Moving On from the Pandemic Era

Every sane person wants to move on from the pandemic era, but acting like it didn’t happen isn’t how you do it. That goes doubly for churches.

With that in mind, I posted this:

As you can see, it got a lot of attention, and I thought it warranted a longer follow-up post. So…

The primary compromises of biblical principles I had in mind are:

- Undermining the centrality of gathered weekly worship

- Requiring masks, social distancing, or vaccines to receive the Word and Sacrament

The vast majority of churches in the States engaged in at least some form of both for a period of time. A deadly disease spreading from China sounded believable, so I don’t fault some of the initial reactions. However, it became increasingly clear that, whatever it was, it didn’t justify suspending or limiting the weekly worship of the Lord God.

How long was too long? That's a matter of judgment. Some say services should never have been suspended, while others justify any length in the name of safety. I'm not inclined toward rigid thinking. Churches reflect their leaders, congregations, and communities, and you’ll need to factor that into your judgment. For example, I’d allow more leeway for a church with an older congregation or one near a military base, as those groups were under added pressure and propaganda.

The question, for me, is whether the length of time public worship was suspended or limited was understandable and justifiable, given all the circumstances. If so, let it go. If not, did they ever say, "I'm sorry for that," or "I regret doing that. Please forgive me"? If they did, I wouldn't demand a pound of flesh. It was an extremely challenging time, especially in the early weeks and months.

If neither of those things were true, and I had sincerely attempted to resolve it without success, I would leave or make plans to leave that church. 

And here’s why: 

It’s a serious failure when those entrusted with leading weekly public worship refuse to fulfill their God-given duty in the face of difficulty. Ultimately, it reflects a failure of nerve and character. If this hasn’t been addressed, it will resurface. It takes courage to preach the truth, counsel through death and divorce, or discipline an elder for unruly children. If leaders won’t stand firm—or admit failure—in such a fundamental area, they won’t do the harder, less visible work either.

Paul refused to take Mark on a mission journey due to his earlier dereliction of duty, but later, Paul called for Mark because he had repented and was "useful for the ministry." There is a path back from ministerial failure, but it requires owning the failure. Grace abounds for the repentant. Yet too many pastors refuse to repent and remain stuck in the "pandemic era," even as they try to act as though the opposite is true. 

So, what should you do if you're in a church that hasn't dealt with its pandemic failure?

First, ensure you've formed a charitable judgment, then ask if they have any regrets.

Second, if they express no regrets, start looking for another church in your local community, and consider relocating if you can't find a solid one within driving distance.

Third, if moving or finding another church isn’t possible, stay and work toward reformation.

That's it.