Why is Glenvar Still Open During Covid-19?
Dear Glenvar,
I love you. I have loved you. I will love you. That hasn’t changed. That won’t change. In light of what’s going on in our world there are a lot of questions coming in from a lot of different directions. I know you are trying to make the wisest decisions you can for you and your family. During this time, Glenvar Baptist has elected to keep the doors open. The people that are there are maintaining social distancing and we’re not as physically demonstrative as we usually are. People have different feelings on this. I want to share mine with the Glenvar family.
Hebrews 10:25 says “Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32). Which brings me to a few thoughts:
1. Church isn’t a sermon. - At Glenvar Baptist, we’ve been streaming sermons on Facebook for a long time. Well before this pandemic. It’s a great tool and we don’t shy away from incorporating modern technology into ministry.
2. Church isn’t a social gathering, but it is social. - When we go to social gatherings like birthday parties, dinners, bridal showers, etc, the focus is on the people we’re surrounded with. At church, the focus is to be on God. The body of Christ, worshiping God together. At the same time, we see since the day of Pentecost, the body of Christ has been meeting together to encourage one another in person. It’s both. It’s God-worship, but it’s social. If church is ONLY social for you then you don’t mind missing it. If it’s only God-worship, you feel like you can do that at home. If you’re meeting it’s true purpose, then you cannot be without it because the believer needs both! It’s difficult to do both at the same time while at home in isolation or while in the car in a parking lot.
3. We are set apart. - Romans 12:1-2 is a popular go-to for preachers wanting to condemn whatever worldly behavior we don’t deem Godly, but the essence of Romans 12:1-2 is about transforming our attitudes! Renewing our minds means we don’t think like the world thinks. We have the Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit enough to guide you through every decision in this process? Well, is the Holy Spirit enough to convict you of your sins unto salvation? Yes and yes. If we can trust the Holy Spirit with eternal decisions, I think He probably has a better grip on the Coronavirus than leading medical experts (no offense to them-It’s hard to beat God).
4. This isn’t missing a service for 4 feet of snow. - When there’s snow and ice on the ground, we close church for the safety of everyone. The snow is pushed, and then we’re open again. I don’t doubt the validity of the existence of the Coronavirus, but I also don’t doubt God’s control of it. We were told not to gather by the government. But told not to forsake gathering in Hebrews.
Ultimately, this is about choice. You have freedom in this country and you have freedom in Christ. Those who are immuno-compromised should probably stay home. Those who are not will probably be healthy and fine. I’m not saying I know who should come to church and who shouldn’t. The Holy Spirit, however, knows exactly who should be there in person. I’m not offended by the people who don’t come or do come. As a believer, what offends me, is that fear has the heart of Christians more than the Holy Spirit. I expect this level of panic from non-believers. From Christians...I expect the peace that surpasses understanding to say “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
“But Matt, God expects faith, but He doesn’t expect us to walk in front of an 18-wheeler.”
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
- Pastor Matt
I love you. I have loved you. I will love you. That hasn’t changed. That won’t change. In light of what’s going on in our world there are a lot of questions coming in from a lot of different directions. I know you are trying to make the wisest decisions you can for you and your family. During this time, Glenvar Baptist has elected to keep the doors open. The people that are there are maintaining social distancing and we’re not as physically demonstrative as we usually are. People have different feelings on this. I want to share mine with the Glenvar family.
Hebrews 10:25 says “Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32). Which brings me to a few thoughts:
1. Church isn’t a sermon. - At Glenvar Baptist, we’ve been streaming sermons on Facebook for a long time. Well before this pandemic. It’s a great tool and we don’t shy away from incorporating modern technology into ministry.
- We know Paul wrote many letters to churches. Some of our favorite books in the New Testament are those letters. They were helpful for encouragement while Paul was physically unable to be with the church. We glean so much from them, but were they enough for Paul and the churches he wrote to? No. In fact, in most of the letters he wrote, Paul expressed a desire to be with the church folk IN PERSON.
2. Church isn’t a social gathering, but it is social. - When we go to social gatherings like birthday parties, dinners, bridal showers, etc, the focus is on the people we’re surrounded with. At church, the focus is to be on God. The body of Christ, worshiping God together. At the same time, we see since the day of Pentecost, the body of Christ has been meeting together to encourage one another in person. It’s both. It’s God-worship, but it’s social. If church is ONLY social for you then you don’t mind missing it. If it’s only God-worship, you feel like you can do that at home. If you’re meeting it’s true purpose, then you cannot be without it because the believer needs both! It’s difficult to do both at the same time while at home in isolation or while in the car in a parking lot.
3. We are set apart. - Romans 12:1-2 is a popular go-to for preachers wanting to condemn whatever worldly behavior we don’t deem Godly, but the essence of Romans 12:1-2 is about transforming our attitudes! Renewing our minds means we don’t think like the world thinks. We have the Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit enough to guide you through every decision in this process? Well, is the Holy Spirit enough to convict you of your sins unto salvation? Yes and yes. If we can trust the Holy Spirit with eternal decisions, I think He probably has a better grip on the Coronavirus than leading medical experts (no offense to them-It’s hard to beat God).
4. This isn’t missing a service for 4 feet of snow. - When there’s snow and ice on the ground, we close church for the safety of everyone. The snow is pushed, and then we’re open again. I don’t doubt the validity of the existence of the Coronavirus, but I also don’t doubt God’s control of it. We were told not to gather by the government. But told not to forsake gathering in Hebrews.
- If they told you reading the Bible was harmful, would you stop?
- If they told you praying should cease for a little while, would you quit? (we should ask Daniel)
Ultimately, this is about choice. You have freedom in this country and you have freedom in Christ. Those who are immuno-compromised should probably stay home. Those who are not will probably be healthy and fine. I’m not saying I know who should come to church and who shouldn’t. The Holy Spirit, however, knows exactly who should be there in person. I’m not offended by the people who don’t come or do come. As a believer, what offends me, is that fear has the heart of Christians more than the Holy Spirit. I expect this level of panic from non-believers. From Christians...I expect the peace that surpasses understanding to say “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
“But Matt, God expects faith, but He doesn’t expect us to walk in front of an 18-wheeler.”
- You’re right. Common sense keeps faithful people from walking out in the middle of I-81. Suppose I said “I might get hit by an 18-wheeler, so I’m not leaving the house altogether.” Is that common sense too? Or fear? God hasn’t given the believer a spirit of fear friends. I’m not asking you to volunteer without a face mask in the Covid section of the hospital (that’s walking in the middle of the road), I’m saying, Christian, pray to God and listen to the Holy Spirit. If He’s enough to keep Paul from travelling to Asia, or send Phillip to the Ethiopian eunuch, He’s enough to tell you whether you should be with God’s people.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
- Pastor Matt
