The Church: Part 1 – Anchor in Our Storms

The COVID-19 pandemic has stormed into our lives and culture with many challenges—legal, political, economic, religious, medical, educational, and athletic.  Here, we will focus on the religious dimension of our American culture.  Our culture that is now adrift and being swallowed in stormy waves because it is no longer anchored in faith—a faith in the God who made the world and everything in it; a God who also providentially enabled the founding and preservation of our exceptional nation. 

American Culture Adrift
The most recent indication that our culture is spiritually adrift is our approach to the “war” against the COVID pandemic.  During war times a century ago, Americans understood the importance of the church, founded on faith in God and His Word as an anchor for their souls (Hebrews 6: 19).  Today, church is viewed by many as a relic of the past, not worthy to be included on the list of “essential services”—a list which includes big box stores, service stations, hospitals, and clinics.  While debating whether congregating in our churches is as necessary as congregating in a Walmart or a Buffalo Wild Wings, we are at war on a global scale with a deadly virus.  How much American culture has changed!

Throughout our history, when Americans faced the tragedy of war, they turned to the church for spiritual guidance, comfort, and hope.  When our young men and women went off to war, wondering if they would ever return, their communities of faith in God met them at the bus or train to hand them a Bible.  Loved ones who stayed behind devoted themselves to prayer and enlisting their communities in prayer through visible postings of reminders.  Almost every American from the Commander in Chief to military chaplains to the local town merchant understood the vital role played by the faith community.  When sons and daughters returned home with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they were met by a loving family, community, and church family to help them adjust to civilian life.  If they returned in flag-draped caskets, the people of faith gathered around to comfort bereaved family and friends. 

The first signs that American culture was losing its moral and spiritual anchor during the past century was in our response to the Vietnam War which was fought during the tumultuous decades of the 1960’s and 1970’s.  We questioned both the justification for the war and the manner in which our leaders were conducting it.  Our brave servicemen and women who had simply followed orders during the war were dishonored by many when they came home.  Many Vietnam veterans still bear the wounds of the war and the social rejection. 

Unfortunately, during the 60’s and 70’s, the church was largely ineffective in providing moral leadership and compassionate love to a generation trying to make sense of the social, political, and cultural upheaval they faced.  Many would argue that the church and the community of faith in America has not recovered its rightful, valuable place as a spiritual anchor in American communities and culture. 

Church As a “Nonessential Service”
Fast-forward to the 2020 “war” of the COVID pandemic and we observe local churches across America and the world having made creative adjustments to worship services similar to those of schools and small businesses.  Many churches have cancelled their Sunday school and adult Bible classes, or converted them along with the worship services to Zoom or a similar internet platform to support virtual learning and worship.  Many state governors and other officials have put restrictions on congregational worship because they have classified churches among the “nonessential services.”  Should churches obey these government policies or push back?

God Speed Calvary Chapel, in Thousand Oaks, CA pastored by Rob McCoy, followed CDC guidelines during February-March through social distancing, face masks, and meticulous sanitation.  At that time, the virulence and spread of COVID-19 was not known.  They abided by the guidelines, but not because the Constitution grants authority to interfere with church gatherings.  Rather, the church wanted to honor biblical instruction to respect for government policy and safety of all involved (Romans 13; 1 Peter 3: 13-16).

However, by Holy Week, it became evident that the lockdown was harming Americans in greater ways than the virus (e.g. emotionally, spiritually, economically, etc.—drug addiction, suicides).  During this time, government leaders began to regard church gatherings as “nonessential” while considering abortion clinics, cannabis distribution centers, and liquor stores as “essential services.”  Because of this perceived disregard for the free exercise of religion, Pastor McCoy opted ignore the governor’s mandate and the church is now in contempt of the restraining order which has resulted in fines up to $1,500 per week.

To hear how Pastor McCoy articulated his rationale in an interview: CLICK HERE.  This pastor ably explains how he is not defying government.  Instead, he is acting in good faith within the spirit of the First Amendment, and consistent with the intent of the Founding Fathers.

Legality:  Is It Unlawful for Churches to Meet?
Does the government have the authority under the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the right of people to peaceably assemble?  If it does, then Pastor McCoy is being a foolish rebel defying the governor's lawful orders and risking people’s lives.  But McCoy does not believe churches should defy the Constitution. Instead, he has opted to lead his church to exercise their rights under the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution which states,

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The Founders wisely recognized that religious oppression was unacceptable.  They knew that our ultimate authority and source of liberty is God.  Therefore, they chose to allow no “law…prohibiting the free exercise of [religion]…freedom of speech, or of the press; or right of the people to peaceably assemble….” Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield, and government to gain ground.”

According to Matthew 28: 18, Jesus Christ holds the supreme authority granted to Him by God.  He is the ultimate Source of our liberty and justice.  In fact, the Scripture states that, by Jesus Christ, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him (Colossians 1: 16).  Those who reject God and regard government as the ultimate authority are in direct opposition to the Christian church.  It follows that their goal must be to silence the church and the witness of Christ-followers who declare, “we have no king but Jesus.”

Because our Founding Fathers believed that our Liberty is from God, they viewed “we the people” as the stewards or caretakers and keepers of Liberty.  When Benjamin Franklin walked from Independence Hall, the site of the Constitutional Convention, in 1787, someone called out from the crowd,
“Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?”
Dr. Franklin supposedly replied,
“A republic, if you can keep it.”

A republic, if you can keep it.  Franklin and the other Founders had the vision that Americans would be stewards of an “endowment from our Creator;” namely, the unalienable Rights…[and] among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  This radical philosophy of government represented in the First Amendment is rooted in biblical faith—especially, the belief that humans are responsible to God who has called us to be stewards of His many gifts including our freedom. Specifically, God has appointed us to exercise stewardship of the spheres of authority through which His authority is to be honored; namely, family, church, and government.

Is it lawful for churches to meet during the COVID pandemic?  We believe the answer is, "Yes," based on the intentions of our Founders and their provision of the First Amendment.  Church leaders have shown they are capable of ensuring safe conditions outlined by the CDC so that corporate gatherings for worship need not be cancelled.  Historically, the Founders of our nation and Framers of our Constitution sent a loud message to us about importance of church through the First Amendment.  They realized how important it is to ensure that religious faith, the church, freedom to assemble peaceably, and to respectfully express our beliefs should rightfully be given priority because they knew that government tends to encroach on individual Liberty. History since the founding has proven our Founders to be remarkably correct.

What Do You Think?
Thank you for reading.  It should be evident that our treatment here is brief and maybe a bit simplistic.  So, if you wish to express your view or ask questions about how churches ought to function in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic or in any national crisis, please use the “Comments” link below, or write to me at silviusj@gmail.com

In “The Church:  Part 2 – Essential and Priceless” [See HERE.],we will consider in more detail God’s purpose for the church and why it should be considered as an essential function of our republic.