Last fall at the CPT conference, I argued that the most faithful way to gather as a church under the ministry of the Word and the sacraments requires the real physical presence of pastors and congregations. I concluded that multi-campus churches, video venue preaching, and perhaps even multiple services undermine the real presence we ought to have with each other in the presence of Christ.
I had no idea that about five months later we would find ourselves in a situation that makes gathering together largely impossible for a season. If you share my conviction that faithful Christian worship requires real physical presence, how then should we think about these things.
First of all, we should all quickly admit that this is unprecedented for all of us. None of us have walked through a worldwide pandemic that has shut down major cities, limited gatherings to ten people, and has brought the worldwide travel industry to a grinding halt. However we proceed, we must seek the Lord’s wisdom and have a lot of grace toward our sister churches and fellow pastors. There is no script for this.
I also think we can take advantage of the technology that is available to us while also teaching our people to have the right mindset toward this technology. At the same session where I argued for the necessity of real physical presence, my friend and fellow member of the St. John Ecclesial Theologian Fellowship Douglas Estes argued in favor of “online church.” Douglas’s main argument was that meeting online is a good and right option when other circumstances prevent us from gathering together (for example, in a worldwide pandemic). I tend to agree that these are wonderful tools for us to stay connected to fellow Christians and said as much in our session together. Yet I would be slower to call what is actually happening “church”—if by that we mean the gathered worship of the people of God under the means of grace. For the time being, we are not able to gather together physically to hear the Word proclaimed and to come to the Lord’s Table. It is good to find ways to connect virtually with our fellow church members. But that does not mean we need to like it or view it as an actual replacement for a worship service.
Our situation is not altogether different than the situation in which the elder (likely John the Apostle) found himself when writing 3 John. After giving a series of instructions to Gaius and, presumably, the church in which he was a pastor, John concludes the letter by lamenting the limits of communicating through technology rather than in person. He writes, “I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face” (3 John 13–14 ESV). In other words, John wanted to instruct Gaius when he was kept from being in his presence, but he recognized that his instruction would be limited, less personal, and temporary.
As we walk through this season of church under quarantine, I think our approach should be much the same as John’s as we instruct our congregations. We ought to pursue continued communication and teaching using the technology available to us. I thank the Lord that we have been able to gather to watch sermons on Sunday morning. Our family has benefitted from short updates from our pastors on Instagram and Facebook. I’ve appreciated the chance to FaceTime with students at our seminary. But we all recognize that these interactions are limited.
We can see each other, but we can’t be with each other. There is a big difference, and we feel it every time we log on. I’ve also noticed that many pastors are preaching shorter sermons and sending out short updates. This is because we recognize that a lecture on a screen is, quite frankly, not the best medium for teaching and preaching complex theology or calling people to deep reflection on the gospel. Since we are not gathering as the people of God communing with each other and the risen Christ, I don’t think we should call our Sunday livestreams a “worship service.” We can use a livestream to call our people to worship and to teach from God’s Word, but we have to be honest enough to say that the television in our living room is designed for amusement, not for deep musing on the things of God, let alone a replacement of the means of grace that God has given to his gathered people.
We can and probably should provide online help for our members if able, but we ought to do so in a way that reminds our people what genuine Christian worship ought to be. Rather than simply encouraging families and singles to tune in to the livestreamed worship service, perhaps it would be wise for us to call on fathers to lead their households in times of worship and prayer or for roommates to have an extended time of prayer as a group before or after the online components. Regardless of whether a video sermon or other online elements are involved, we should look for ways to remind our congregation that Christian worship ought to be embodied worship together with our brothers and sisters.
Second, our interaction during these days is going to be less personal. We can’t greet each other the way we would like—whether it is a hearty handshake for my friends in Minnesota or a hug with a kiss on the cheek for our friends back in Hawaii, where we used to live and minister. We cannot reach out and hold someone’s hand or lean in closer to pray with them. There is a barrier between us, and it is okay to acknowledge that as we interact with each other.
I have wondered how we can overcome some of these barriers, even in small ways. As the weather gets warmer in many places, perhaps we could encourage pastors to lead backyard gatherings of ten or so people in a short prayer service and a time to gather at the Lord’s Table. While we should be quick to change our normal practices out of love for our neighbors, we would be wise to seek ways to adapt the ways that our people receive the means of grace God has entrusted to his church. The longer this unusual season lasts, the more important it will be to find ways to gather creatively even if in very small gatherings spread across a backyard. This could be the closest application of Acts 2:42 that we’ve ever experienced. Perhaps God is calling us back to that kind of ecclesiology and away from mega-churches and celebrity pastors: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
Finally, we should remember that this kind of distant interaction is temporary. With John, we should say, “I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.” We should not get used to this way of interacting with our congregants and fellow church members. On the contrary, this imperfect way of meeting should be a reminder that we are still living in a fallen world and that even under the best of circumstances we will find ourselves distant from each other. We have every reason to suspect that our longing to be together again as congregations will be realized—we just don’t know how long it will be. We should frequently remind our congregations that as soon as possible, we will again gather in person as a congregation. But more than this, we can have absolute confidence that our longing to be united together and with Christ himself will one day be fulfilled. During this season, let’s remind ourselves and our congregations that life in this fallen world will not always be so and, regardless of what happens in the current crisis, our longings for community will be realized in the greatest possible way.
Chris Bruno is Associate Academic Dean and Assistant Professor of New Testament and biblical theology at Bethlehem Seminary. He previously served as pastor of discipleship and training at Harbor Church in Honolulu, HI. He has written and co-written five books, including Paul vs. James (Moody, 2019). He is a member of the St. John Fellowship of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
