While there is a growing, vocal number of Christians eager to return to gathered worship, or even proclaiming enough is enough and returning to the house of the LORD regardless of the magistrate, there are others less enthusiastic and even downright hostile to the idea. Where Israelites rejoiced, celebrated, and even partied regarding the House of the Lord, many today are content to abstain themselves or call out any who attend services under COVID. A journey to Jerusalem to be in the Lord’s House was met with music and gladness, but today it is met with rebuke, caution, and charges of persecution complex.

Introduction

For many generations of Israel’s history, God dwelled among them in an ornate and gloriously mobile tabernacle. Wherever the people of God were commanded to go (or wandered), God went with them in a very visible way. Despite the public display of His presence in fire, smoke, miracles, and an opulent tabernacle with its golden accoutrements, Israel indulged in rampant idolatry and at times reveled in violating God’s commands.

When the Israelites entered the promised land, the tabernacle remained in Gilgal for seven years before it was moved to Shiloh where it remained until the time of David. There is a lot of history that occurs in that span of time and much of it is concerned with Israel’s habit of doing what was right in each person’s view. Under King David, the days of the mobile tabernacle came to an end. David established Jerusalem as the capital and God’s holy city (called Zion) amidst His people and he had grand designs for a temple. Though Solomon would ultimately build the temple of the Lord, the arrival of the ark of the covenant (a visual representation of the Lord’s covenant faithfulness and presence) was extraordinary cause for celebration.

And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he [David] sacrificed an ox and fatling. And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of a trumpet.

2 SAMUEL 6:13-15

When the temple was finally completed, the festivities surrounding the consecration of the temple and seating of the ark were unparalleled:

4) They brought up the ark of the LORD and the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils, which were in the tent, and the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5) And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen they could not be counted or numbered…62) Now the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the LORD. 63) Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all of the sons of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD…66) On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king. Then they went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David His servant and to Israel His people.

1 KINGS 8:4-5, 62-63, 66

During the best days in Israel, there was much rejoicing over the presence of the Lord. When the tabernacle gave way to the more permanent temple (until AD 70 anyway), there was cause for rejoicing and feasting for two weeks (1 Kings 8:65). Similar conduct is seen in the early church when the Holy Spirit indwells the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:42-47). In the end of days, God dwells among His people in the New Heavens and Earth and a great marriage supper occurs (Revelation 19, 21).

Whenever God and His people are gathered together, there is much rejoicing and much to rejoice over. Yet, in our day, this reality seems lost on no small number of professing Christians. This reality is truly the culmination of a multitude of reasons both personal and corporate, but I want to focus upon what quarantine has highlighted specifically.

Clarification

At the outset of what I am about to write, I want to make it clear that I do not fault anyone’s decision to shelter in place or move to online services from January through May. We all believed this period would be shorter than it proved to be; 15 days turned into a factor of many multiples.

In the midst of this quarantine, many faithful ministers and elders have sought to lead their congregations in obedience with the best information available to them from week to week; the others who respond out of fear are not the focus here. At the beginning of quarantine, the predictions were so dire that it seemed prudent for congregations to find other ways to meet; the technology of our age seemed poised for such an event. Yet, as quarantine wore on, a few lessons were learned and undeniable realities became evident.

As It Stands Now

The novelty of online worship quickly wore off and evidenced that live streaming services is not a viable option for the true church. Since everyone was trapped in their homes and apartments, church came via the same route as the entertainment many binged to pass the time. There was very little difference between Tiger King and church in terms of medium. (Surely your church is vastly different than Tiger King in all other regards)

Nevertheless, Facebook Live, Zoom, and whatever other platforms utilized, are not 1:1 corresponding substitutes for gathered, corporate worship. Most notably, you are either participating by yourself or with your family; there is no one to greet, fellowship with, or be accountable to (chat boxes within all of those platforms are more of a nuisance than a help). Further, many churches do not have the technical ability to stream services in a glitch free manner (thereby diminishing the hoped for experience) and some members were surely cut off for lack of their own reliable access.

It is almost unnecessary to state that physical attendance is not the same as watching it through a screen. We see this in many facets: concerts are far more enjoyable in person, the popular Zoom activity of ‘riding a rollercoaster together’ is in no way comparable to actually riding the thing, and while video chats are supremely helpful (especially for missionaries and their families), they are a meager substitute for sharing a meal and being in proximity together. The digital, as enjoyable and magnificent as it can be, is only a shadow of the full experience it depicts.

Other churches sought to use their abilities and seized the opportunity to conduct themselves in the same manner as streaming services by transforming their regular practice of gathered worship into an on-demand experience. According to Barna, 29% of “practicing Christians” (those who attend church at least once a month) took advantage of that feature. The Lord’s Day was fit elsewhere in the week; feeding the consumeristic stripe of American evangelicalism. Church shifted from God calling His people together to His people seeking to call Him for worship when they pleased.

The shift to online also necessitates a shift in pastoral care. (This does not include the fact that many pastors were barred from visiting sick parishioners and could no longer make home visits or counsel around the city) Even though it is well documented that the almost entirely digitized life under quarantine has some significant drawbacks and problems, only 30% of practicing Christians indicate that they have had contact with pastors during the previous month.

Congregants easily skip or tune out the live service.

Since work, school, and entertainment are coming through the same channel, church is no different; in fact, by the end of a week of digital overload and Zoom fatigue, church seems laborious. As such, congregants rationalize skipping altogether or distract themselves with other pursuits while the service plays in the background.

Barna has been researching this shift in church since March and although they are still gathering data, some startling data has already been published:

• As of June 3, 48% of those who had previously attended church in the last 6 months had not streamed a church service in 4 weeks.
  • 15% of practicing Christians multitasked during the stream.
  • Only 42% of practicing Christian households watch the service at the same time together.
• As of July 8, 1/3 of practicing Christians had stopped attending onlineservices altogether. (What was found was that those who continued to stream their pre-quarantine church were more likely to continue streaming)
  • 50% of the practicing Millennials have stopped attending.

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