Questions, Questions and More Questions. (When Will We ReOpen the Church?)

Today’s big question is: When will we reopen?

Yes. That’s a big question. And there are many other questions still unanswered in our minds: How many will be infected with the Corona virus? How many will die? How many have already had it? Will it come back in the fall?

Those questions give birth to more questions, such as: Is social distancing the best way to fight the virus? What about vaccines? Antibodies? How does our desert summer heat affect the virus?  

While those questions still hang thick in the air, we have additional questions about the economic and psychological impact, such as: How long will I be furloughed? Will I lose my job? When will unemployment pay be reduced? What are the long-term effects of isolation? Will these feelings of depression and anxiety ever go away? Will my marriage survive this? Am I an alcoholic? 

My pastor’s heart has me asking questions, such as: Will our church shine brightly in this time? Will people take responsibility for their own spiritual formation and for the ones God has given them? Will we come back together with great stories to share of Jesus’ exploits? Will we come back stronger or weaker? Will we come back bringing others who did not follow Jesus before this? Or will we shrink back because of fear and lethargy?

All these questions indicate the intensity of our uncertainty. We privileged Americans have been accustomed to a certain level of certainty that many in the world have not had. It is wonderful to have the certainty of resources and freedom, but when that certainty is taken away, who do we become? My prayer is that, through all this, we would learn to draw our certainty from the Lord, instead of all the facades and escapes this world has to offer.

Now for the question of
when we will reopen the church:

1. We have never closed the church—just the building. Not to be cheeky, but the church has never and will never be closed. So far, we keep hearing stories from so many of you about how you’re staying connected and taking ownership of your own spiritual formation.

2. We will reopen the building for smaller gatherings as soon as we get clearance. We will continue to listen to the Holy Spirit and to the government and health care professionals’ recommendations. 

3. We believe a phased approach between now and full re-gathering for Sunday services is the best way forward. 

4. We have an in-between plan called “Home But Not Alone”, and it will take us through Father’s Day.

5. We want our re-gathering to be a time of celebration and not a time of division. 

Here is the “Home But Not Alone” phase,
broken down into some simple steps:

1. Just as the first church grew, formed, and strengthened by meeting from house to house, we feel God leading us into a season of growing, forming, and strengthening by meeting from house to house. (I dare you to read Acts 2:42-47 in the NASB and try not to get pumped up.)

2. Between now and Sunday, May 24, we would like you to invite some friends, neighbors, co-workers, family members, and people in your Life Group over to your house for a Sunday service. Remember to include people who don’t know Jesus, as the Lord leads you.

3. On Saturday night, May 23, take some time to pray and set up your living room to be an inviting sanctuary. And remember, doughnuts make everyone happy.

4. Then, on Sunday, May 24, sit back and join the live stream of Living Streams Sunday service with your group, and see what the Spirit of God will do. 

And now for a little pep talk as we phase into this:

I know this might sound a little scary. I know many of us have settled into the comforts of live-streaming at home in our pajamas. But Jesus did not redeem us to make us comfortable. He redeemed us so we could be useful.

Please step up, Living Streams. Please accept the call upon your life to be a part of the royal priesthood. Please participate in this opportunity to put God’s glory on display, to be courageous, and to engage in society’s pain. Please be wise, reasonable and safe as you go about this. But please go about this.

Please open your home or support someone else who is opening their home. Please overcome the discomfort of cleaning, dusting and hosting. Please put the pajamas away and join other people for church. (Or just host a Sunday and tell everyone to wear their pajamas.)

We still want everyone who is considered vulnerable or at risk to stay quarantined according to governmental recommendations. We still want everyone who is sick in any way to stay home and protect the rest of us. We also want anyone who is uncomfortable with this to feel free to watch on your own until we can all get back together.

Ultimately, some of us may have to wait a bit longer than we want, and some of us may be asked to return a little sooner than we want. Jesus taught us not to just look to the interest of ourselves, but also to the interests of others.

And, finally, to us introverts, it has been fun being isolated, but let’s do this, because we know we are better together. 

I pray peace, joy and freedom for you all. May God bless you and bring us all together exactly as He sees fit.

David

If community at Living Streams is new for you click here and we will help you connect.