COVID-19 PERSPECTIVE: Jake Mills
I know that there’s a lot of talk going around about how things will never be the same due to COVID-19. School won’t be the same. Shopping won’t be the same. Concerts, gatherings, sporting events won’t be the same.
I was in a meeting the other day where someone said that hugging and shaking hands will go away all together because of COVID-19. Forever.
And I get it. Everyone is trying to prepare everyone else for the long haul. I appreciate that.
But then I hear and read this over and over:
“Church is never going to be the same.”
“The way we do church is never going to be the same.”
“This is the new normal for church.”
Big name people (much smarter than I am) are saying this. They want us to be prepared for what’s coming. Their advice is good—don’t act like nothing happened. Don’t expect people to be where they were three months ago. Don’t refuse to learn during this time.
I get it. I agree. Good wisdom for us all to consider. I recently led a church to regather and they are not doing their gathering like before. Because of COVID-19, many churches (including mine) started doing Facebook Live prayer during the week, and since so many are being ministered by that, most will probably keep doing it post-COVID. We have all learned lessons for our online campuses during this season. It’s obvious that people have been struggling, many are depressed, and that we all need healing after this prolonged period of isolation.
It would be crazy to act like it didn’t happen.
But … so much is the same, isn’t it?
The church has been around for 2,000+ years. She has survived famine, plague, persecution, divisions, heresy and war. She will survive COVID-19. In fact, I think the Church will bounce back even stronger. Why? Because a lot hasn’t changed. The stuff that matters. Sure, we’ll have to sit further apart and avoid the Romans 16:16 moments for a while … (that was a joke).
But the church will still do the same things it’s always done:
• Preach the gospel.
• Gather the saints.
• Disciple the saved.
• Reach the lost.
• Worship the Lord.
That and much, much more is exactly the same during times of war or times of peace, famine or plenty, persecution or freedom, over millennia—with or without COVID-19.
Will some things be different? Yes. Will we need to adjust for a time? Absolutely. But will “the church never be the same”?
Nope. Not in the ways that matter.
Read more COVID-19 Perspectives from pastors and church leaders.