by Consuela Harmon and Ceteria Brown
Within recent news, there has been uproar with the ordinance to cancel church services, as some believers feel that we can walk through this pandemic with faith. Thus, there have been pastors who have chosen to defy governing officials by hosting their usual services.
Sadly, some are now paying the cost, even with their lives, as the spreading of the disease is more commonly identified within church congregations. The choices of these church leaders cause one to question their tenacity. Is this practical? Radical? Or simply disobeying the laws of the land?
The most recent spreading of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has impacted the entire nation, as it has sent our economy into a crisis and uncertainty. To date, there have been a total of 843,186 cases and 25,452 deaths reported by the Center of Disease Control (C.D.C.) within America. These numbers are climbing daily. With such an alarming rate, America has now soared beyond other countries in cases and sent our political leaders and scientists in a frenzy as they fight to patent a cure and decrease the number of cases.
Since Mid-March, under the instruction of President Donald Trump, many city leaders have ordered citizens to quarantine within their homes for 14 days. However, some of these orders have been extended beyond the initial 14-day period. Many businesses have been shut down, some employees are now working from the confines of their home, entire states have cancelled school for the remainder of the year, and churches have been instructed to cancel their services. Though some states have begun to slowly reopen their cities, many remain under quarantine restrictions.
In the midst of this crisis, there appears to be a divide within the body of Christ as some are opposed to the ordinance. Some Christian leaders believe that the gathering for congregational services are essential. With some holding this belief, they have yet to cancel their regularly scheduled services. On the other hand, some pastors have resumed their services through the use of Zoom or Facebook live.
These methods are being taken to prevent the spread of the rapidly growing virus. The decisions to operate contrary to the instructions of government officials lead many to question, “Are these decisions really compelled by the Holy Spirit?”
Prior to releasing the order to cancel services, the C.D.C. released an informative resource guide, which encouraged leaders to “Plan, Prepare, and Respond to COVID-19.” A few of these tips are as follows;
“Encourage your staff or community members to protect their personal health. Post the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, which are fever, cough, shortness of breath. Clean surfaces that are frequently touched – things such as shared desks, countertops, kitchen areas, electronics, and doorknobs. Limit events and meetings that require close contact.”
The Lord instructs us to, “Obey the government, for God is the one who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. 2 So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. (Romans 13:1-3, THE LIVING BIBLE).” Considering the context of this scripture, is safe to say that that churches who have chosen to continue in their services are not following The Lord’s instructions?
Denying churches the opportunity to preach is another side of this debate. Some have argued that considering church services as non-essential is wrong, and that it is in fact an essential service for the believer. After all, The Bible does say to not forsake the fellowship (Hebrews 10:25).
By the same token, scripture also notes, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”
We must also consider the Biblical examples before us, such as The Apostles who were commanded in Acts 4 to not preach in the name of Christ. Despite this command, they obeyed their instructions from God. In today’s context, C.D.C orders were not based on religion, rather health and safety. Not to mention the Apostles didn’t have Zoom or Facebook Live. Their actions were crucial and necessary during their lifespan as there were no forms of social media for them to continue to preach The Gospel.
In this temporary time of separation, so many churches have found ways to come closer together through cell groups, phoned prayer conferences, live or pre-recorded messages from pastors, shared devotionals, and so much more. Considering the varying sides of this debate, we have to decide whether the decisions of some churches are radical, irrational, or something in between.
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