Beyond 4 Walls

Earlier today in a group on facebook, someone wrote "UMC in VA had abandoned the church." This is simply not true. The church that he attends is offering online services but not in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The truth is a lot of churches are having to look at alternative ways of worship. 

I understand the feeling of abandonment. However, as my Bishop stated, we are to do no harm to our fellow man. When we speak of doing no harm, it means to avoid all evil of every kind, including not showing up to a building where people may end up capturing a virus that could potentially kill them. What I believe this person is saying is that nothing is going to make him happy until he can get back in the church and actually worship sitting in a pew. I get it, I am not happy that we can't be in church, but I feel like God is doing something greater.

You see, I look for silver-linings in not being in the church. One church right now doesn't intimidate people. They can pull up in their cars, they can hear a message about God online through social media. Even the church of England has recommended that churches continue with online services when they return to their buildings, even the official website has online prayer office daily. God has moved the church beyond walls. 

Andrew Hall of First Baptist church in Huntsville, AL says "Church isn't necessarily the building, the Church is the people." I think about Ferguson, MO and one of the chants that the people called out "Get out of the house and into the streets." In other words, "Get out of the pews and into the streets." COVID-19 has taught us that we need to move beyond the walls. 

Yes, there is comfort sitting in the church, walking in shaking hands with those we know and love, definitely comfortable. Yet, God has given us a door to the world. Everyone one of us has a ministry, and we have a mission field. The Coronavirus pandemic calls us to a new location – the streets redefined. The call to the streets is a metaphor for leaving places of comfort and going to the inconvenient spaces in the margins. If physically being away from our sanctuaries – mosques, temples, synagogues, and spiritual houses of worship makes us uncomfortable – perhaps worshipping in place is where we need to be. Perhaps we have become so comfortable behind those walls, we have lost our prophetic imagination to be the church without the bricks and mortar surrounding us.

God is calling us to the highways and the hedges, to compel people to come in that His house may be full. (Luke 14:23, ESV). God doesn't work by accident. In fact, Brad Larson says "He is intricately intentional with how he guides our lives. The people around you — the ones you love and the ones you loathe — are his image-bearers and they all need the grace of Christ." 

It's time to stop worrying about if a Bishop will allow you back into your building, because God is calling you to something greater, He's calling the church out from behind the walls, and straight into the mission field...will you answer?