The Church: Part 2 – Essential and Priceless

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.  Of course, it is also right that Christian love and grace be extended to those who are at risk and prefer to stay home or who prefer to attend wearing a mask.  Church leaders have shown they are capable of ensuring safe conditions so that corporate gatherings for worship need not be cancelled.  The Founders’ effort to protect the right to assemble for worship sends a loud message-- the church is essential to the function of our republic.  For a more detailed discussion, please go to “The Church: Part 1 – Anchor in Our Storms:”  Click HERE.

We have made a strong case for the lawfulness of church gatherings during the COVID pandemic.  But what makes the church so essential?  Does God’s command not to forsake assembling together (Hebrews 10: 25) extend to periods when our lives are at risk such as the current pandemic?  Does regular church attendance actually improve the mental and spiritual health of regular attenders?  Finally, is it selfish for Christians to gather for worship and risk spreading the virus?  Let’s address this last question first.

Are Church Attenders Being “Selfish?”
Adam Parker, Senior Pastor of Evergreen Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Beaverton, Oregon, outlines the logic used to oppose Christians who attend church during the pandemic.  According to Parker, writing in reformation21  [Click HERE.] the opposing logic goes like this:
(1) Lockdowns are meant to halt COVID-19 spread by eliminating unnecessary gatherings.
(2) Church gatherings are unnecessary and ought to be halted to avoid risk of viral spread.
(3) Christians who gather to worship are selfish spreaders of the virus.
(4) Selfishness is immoral; therefore, it is immoral to attend church gatherings.

Parker disagrees with the above logic because any human activity short of total isolation during the pandemic will cause some degree of risk.  If any human activity short of total isolation offers some risk, then two questions arise:
“What activities are “essential” enough to override the risk so that they should be allowed to function during the pandemic?”  And, “Do in-person gatherings for worship provide enough benefit to be considered “essential?”

Morality:  Is the Church Essential?
We have emphasized the valuable historic role of Christianity and the church in the founding of America and in sustaining her through times of war and peace.  We also lamented that our culture has been adrift in stormy waters because we have forsaken biblical and moral principles necessary to maintain strong marriages, families, churches, and government.  Nevertheless, out of the stormy waves, Christ still calls His followers to be a moral light of Truth and integrity, and to be salt to challenge, preserve, and add flavor (Matthew 5: 13-16).  God’s Word reminds us that He has no other plan for establishing His kingdom than His church, the witness of the Gospel in word and action by the “body of Christ” (1Corinthians 12:27).   

In an earlier Oikonomia article, we have discussed the wider context for how Christianity and the church maintain the spiritual and moral “health” of our nation.  See “How Firm Is Our Foundation?”  [Go HERE.]

According to God’s revelation in Scripture, the church is God’s creation within which individual Christ-followers can encourage one another in their faith and practice.  The word church is derived from the Greek word ekklesia meaning “a called-out assembly.”  The true Christian church is composed of people of faith who have been called and convicted by God’s Spirit to repent of their sin, die to their selfish priorities, and become obedient disciples (followers and learners) of Christ.  This progression of believing faith, salvation, baptism, and corporate worship and fellowship is clearly evident in the early church as explained in Acts 2: 41-47.  Each of us can worship God alone and in any place.  Jesus Himself slipped away to worship and pray to His Father (Matthew 26: 36-39; Mark 1: 35).  However, corporate worship (from the Latin, corporatus, meaning “bodily and physical”) is by definition worship in a gathering of people.

The Scriptures in Hebrews 10: 19-39 provide a rich justification for the importance of Christ-followers regularly assembling together.  Granted, for health reasons during the current pandemic, many are justified to remain at home and rely on online technology to “stay connected.”  However, listed below are the Scripture-based activities and functions of a local church that are only fully realized when Christ-followers meet together in person for fellowship, learning, service, and evangelism.

Spirit-led obedience to the above points from the Book of Hebrews joins Christ-followers with other believers where God’s Spirit can work in wonderful ways.  Meeting together is necessary to enrich fellowship, provide intimate times of prayer, and enliven worship through corporate singing and making melody together (Colossians 3: 16).  In short, there is no substitute for Spirit-filled corporate worship because people of faith are drawn closer to each other and to God-- a prelude to the joy of heavenly worship for eternity (e.g. Revelation 5).

The worship scene pictured here (right) is also captured in an online video which provides a sample of in-person worship in song and in responsive reading.  Click HERE to view and imagine the joy of in-person participation that many readers long to experience again, especially those without online access.

In-person gatherings also enhance discussion and personal application of the Word of God.   Personal application of biblical Truth is especially enhanced through small group gatherings in which more personal applications can be made through shared commitments and accountability.

