But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. | 2 Corinthians 4:7–10
The coronavirus is now here (by here, I mean in our community) and so is the panicked response. I am writing this response from a coffee shop overlooking Costco, where a line of 100 or so people are waiting for the doors to open, most likely to buy toilet paper. Jokes aside, we really are facing a serious crisis here, which the World Health Organization just labeled a pandemic. The various responses to COVID-19 reveal what we hope in, what we fear, and where we place our values. It also offers an opportunity to shape worldview as people are faced with realities they had not experienced before.
The difficulty is, this virus does not just affect health, it challenges how we practice our daily rhythms. The only way to stop a virus is to stop it from spreading is for everyone to isolate themselves from one another. This has some calling for a complete cancellation of everything. It has also led to the governor of our state restricting all gatherings of 250 or more people and the cancellation of all Seattle schools for the next two weeks (updated to 6 since this was first published). This puts churches in a difficult position. We both want to be good citizens, serving the weakest and most vulnerable among us, but we also want to make sure that we are:
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. | Hebrews 10:25
The elders are going to have to make some difficult decisions in the near future and I want to give a picture of how we are weighing the information, so that when plans are communicated, you can understand how we arrived there. I think the best way to do this is to boil the variables down to two competing values: the importance of church and compassion for our neighbors.
IMPORTANCE OF THE CHURCH
It is a bit disheartening to hear the church referred to as a non-essential gathering, though attendance statistics may reveal that plenty of people who claim Christianity think of it this way. The Ekklesia is a means of grace for the people of God. For this reason, saints throughout history have gathered under threat of persecution, and even death. The reason why we gather every Sunday is because we need to be encouraged and built up through the singing of songs, the preaching of the word, and the sharing of the sacraments. This weekly rhythm sustains us as we deal with all of the difficulties of what it is to be human. When a pandemic occurs, we need these reminders and encouragement even more.
Our gathering together is not just about what we get out of it; it is part of our active worship. When we gather with the threat of persecution, we are declaring to the powers of this world that we serve a greater king. We sing with David:
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid? | Psalm 27:1
God is praised and the people of God strengthened as they gather together for worship.
COMPASSION FOR OUR NEIGHBORS
There is a very clear Biblical call to follow the example of Jesus and think of others more highly than ourselves (Philippians 2:3-5). The Pauline epistles point those in positions of strength to use their strength for the benefit of the weaker. The OT law makes specific commands to care for those less fortunate. In Jeremiah 29:7–8, we see God call His people to consider how to seek the welfare of those around them:
But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
At all times, Christians must consider how the way that they live serves those whom they live among. This would include sacrificing for the health of those in a weakened position. As we face a virus that preys on the elderly and those with health issues, we must consider what role we play in showing compassion and acting to limit the damage of COVID-19.
Churches tend to lean heavily in one direction or the other. Those who elevate the importance of the church will call for people to gather no matter what, often quoting the sections of Scripture that call for us to not fear, possibly relating the story of the church in the 3rd century, and maybe even trying to draw parallels to CS Lewis’ article about atomic bombs.
Those who leans toward compassion for our neighbors will point the numerous articles (I think this one is the most informative) telling us that the most loving thing that we can do is distance ourselves now. They would ask the question: what is worth putting people’s lives at risk? To which the first group would say: trusting and obeying God!
You can see the struggle. We have two imperatives of great value that are in conflict. The elders are continually re-evaluating where these two are in relation to one another, especially as the number of people infected grows. The best that we can do is keep up to date on the info (here it is in pretty form), continue to follow the recommendations from our health department, and recognize that the church has always had to balance these two (like the one time we cancelled church for unsafe driving conditions).
Before any decisions are made, let us pray. Pray that God would protect those who are most threatened by this virus. Pray that people would be willing to change their routines for the sake of others. Pray that churches who are gathering do not contribute to the spread. Pray that God would give us wisdom and discernment. Pray that God would be glorified in how His people balance their responsibilities in this complex world.