Epistle to The Closed Church

David shared with me the following letter that he’s sending to his closed church; I doubt he’d mind if you adapt it and forward it to yours: 

Over the past several weeks I have been experiencing a crisis.  Some would describe it as a crisis of faith, but I don’t think that really gets to the heart of what is happening.  I don’t doubt God, I haven’t been asking, “How could He let this happen?”  It’s also not a crisis brought on by “The Virus,” at least not directly.  I don’t fear getting sick or dying from this. At its heart, it is a crisis of faith in the church.

Now, I am not a “high-church” person theologically, but I do I have a Biblical understanding of what the church here on earth is supposed to be.  It is not supposed to be fearful, subservient to worldly powers, hidden or encompassed by a Zoom call. No, the church is to be Christ’s body working to bring the kingdom into this world. We are the front line of Christ’s efforts to set the world right.

Instead, we have cowered in fear.  We have submitted to the commands of Caesar. We have forsaken meeting together.  For heaven’s sake, we even closed for Easter!  And for what? A manufactured crisis over a virus that is being shown repeatedly to be far less than what it has been sold to be.

Now, my point isn’t to go into detail about the scientism being employed to sell everyone on this virus as being the next bubonic plague or “Spanish” “flu,” though the evidence has been available since the lockdowns began that shows it to be blown all out of proportion.  And the evidence has only gotten stronger as time has passed. My intent isn’t even to dwell on the political “solutions” being enforced, other than how they impact the church and its response. Though it is an odd thing to so-called quarantine healthy people, without any due process of law. And threaten them with the violence of the state if they don’t fall in line.  We will kill you to save you, I guess…

No, my main point is to highlight how the church, Christ’s bride, has completely given into the diktats of the state and essentially closed its doors. There was a time when people flocked to these shores, knowing that life would likely be short and brutish, a struggle just to eke out an existence, all to be free. Untold and unimaginable hardship and RISK endured to be freed from state oppression, oftentimes religious oppression. Now, because of a mere flu-like bug, apparently “we’re” willing to throw it all away. Who would have thought that, in the US of all places, you would see cops taking license plate #’s and breaking up church services on Easter Sunday? It is truly depressing. It’s even more disheartening here in Ohio since the church is exempted from the large gathering ban.

We live under the largest government in the history of the world, and the church has a duty to be the arbiter between the people and the state. Any freedom lost to the state, no matter the reason or circumstance, is freedom that will not be returned. It’s crucial to understand that it is not the virus taking away these freedoms, it is a heavy-handed state that seeks even more control.  We witnessed the same thing after 9/11.

There is an even more sacred duty of the church: to care for the poor and downtrodden.  People are hurting and suffering and they need to see the love of Christ.  The body needs to be the hands and feet ministering to people’s spiritual and physical needs.  If they don’t, who else is left? The government? I think online options for worship are fine so far as it goes, but it is not a replacement for being the body helping expand God’s kingdom in this hurting world.  People who aren’t already involved in churches are unlikely to join into online type settings, so the church needs to be out and active.  It’s more than just an “essential” vs “non-essential” distinction like is being applied to businesses.  This could impact people’s souls for eternity.  It’s very difficult to love your neighbor if you won’t leave your house.

I think a foundational thing to consider when weighing these issues is that we live in a fallen world and live with disease.  As such, you cannot expect a “germ-free” environment.  Because of this, people who are fearful of getting this (or any) virus ultimately must bear the responsibility of protecting themselves. And if the risk of a disease is too high for someone, then that person who wants the protection of self-isolation can freely choose it. I also think it is assumed that the only people who are taking on risk are the ones who want to isolate, but there is risk borne by those who are forced to isolate against their will.  Often these risks are unseen and linked with the economic consequences of a forced shutdown. And based upon this reasoning, the church being active isn’t putting people at unnecessary risk by ministering and providing care and comfort.

But ultimately, even if all the things being claimed about the virus were true, and the response of the government was somehow justifiable, the church should still be open and out among the people.  Even if this was the black death all over again, that is the time the church is needed most. The risk of the virus is an assertion based on speculation, but the damage being done to people and to the church is inarguable fact. Of all the times the church needs to be open and active, this is the most critical. 

Regarding that last: a former and unbelieving neighbor phoned tonight. This man is divorced and remarried, with questionable morals and integrity. Yet when we lamented the hysteria Our Rulers have ginned up, its destruction of the country, and the fact that even churches have capitulated to this evil agenda, he nigh shouted, “Yes! And this is when we most need them, too!”

If even he recognizes this, why don’t Christians?

The Best of Becky Akers