The Church: Essential and Priceless
Henri Nouwen in The Selfless Way of Christ (Orbis, 2007) expresses the important function of church in the life of the Christ-follower with strong implications for our culture:

The church is our first and foremost spiritual director. The church not only teaches us what to reflect on, what to pay attention to, and what to speak or think about, it also realizes in and through the liturgical discipline the Christ-event itself.  What is truly taking place in our lives is not determined by the random ups and downs of our personal and communal lives, but rather by the events of Christ's life being realized among us in and through the church.

It is the Advent, Christ is coming;
it is Christmas, Christ is being born;
it is Lent, Christ is suffering;
it is Holy Week, Christ is dying;
it is Easter, Christ is risen;
it is Pentecost, Christ is sending His Spirit.
That is what is truly happening! 

Preparation of believers through in-person participation in church prepares them make priceless differences in our culture as individuals, and through strong marriages and families. Strong families prepare children to flourish and contribute positively to their communities instead of becoming a burden to the community and nation.  Especially in times of national turmoil such as the 2020 pandemic, those who are spiritually grounded within family and the church will convey hope in God and Eternal Life which is a much-needed anchor in the midst of the current stormy sea of the pandemic.

Some may ask whether there are actual data to support the notion that church attendance favors human well-being.  A recent Gallup Poll [Click HERE.] reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased the percentage of Americans who consider their mental health “excellent” when compared to respondents in a 2019 poll.  In contrast, weekly church-attenders who answered “excellent mental health” increased from 42% in 2019 to 46% in 2020.  These data support the belief that in-person worship services provide an “essential” service.  [See above for more results from the Gallup Poll.]

All of God’s people should make every effort to assemble together regularly.  God has commanded it and our Constitution affirms the importance of it.  But there is a third reason for Christians to assemble for worship:  The Church has been and will continue to be a bulwark against cultural and political attempts to destroy America.

What Do We Have to Fear?
Essential and priceless services of the church are not only proven through its support of the nuclear family, but also through the raising up of men and women of integrity to serve in education, government, science, and industry.  Consequently, the Christian faith and the church have been instrumental in sustaining America through many crises—i.e. war, economic downturns, cultural upheavals.  [See “The Church: Anchor in Our Storms”  [Click HERE]]  

But America has powerful enemies.  We are seeing an invasion of ambitious and greedy individuals who are influencing education, government, science, and industry.  For example, consider the agenda for 2030 of the World Economic Forum (WEF) [Click HERE].  The philosophy and goals of the WEF call for a one-world government as reflected in statements like, “Political institutions' response to the pandemic could be a crucial dress-rehearsal for a transition to a different economic model…”  Already, power-seeking individuals of the WEF believe the COVID lockdown provides the model for the next global lockdown—one justified by the threat of climate change.  See Climate Lockdowns Coming Soon, found HERE.  Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) urges the initiation of a climate lockdown as follows:

The climate crisis is one of the biggest emergencies that our country has ever faced, and our time is running out. Americans are counting on Biden to lead accordingly. Let’s act boldly, and treat this crisis like the emergency it is.  Click HERE to read more. 

In my view, vision of the WEF is a godless attempt to establish a utopian society under a one-world government, a development that we know is predicted by biblical prophecy.  However, such prophecies do not dismiss our responsibility as Christians to promote government that allows people to live peaceable lives in godliness and holiness (1 Timothy 2: 1-2.).  At the same time, we also know from Scripture that God may call us to testify of His Gospel through suffering under tyranny as many of our brothers and sisters in the faith are now experiencing. 

One-world government proponents view the church and Christianity as impediments.  The truth of Scripture (Matthew 6: 24) that “no person can serve two masters” applies in the realms of both Christianity and in secular realms of power.  A person who testifies an allegiance to God is a hindrance to the authority of any one-world leader.  In light of the looming emergence of a godless one-world government that will threaten religious freedom, God’s command in Hebrews 10: 25 sounds all the more real and necessary (emphasis mine):  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 

Personally, I love my church—not the building but the assembly of my brothers and sisters in Jesus.  The privilege of gathering together with them to worship and serve one another is essential and priceless to our daily walk of faith in an uncertain world.

How About You?
We encourage you to post “Comments” describing how the church has influenced your life, or how essential you believe the church is especially during declared emergencies.  Or, you may have a question or general comment.  We’d love to hear from you.  Just post a “Comment” below or e-mail us at silviusj@gmail.edu.  If you aren't already a subscriber to Oikonomia, please send us your e-mail address using our e-mail (above) and we'll add you to our list to receive a reminder when new articles are posted.  Or you can subscribe using Subscribe to Mailing List on the right side-bar (web version).  Or, on your cell phone, click on View Web Version below and go to the right sidebar of web version to subscribe.