about each of us doing it every day, wherever we are. Let’s keep loving our neighbors well together.
Church can’t be logged into or out of. It’s not a show we watch nor an event on a calendar. A virus can’t cancel church. Jesus said not even the gates of hell can do that. The Church is the eternal Body and Bride of Christ that we belong to in sickness and in health. Keep doing everything you did before. Sing your heart out and submit to God’s Word as you and your family gather around a live-stream for as long as this lasts. Find ways to keep sacrificing, keep being a community, keep praying for your leaders, and keep loving your neighbor.
We are the church. This only works if we keep doing this together.
And my 5-year-old, our neighborhoods, and the world will know there’s nothing fake about that.