These past 24 weeks have been filled with so many ups and downs that it’s hard for me to keep my equilibrium. After a wonderful beginning to 2020 in January and February we were met with the lockdowns due to the covid-19 virus. For ten long weeks, beginning March 22nd, we had one virtual service each Sunday morning with some additional virtual content we provided daily and weekly. Not until May 31st were we able to reopen our church buildings and then only with many precautions that were required and are still being required. After preaching online for those several weeks, it didn’t matter to me how many adjustments we had to make to be together again. All of the effort to gather as the church was well worth the hard work in order to be under one roof to worship God as a church family. The ensuing weeks since May 31st, through the summer and early fall, have also been filled with many emotional ups and downs. Those early weeks of the regathering started slowly, but we seemed to build a little each week, even if the numbers in attendance didn’t always reflect it. There was a feeling that we could gather as the church safely and we were becoming adjusted to our new “safe” routine. Of course, we had people taking vacations and getting away after being kept home except for essential activities and work. And, as the fall arrived, I had great hopes that we would begin to regain our momentum that was lost earlier in March and start seeing more people show up again to worship on the weekends. But, though our numbers grew some, we still didn’t see the return that I hoped we might see. We are averaging about half (or a little more) of the attendance we had prior to the pandemic, but I don’t think we are going to get back anywhere near 90% or 95% of what we had prior to the shutdown anytime soon. I have mixed emotions about what we are going through. On the one hand I understand that some people should definitely not come out until this virus is more under control. On the other hand, I am disappointed that others haven’t begun to re-join us weekly. Is it their concern for catching the virus that is keeping them away? Or, is it a whole lot of “convenience” wrapped in a little bit of “fear” that is preventing them from venturing out to the gatherings? I see people that aren’t quarantining from other places like stores, malls, restaurants, games, etc., but who won’t venture out to be a part of their local church. In some ways I think the last several months of pushing our online services has increased the desire in some people for the church to primarily meet online. However, that isn’t what a church does or how the Bible defines the role of the church. Meeting together is central to how a church functions in scripture and we are even commanded not to forsake the assembling of believers. When much of the church is not gathering together, it feels a little like having half your physical body not showing up for work on any given day. It cripples you or, at least, handicaps you for an extended period of time. We have been operating with a skeleton staff compared to the number that were helping prior to the pandemic. The pressure is on a few serving when we need to spread out the responsibility because “many hands make for light work.” Add to these things the fact that we are dealing with the wrangling over masks or no masks. Some won’t come because a few (very, very few) don’t wear a mask and others won’t come because we ask them to wear a mask. It all sounds so crazy to me and there is no way any pastor or church could have ever expected to be battling these kinds of issues a year ago. Christians disagreeing with one another over a piece of cloth or paper covering their nose and mouth? I fully understand why some are staying home, if they are sick or have underlying health issues. But, otherwise healthy individuals quarantining from the church when they aren’t doing so elsewhere is painful and hard to understand. I believe that as a pastor I should be eternally optimistic and filled with faith! I am both of these things. I believe that God’s purpose is being worked out even in difficult circumstances and I know that His church will survive (and thrive), no matter how long this pandemic lasts. But, my concern is what this is doing right now to Christians and their children as I watch some drifting away from the faith and excusing it (maybe not even recognizing it) while using the covid-19 virus as their cover. What is God showing us right now? What is He doing in His church during these days? Is He shaking the “boat” to loosen the grip of those just “hanging on” so that we can eventually sail powerfully into the days ahead? Is He growing us and teaching us that our confidence can’t be in people, but only in Him? These are just a few of the many questions that have been floating around in my head for weeks now. I pray every day for strength and wisdom to maneuver through this maze of challenges to lead His church into the future. I know He is hearing me and I pray we will soon see His answers. All I want is to see people saved and growing in devotion to Jesus Christ.
