Church Covid Test

The Church Needs a Covid Test

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Church Life May Implode

“Church life as we know it may implode,” from my book Spiritual Prepper released in 2017. That might be one way to describe church life during the covid19 initial outbreak and lockdowns. It may even be a way to describe church life and the expression of our faith now after the two years of two weeks to flatten the curve.

In a 2014 blog post, I wrote that one of the realities we needed to prepare to face was that “the American Church as we know it will change.” Now as you’ll see, I didn’t foresee it occurring due to a pandemic, but rather I envisioned it coming due to attacks to our religious liberty. This is what I wrote then,

 

If America faces tribulation and change so will churches in America. But I believe church as we know it can change far before that point. Under the Obama Administration, it appeared the freedoms of our churches were headed for fundamental changes. One possibility I have heard mentioned is the possibility of church-giving losing its “tax-deductible” status which threatens to change church as we know it. What happens to Christians in America when there aren’t elaborate children’s ministries? What happens when the cutting-edge music has the plug pulled? What happens when there are not full-time pastors? What happens when big buildings can’t be afforded? Again, if we are struggling to remain faithful in such times of blessings how will we then? Whether that is a way in which things for the church will change who knows, and at that, the loss of giving is probably the least of what could happen to the American church.

I launched Stand Firm because I was concerned that if church as we knew it changed it would have a domino effect on our faith and the living out of our faith.

Covid Changed Church Life

I was wrong on the church-changing catalyst, but I was sure right about changes within church as we knew it—impacting our faith. For most churches attendance has remained lower since the start of covid. Many church members have not returned to church. Programs and outreach haven’t returned to full speed. Faithful involvement in the church has decreased.

We could discuss the benefits of shaking up American church life. But the purpose of this post is to see how it has impacted us.

Our gathering together regularly and our involvement in a local church is vital for our faith. Yet often our commitment to our church is like the tip of an iceberg. If the iceberg exists, then there will be a tip visible above the water line. And the more substance of the iceberg exists under the water, the more of a tip will be exposed. I believe this same principle applies to our personal faith and our participation in a body of believers. Often, if we’re not participating in a church, we don’t have much going on in our faith. Even if one’s disillusioned by church and has tried to live out their faith “outside the camp”, they’ve likely seen their own faith and its expression wither without the encouragement of a church.

Our gathering together regularly and our involvement in a local church is vital for our faith. Share on X

There’s no doubt that less church members are attending worship service and church events. There’s also likely evidence those who attend are doing less than they were. It may not be necessary for us to return to exactly what we were doing in church before covid, but our faithful following of Christ and carrying out the Great Commission shouldn’t waver.

Church Covid Test

I’d argue that our following and Gospel-fishing has likely suffered. Covid19 has slowed us down in our walk with the Lord. We need to realize that it’s likely it has, and we need to take a covid test. No not a giant Q-tip ran up your nose, but an evaluation of the direction our walk with the Lord has taken the past couple of years. Would you take the Covid test? I have a feeling we’re all positive to some degree, but we’ve all shrunk back too. Here’s some questions to consider?

  • Is your connection to your local body of believers more or less since covid?
  • Are you being encouraged by other believers more or less since covid?
  • Are you encouraging other believers more or less since covid?
  • Are you in the Word more or less since covid?
  • Are you being taught/discipled more or less since covid?
  • Are you discipling others more or less since covid?
  • Are you growing in your faith more or less since covid?
  • Are you serving the Lord locally more or less since covid?
  • Are you displaying the love of Jesus more or less since covid?
  • Are you building relationships within your neighborhood and personal networks more or less since covid?
  • Are you sharing the Gospel more or less since covid?
  • Are you faithful in your daily devotional time more or less since covid?
  • Are you praying more or less since covid?
  • Are you helping raise up the next generation in Christ more or less since covid?
  • Is your engagement in missions more or less since covid?
  • Are you giving more or less since covid?

I’ve had several covid tests and I leave with watery eyes and a burning nose—they aren’t fun, but they seemed necessary at the time. Not sure they were, but saying so messes up my analogy. Likewise, this faith covid test may not be fun, but it’s also necessary. Things may never return to “normal” but we have to recalibrate and continue growing and carrying out the Great Commission. We need to see if we’re standing firm or not.

 

This article first appeared in Jake’s syndicated column Stand Firm & Live Epic as published in The Baptist Trumpet and other publications. After three months the articles are adapted and published here. To read the articles at release subscribe here.

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