I recently came across a church leader on Facebook reprimanding his congregation for not returning after COVID. He missed the mark.
I believe the American church died the day of the first lockdown. I say this for two reasons.
As soon as the church no longer insists on its physicality, it has given up it’s conception of what human life is. If “church” is just another bit of digital content, true human connection must be the dispensable commodity our culture keeps telling us it is.
if a religion so much as flinches at the threat of physical death, it’s utterly worthless. As soon as you close the doors; you concede that the physical has supremacy over the symbolic. A religion which does not insist that the symbolic is paramount will not exist for long.
Combine this with the complete lack of curiosity about what we were told, utter naivety to government overreach, and gleeful desire to comply at the slightest threat; and it’s no wonder the average person views the modern church as decadent and impotent.
Respect is earned. Not given. When the average church is less courageous than the average person sitting in it, the writing is on the wall.
Did you attend church before COVID? Have you returned? What do you think?
Great topic and the response of the church was disheartening and disappointing ......most of us went along with the first two weeks since the issue was uncharted territory and we believed the danger of the hospitals being over run.....but after two weeks we started our services back ....they were in person , on Sunday nights and people told us over and over how thankful they were for a place to go in person ....I believe there is an opportunity for the church to experience revival and a second chance to be strong in these current turbulent times .....idk if the challenge will be accepted but we are doing our part to share our faith and to show others the reality of our faith and how we rely on it ....it was definitely a mistake to close doors at any point , I think a church building and staff must be available to serve those who come off the streets or need a place to rest ....I have always told my husband if I was homeless , I would go to the nearest church and sit on the steps til someone came to help .....it is my prayer that Christians will practice their faith and stand strong even when times are shaky and uncertain....we are called for such a time as this !
Great topic and the response of the church was disheartening and disappointing ......most of us went along with the first two weeks since the issue was uncharted territory and we believed the danger of the hospitals being over run.....but after two weeks we started our services back ....they were in person , on Sunday nights and people told us over and over how thankful they were for a place to go in person ....I believe there is an opportunity for the church to experience revival and a second chance to be strong in these current turbulent times .....idk if the challenge will be accepted but we are doing our part to share our faith and to show others the reality of our faith and how we rely on it ....it was definitely a mistake to close doors at any point , I think a church building and staff must be available to serve those who come off the streets or need a place to rest ....I have always told my husband if I was homeless , I would go to the nearest church and sit on the steps til someone came to help .....it is my prayer that Christians will practice their faith and stand strong even when times are shaky and uncertain....we are called for such a time as this !