The shutting down of Churches due to COVID

[Agios]

This might have been discussed already and it's a little bit of old news at this point, however I wanted to share what I noticed, my thoughts and get a sense of how others see this issue during the time the churches were closed down, which was early on, here the churches have been closed since mid March. Some people tried to meet in cars in the church parking lots - I was flabbergasted at this, I didn't see the point. I hear preachers on the radio up in arms declaring meeting on Sundays as essential (not sure if this is to keep the tithes coming in...or....?), they are urging their governors to open these essential buildings.

I got to thinking that just maybe God is trying to show these that the Church is not a building, not a Sunday meeting that lasts an hour, it floors me because honestly it's an opportunity to seek God, to really know Him, to read your Bible to pray without the interruption of all the man made programs that take many of us away from what is important in our walk with God - and that would be God Himself, right?

There is no where else to go - but to God! Isn't this the greatest opportunities of our life! To have nowhere to go, but to Him. Are we really putting more emphasis on the Sunday morning service, then God Himself. This has been a excellent opportunity to connect, study, learn - and God is faithful! When we seek Him, He shows up.

FYI: I am NOT against church services or churches, just commenting on some reactions I have seen.

Do you all see the same? Or different?

 

[Enoch111]

I got to thinking that just maybe God is trying to show these that the Church is not a building, not a Sunday meeting that lasts an hour...

Quite the opposite. It is the devil showing Christians that the USA has become a totalitarian country which wants to dictate to Christians how they can gather for worship, and that he is now in control. No different than China.

Every church should defy these bogus pandemic rules, given the fact that evil anarchists have defied them without any penalties since these riots began. Under the Constitution, the state does not have the right to dictate to Christians how, when, and why they may worship. But now the Supreme Court has decided to violate the Constitution in this regard, which means that Christians in America have a battle on their hands.

All churches and denominations should be banding together and sending a massive peaceful protest Petition to the Supreme Court and the President requesting that the Supreme Court reverse its ruling regarding California, and re-establish the Constitution. Not just in this matter, but in many other issues.

Supreme Court rejects challenge to limits on church services; Roberts sides with liberals
"Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in dissent that the restriction “discriminates against places of worship and in favor of comparable secular businesses. Such discrimination violates the First"
Amendment.”

Supreme Court rejects challenge to limits on church services; Roberts sides with liberals

 

[Rita]

Hi Agios,
I was in a slightly different situation because I left going to a church some six years ago, for different reasons. However it brought me closer to the Lord. I have been working through lock down, but had to take two weeks off for isolation ( come in contact with the virus ) I found so may of the local churches were doing online services through Facebook- which meant I could link up each day.
With that aside I felt that the lockdown would test a lot of people with regards to what they were reliant on - going to church can give you a sense of security in people , and routine, and just the formula of a Sunday service. Also I have felt very deeply that the Lord is trying to gets his people to humble themselves, to seek him first , to lean on Him- but I am not sure whether some of his people even consider that they need to do that - with all the protests and complaints about the lockdown, many seemed more concerned with themselves and their own needs and rights.
Rita

 

[farouk]

Hi Agios,
I was in a slightly different situation because I left going to a church some six years ago, for different reasons. However it brought me closer to the Lord. I have been working through lock down, but had to take two weeks off for isolation ( come in contact with the virus ) I found so may of the local churches were doing online services through Facebook- which meant I could link up each day.
With that aside I felt that the lockdown would test a lot of people with regards to what they were reliant on - going to church can give you a sense of security in people , and routine, and just the formula of a Sunday service. Also I have felt very deeply that the Lord is trying to gets his people to humble themselves, to seek him first , to lean on Him- but I am not sure whether some of his people even consider that they need to do that - with all the protests and complaints about the lockdown, many seemed more concerned with themselves and their own needs and rights.
Rita

@Rita I do like your point about humility.

 

[justbyfaith]

I agree with you, @Enoch111;

But I would also say that this reprieve from listening to my pastor has given me a different outlook on the Bible that is not colored by his perspective; and that this is in fact a good thing.

I do think that there are some pastors who are in it to rule...to dictate to the church what they ought to believe about the Bible, even against the desire that God has for His church. I find that having time away from my pastor's teaching has been revolutionary to my walk; because his doctrine leans towards grace as a license for sin and I was being grieved every time that I went to church by the almost blatant attempts to convince the congregation that we are all sinners and that there is no remedy for the problem of sin. It has become clear to me that the heresy of the inevitability of sin is taught in much of the church today.

In taking time away and reading my Bible for myself, I came to the conclusion that we can indeed walk in freedom and victory; and that my best bet as I return to attending church is to disregard much of what is taught from the pulpit.

We are members of the particular body that we fellowship in and are called to this body as salt and light to those who are still blinded to these realities.

re: post #2 (The shutting down of Churches due to COVID).

 

[farouk]

@Agios There is a real health issue- especially for ppl with existing illnesses and breathing difficulties - and these just won't go away, just because certain preachers might insist that they should be exempted.

But yes it would be good to see things normalizing with meetings again, when it is safe to do so.

 

[Agios]

@Agios There is a real health issue- especially for ppl with existing illnesses and breathing difficulties - and these just won't go away, just because certain preachers might insist that they should be exempted.

But yes it would be good to see things normalizing with meetings again, when it is safe to do so.

I completely understand the health issues caused by covid for some people, however, I also believe God allows things to happen for the benefit of those who love Him and this period of time was a perfect time for believers to return to God - and God ONLY - not relying on church services to feed us, but God Himself. There is also security in attending churches for some people, friends, familiarity, programs, the music, etc., but we couldn't go there for that security, we had to go to God Himself - where we should be going regardless if churches are opened or closed.

Attending church on Sunday mornings is not more important than God Himself.