jordanabina
I seriously wouldn’t have thought to be sharing 3 Things I learned on a Sunday without “church” today. But here we are.
“It’s amazing how fast things can change.”
You’ve probably said like this in the last few days, I’ve said it more than once. One moment you are living your life as normal and the next moment you find yourself scrambling to make sense of the hysteria and fear that is sweeping our world.
I honestly didn’t think it would come to closing our church doors on a Sunday, but because we wanted to keep people safe, we did. (But our pastor did stay on campus because he wanted to make sure everyone who showed knows they are loved).
I wasn’t quite sure how this would all feel, how it would turn out, and if God would be okay with it. Was God cool with this decision? Was He in favor of the decision we’d made? I wrestled (still wrestling) with the reality of being a pastor, worship leader, and Christian but not having a church service this morning (Sunday, March 15th)
But in the process, God showed me some really beautiful things. Our God is so good and so much bigger than I make Him out to be. Here are 3 Things I learned on a Sunday without “church.”
It’s really important to gather on Sunday (any day).
Can you worship on your own? Yes. Can you listen to worship in your car and honor God? Yup. But is there something unique, special, important, and spiritual about joining with brothers and sisters and praising God together? Definitely.
Our small little group gathered at my house and watched a pre-recorded worship set that was put together by me and some friends and had a genuine worship experience. It was a time that I don’t think could’ve happened without each other.
We need a community. We must fight to worship God together. God has built us for it.
Worship is a choice.
How true it is. I had heard the announcement like everyone else. The church was closed today, there would be an online option. And wow, didn’t it feel like just that, an option. No one to see, no one to ask me, and no one knowing whether or not I made the choice to come to church.
And then, it all became clear. It’s always been my choice. But today provided such an amazing reminder for all of us. Would I make time today to worship, to pray, to gather, and to draw close to God? I’m so glad I’m surrounded by people and by a church who doesn’t just worship because we feel we have to, but instead because we choose to.
If anything happened today, it was that my kids saw that even though the doors closed on a building, they didn’t close in our hearts. God reminded me and my family that He doesn’t live there, He dwells in the presence of worshippers. Worship is a choice. I choose to worship, standing next to brothers and sisters in Christ.
The last thing is this.
The Church and the body of Christ are made for moments like this.
A virus sweeps through our world, closing businesses and forcing people into their homes. It spreads fear and concern for the well being of our families and friends. It makes us feel like we should stay in our homes and close down our lives, and why wouldn’t we? This is crazy, right?
But in the last 72 hours, I’ve seen the church body do what it was meant to do, flex. In a moment, volunteers stepped up to lead groups of people in their homes and help facilitate a safe and welcoming place of worship. My friend Caleb shifted his life and singlehandedly made an online service happen with excellence. Another friend of mine Andrew emptied his home studio and recorded a worship set that helped usher the presence of God into people’s homes. Incredible.
Thank you very much you guys.
The Holy Spirit can go wherever He wants. Every home. Every quarantined area. Every country. Every hospital room. When His presence enters, the church has power.
Wow. This just may be a glimpse into the future, and it may be a glimpse into the next move of the Spirit. Church, don’t give in to a Spirit of fear, instead, let’s come to God with prayer and thanksgiving and ask for the impossible.
It dawned on me this morning as I worshipped that my neighbors were now 12 feet away from a church experience, they were within an open window distance of hearing worship, and that maybe God was up to something. The Church was made for this.
Today some churches were closed, but church happened nonetheless.
I love the Church.
I love God.
I’m praying that the COVID-19 crisis is erased in Jesus‘ name.
I’m also praying that whatever God is up to would increase and whatever He is turning for good would start in me and in my home, friends, and community.
3 Things I learned on a Sunday without “church”
