This is a plea to everyone who is investing their lives to some degree in the church.
These days are incredibly difficult, but in fact there is huge opportunity as well.
People everywhere are thinking about life and death, what’s important, and about the freedoms that we have, as well as the freedoms we have squandered.
In all of this, your pastor no matter what church you’re going to is struggling to make the best decisions they possibly can. One week they are applauded for going online and keeping people safe, having the priorities of Jesus!
The next week they are decried as “sheeple,” puppets of a manipulative government for simply obeying the scriptures that tell us to submit to our authorities.
Let me make a couple of points:
1. There was no class at seminary or Bible college about how to pastor in a pandemic… This is pioneering work for everyone, yes, even in the church.
2. Pastors are not scientists, statisticians, epidemiologists, and thank the Lord, they are not politicians. This means they must do the best they can to make theological decisions with the information provided to them, and if you haven’t noticed… that information changes every day, and is interpreted in multiple ways depending on someone’s political affiliation.
3. A pastor by nature is not just making decisions for themselves, they are having to think through how to make decisions for the church, the community, and any that may be touched by relationships through their church. It’s not a simple decision, it is vastly complex.
All of that being said, don’t forget that the pastor’s number one concern is the Gospel! In good times and in bad times they want to make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil (that quote is from the Bible, check it out), and I guarantee you that their decision making is trying to accomplish that goal while keeping as many people safe as possible.
So, please cut your church leadership some slack as they try and do the very best they can.
And, please be careful how you conduct yourself because while these days are difficult, as I mentioned, there are many opportunities and we can ruin those if we play the game the world is wanting to play right now of division, fear and backbiting.
This is targeted at no one in particular, but toward every believer that will listen. If you feel like I’m targeting you, you’re wrong. If you feel like this isn’t about you, you’re probably wrong.
I know it’s about me, and I pray that God will find me faithful in these days, gentle with others, and open to being used by Him for whatever.
I love you, and can’t wait till we get some kind of normal back in our lives.
1 Peter 2:17 (CSB): 17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.