Day Eighty Two: Seeking Fellowship
The one thing I'm really looking forward to when the churches finally start opening up is fellowship. You can't really fellowship in front of a computer or phone screen. There are some things you don't want to get out publicly that you need to say. You also can't be unified in front of a computer screen and isolated from others. Yes, I do agree that having a church service live streamed is okay for those who really can't get out. Yes, I also agree that it was probably the best solution during the lock down when it was prohibited to meet in person. I do see the justification for the safety of everyone because we just didn't know about this disease.
Now we do. Some of us thought that there was something "fishy" from the start. We didn't voice our thoughts because we wanted to give the benefit of doubt. It wasn't until the edicts starting coming out when it appeared that we were turning a corner on the disease progression, that we started to give voice to our thoughts. We were laughed at for our thoughts, and told that we were just imaging things. There was no fellowship, no coming together as some tried to push. I actually admittedly run to turn off any song that promotes this "coming together."
I've been coming to grips with my reactions to any "unity" speeches. Unity speeches are fine when the fellowship is strong and no one is pushing an agenda. It gets a bit scary when you see church leaders pushing that we all should comply with bad government edicts that restrict us from having fellowship with strict rules and regulations. We are not in this together. nor are we unified in the abrupt acceptance of online sermons only.
As these churches start to open their physical doors, they'd be wise to look deeply into their actions that hurt the church needlessly. Churches that didn't allow a small group to meet physically during the crisis, and only had online services will suffer the consequences. Churches that remained open physically with safety guidelines will flourish. I see that so clearly, because those churches are the ones that really listened and offered support while the other churches relied on people to call or go online.
No one will really know the detrimental impact these sustained closures will ultimately have on the established church. Some unfortunately will remain closed indefinitely. I can't help dwelling on Psalms 133:1 (KJV) which reads: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"It is sad to think that we lost that unity and stability in our society with the closure of these churches.
Yes, I know what Matthew 18:20 (KJV) says about this. It reads: "for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." This verse has been a justification for many not to gather together as a church body. It has been used as a balm to those of us who are being barred from attending church. Yet I just can't help thinking that the established church has been a strong factor in helping their communities over the years. They have fed the poor, clothed the needy and provided emotional support that can't be received over the Internet. In Acts 2:42(KJV) we read of the large group that formed under the apostles' leadership. It states: "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." This can't happen online. The Internet can't take the place of physical contact and fellowship of believers, no matter how hard you try to manipulate it to do so.
We have unfortunately done the very thing that we swore we'd never do during this recent crisis. We have forsaken our fellowship because we were too scared to meet. Yes, I have seen some signs of generosity, mainly during the initial weeks of the lock down. I've also seen some acts of kindness, but because we can't actually physically touch someone...those acts sometimes fall flat. The Internet is a good tool for communication, but was never meant to be used for everything under the sun. Hebrews 10:24-25 (KJV) offers this advice: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." We definitely lost that connection with our fellow believers when we decided to completely close our churches except for online services.
I guess the one thing that I'm trying to say is that fellowship comes when believers get together. It is important however that the true word gets out, and we have fellowship with Christ.
Now we do. Some of us thought that there was something "fishy" from the start. We didn't voice our thoughts because we wanted to give the benefit of doubt. It wasn't until the edicts starting coming out when it appeared that we were turning a corner on the disease progression, that we started to give voice to our thoughts. We were laughed at for our thoughts, and told that we were just imaging things. There was no fellowship, no coming together as some tried to push. I actually admittedly run to turn off any song that promotes this "coming together."
I've been coming to grips with my reactions to any "unity" speeches. Unity speeches are fine when the fellowship is strong and no one is pushing an agenda. It gets a bit scary when you see church leaders pushing that we all should comply with bad government edicts that restrict us from having fellowship with strict rules and regulations. We are not in this together. nor are we unified in the abrupt acceptance of online sermons only.
As these churches start to open their physical doors, they'd be wise to look deeply into their actions that hurt the church needlessly. Churches that didn't allow a small group to meet physically during the crisis, and only had online services will suffer the consequences. Churches that remained open physically with safety guidelines will flourish. I see that so clearly, because those churches are the ones that really listened and offered support while the other churches relied on people to call or go online.
No one will really know the detrimental impact these sustained closures will ultimately have on the established church. Some unfortunately will remain closed indefinitely. I can't help dwelling on Psalms 133:1 (KJV) which reads: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"It is sad to think that we lost that unity and stability in our society with the closure of these churches.
Yes, I know what Matthew 18:20 (KJV) says about this. It reads: "for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." This verse has been a justification for many not to gather together as a church body. It has been used as a balm to those of us who are being barred from attending church. Yet I just can't help thinking that the established church has been a strong factor in helping their communities over the years. They have fed the poor, clothed the needy and provided emotional support that can't be received over the Internet. In Acts 2:42(KJV) we read of the large group that formed under the apostles' leadership. It states: "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." This can't happen online. The Internet can't take the place of physical contact and fellowship of believers, no matter how hard you try to manipulate it to do so.
We have unfortunately done the very thing that we swore we'd never do during this recent crisis. We have forsaken our fellowship because we were too scared to meet. Yes, I have seen some signs of generosity, mainly during the initial weeks of the lock down. I've also seen some acts of kindness, but because we can't actually physically touch someone...those acts sometimes fall flat. The Internet is a good tool for communication, but was never meant to be used for everything under the sun. Hebrews 10:24-25 (KJV) offers this advice: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." We definitely lost that connection with our fellow believers when we decided to completely close our churches except for online services.
I guess the one thing that I'm trying to say is that fellowship comes when believers get together. It is important however that the true word gets out, and we have fellowship with Christ.
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