I have used my bike more in the last three weeks than I have in the previous three years. One of the upsides of being stuck at home is that my family and I have been doing more walking and more riding through our neighborhood. I’ve also noticed how much more people are waving at each other now. Every time I ride by a house where there is someone in the front yard or sitting on their porch I get a wave or a “howdy.” I’ve even been getting to know people in my community whom I’m never gotten to know before. In some ways, this virus has made us more human. The irony is that it took social-distancing to make us more social. It’s amazing how God uses trials to push us to be who we were created to be. I think He is doing the same thing to the church at large.
By this point in the virus crisis, I was expecting more churches to be struggling and pastors to be disappointed. Instead, I’ve heard pastors tell stories of how genuinely blessed they are by how their churches have been able to creatively overcome the COVID-19 hurdles. I’ve heard stories of God orchestrating unique blessings out of the challenges, and I’ve even heard stories of how God has used online worship services and sermons to reach people who would never think about entering a church building. It seems that by not being allowed to gather, our gospel witness is actually spreading more effectively. We are a digital diaspora if you will.
It is, of course, God’s desire for His people to gather physically to worship Him. Hebrews 10:25 and the implications of several other passages make that abundantly clear. Therefore, I do not think that from now on churches will solely worship digitally. But it is interesting to see how God uses a crisis to advance the gospel. I am reminded of the beginning of the Book of Acts. It took 8:1 to make 1:8 happen. What do I mean? If you recall, the apostles were clearly given the mandate in Acts 1:8 to take the gospel unto the ends of the earth. But the church had largely ignored that mandate until persecution broke out following the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 8:1). It was a severe trial that assisted the church in getting the gospel out of Jerusalem.
Despite some heavy-handed governors, we are not experiencing persecution, but we are facing a trial unlike any we’ve faced in our lifetime. I believe that God is using this trial to force some of our churches to think creatively and missionally in ways they never have before. Churches who in the past have refused to embrace technology are being forced to rethink their approach. Churches who have failed to creatively reach into their communities are now finding the doors wide open. Opportunities for gospel advancement are there if we will ask God to give us vision and wisdom to recognize them.
I see other ways that the church is being inadvertently blessed by this coronavirus pandemic. For example, the importance of Sunday morning worship hasn’t been diminished by a month of not being able to gather, instead, it has been magnified. As Christians tire of driving-in or logging-on they are seeing anew the importance and value of the Sunday gathering. Similarly, the pricelessness of the preached Word, the significance of the Lord’s Supper, the need for fellowship, and the joy of singing together have all likewise been underscored by this crisis. Another unexpected blessing is to see long-neglected intergenerational ministries is now taking shape in many churches as younger members reach out to serve their elderly brothers and sisters who are more vulnerable to this disease. Finally, as highlighted by this great article, this crisis may be the death knell for consumer Christianity. Let’s hope so.
Church history has shown that the church may stumble and struggle through global crises but it never has to fear. Never! For, God is not merely sustaining her through the trials, He’s actually strengthening her and purifying her for her Bridegoom’s return.