Finding Our Red Line: When Must the Church Gather Again?

We never thought we would be here. More than a month has passed and our church buildings remain shuttered, the members of the Body of Christ scattered and isolated from one another. Yes, on the basis of our duty to love one another and our neighbors, it is has been justified. Yes, God has been at work in the Body, revealing our weaknesses and idols, forging us in the flames of hardship to acquire a strength heretofore unknown. Yes, this whole season has the makings of a fast, if we would but embrace that aspect.

But let us remember: no surgeon leaves the patient cut open; no smith abandons the iron to the fire; no person who will live keeps his stomach empty. The surgeon sews together, the smith pours on the water, the person feasts.

The Church is distanced now, but cannot and should not remain so without end. While our compliance with government guidelines naturally insinuates that the gathering of the Church is non-essential, we must forcefully deny that conclusion. One might go without food or water for a time in name of a good cause, but such abstinence proves nothing against their ultimate importance for survival. The same is true for the Body of Christ, and her health is essential to the world as she answers Christ’s commission to bring the message of salvation to all people.

How long can the Church carry on like this and remain healthy? How long can the Church carry on like this and maintain her commitment to the Great Commission? Staking it out at a ridiculously far extreme, would we be willing to continue like this for 10 years? I think the universal answer of the Body of Christ would and should be, “No.” Okay then, how about another month? I suspect most of us are willing to go that far, and perhaps ought to be. But let me ask you this:

Between 1 month and 10 years, where do we find our red line?

Presently, I have no answer, but I believe the line exists. There is biblical warrant for believing such a line exists. The writer of Hebrews reminds us: 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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 10:23-25 [ESV])

Notice how the writer indicates that the purpose of gathering is to stir one another up to love and good works and to encourage one another. Moreover, he specifically instructs us not to neglect meeting together.

Obviously, the writer of Hebrews wasn’t aware of the opportunities available via the telephone or Zoom. Even so, however helpful these tools may be, we all recognize their limits. They are sub-standard and not an acceptable replacement for the physical gathering together of the Body.

Returning to the genesis of the Church, we are reminded of Luke’s description in Acts 2:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ... And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42, 46-47 [ESV])

Once again, we see that the fellowship of believers is an essential feature of the Church. Interestingly, we also notice that the Christians found favor with all the people in Jerusalem at that time. This favor didn’t last, but it certainly burnished the Gospel message while it did.

Like the Christians of that time, we hope to curry such favor in our own communities today, for the sake of the Gospel. Favor is one thing we may lose if we reopen our churches too soon. This is the tightrope we walk: maintaining the health of the Body of Christ and maintaining the witness of the Body of Christ. Favor is important, but not all-commanding. If the Body disintegrates in the hopes of winning favor, no witness will remain to enjoy such favor. However, as must be noted, if the Body hurries to fatten itself with health while casting favor to the wind, it risks hardening many to the testimony of the Gospel.

Again, I have no dates for you. As a good Advent Christian, I am reticent to set any dates. All I mean to tell you is that this must not last. Begin thinking about ways your church can get together in smaller groups, instead of waiting for your “normal” Sunday service to be acceptable once again. Gathering in such groups would satisfy the fellowship described in the New Testament and would perhaps avoid unnecessary confrontation with the government. However, if even gatherings such as these become impinged by government policy, begin thinking now of where that red line lies. Begin thinking of when it will no longer be good for the Church to comply.