How to Be the Church When We Can’t Meet at Church

[Jim_Alaska]

5 hours ago, weary warrior said:

We wont be doing anything tonight, but I am going to try to record some type of message for Sunday and (hopefully) be able to upload it to youtube and then send the link to everyone. I dont know what else to do.

WW, if weather cooperates how about doing an outside service. With folding chairs you could keep the required separation distances. Just a thought. if I were in that situation I would even endure bundling up clothes wise to sit through an hour long service.

[1Timothy115]

We had a conference call beginning at 6:30 pm. It was good to hear familiar voices but, I still miss the gathering of saints in our sanctuary building.

[MikeWatson1]

I wonder... when people go online to worship together.. are they assembled?  

I would have thought physical assembly would be a church assembly.  Not dismissing that conference calling online is a good way to still talk to and teach each-other still- but I don't think that is actually assembling.

[Alan]

"Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together,  as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

Yes, 360Watt is correct.

Some churches are sitting farther apart in the sanctuary, some are assembling outside on chairs, some churches are meeting in drive-in theatres, some have loudspeakers on the outside of the church, some are creative in other areas, some have put up a tent; but all are assembling.

Have you noticed that all of the news media are focusing on only Christian churches in the religious realm. Not one word, at least on the main media, or on the front page, is focused on what the Muslims, or Buddhist temples, are told to do. Only the churches, so it seems, is forced into an internet setting. the politicians, as a whole, will not mention putting any restrictions on the Muslims nor the Buddhist Temples.

It almost seems like the politicians are forcing churches, or bullying, or intimidating, churches to go on a online setting. Do you know that a lot of small churches cannot afford an church web site? do you know how much money a website costs to start? to maintain? Or, they are fearful of Facebook? I do not care for Facebook nor neither do a lot of other saints care for Facebook. I am not against Facebook, nor any other technological setting, but folks are using the internet to forsake the assembling together and the politicians are using the virus situation to force, or bully, or intimidate, churches from assembling.

I did create a YouTube Channel, and a website for our church in Taiwan, and am now in the process of creating another website for my books, So, I am not against these technological advances for the ministry; but, I do not want that to replace the saints "gathering together."

[OLD fashioned preacher]

South Carolina has stated no groups over 3 people, Alaska has said no gatherings in any locations (including the woods) for religious activities, Bill DeBlassio (NY) has said the police will stop services in churches and synagogues and has threatened to close offending places PERMANENTLY (even after COVID elimination). DeBlassio is also using police to enforce distances between people in public (he didn't say if that included couples or parent/child combos walking together). Kansas declared church and religious services as essential business just as grocery stores, and Georgia declared alcohol dealers as non-essential (unlike most states).

[Jim_Alaska]

OFP, I read the whole mandate from Alaska's governor. While he has closed the state to all travel and mandated that people stay home, I saw nothing about specifically not allowing gatherings for religious activities. There is a list of businesses allowed to operate in appendix "A" of his mandate, but I did not see anything related to churches or religious activities.

I suppose his mandate could include churches, but the list of things allowed to stay open or having to close specifies "businesses", a church is not a business.

[Jim_Alaska]

There is a lot of misinformation, fear and panic mongering and irrational response to the Corona-19 Virus, on a worldwide scale, never seen before. Our Bibles warn us that times like these will come shortly before the return of Jesus.

I am providing the following link to a video for  informational purposes only. I cannot endorse this man and have no idea of his religious standing. So I provide this solely for informational purposes. It is always wise to hear all the information available, rather than just a one sided, agenda driven account. 

Covid-19 Scam

[OLD fashioned preacher]

19 minutes ago, Jim_Alaska said:

OFP, I read the whole mandate from Alaska's governor. While he has closed the state to all travel and mandated that people stay home, I saw noting about specifically not allowing gatherings for religious activities. There is a list of businesses allowed to operate in appendix "A" of his mandate, but I did not see anything related to churches or religious activities.

I suppose his mandate could include churches, but the list of things allowed to stay open or having to close specifies "businesses", a church is not a business.

Okay, thanks. I was told the above by a preacher in Alaska. The other states my wife read, DiBlassio I heard personally.

[Jim_Alaska]

In response to NY Gov. DeBlassio I would submit this response to his Covid-19 mandate:

Constitution of United States of America 1789 (rev. 1992)

PreambleArticle IArticle IIArticle IIIArticle IVArticle VArticle VIArticle VIIAmendment IAmendment IIAmendment IIIAmendment IVAmendment VAmendment VIAmendment VIIAmendment VIIIAmendment IXAmendment XAmendment XIAmendment XIIAmendment XIIIAmendment XIVAmendment XVAmendment XVIAmendment XVIIAmendment XVIIIAmendment XIXAmendment XXAmendment XXIAmendment XXIIAmendment XXIIIAmendment XXIVAmendment XXVAmendment XXVIAmendment XXVII

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

I hope DeBlassio and the State of New York gets hit with 20-40 law suits PLUS a class action suit with at least 200 named complaintants.