Insights Into The Covid-19 Church Era –Part XXIV
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10.25)
The 21st century church interprets Hebrews 10:25 to mean not to forsake “going to church” on Sundays. The 1st century church had no buildings or clergy, so they couldn’t “go to church.” Church was a 24/7, 7 day a week lifestyle as a community. “Assembling of ourselves together” meant “hanging out” together.
Jesus “hung out” with his disciples. While hiking, they talked. The disciples on the road to Emmaus after Jesus’ death exemplify this. While “hanging out”, Jesus taught in parables using real life situations to teach kingdom principle. Today, “forsaking the assembling of ourselves” basically means it is not “cool” being a “loner!” We need each other! “No man is an island; no man stands alone” written on the Statue of Liberty is as relevant in Jesus’ day as it is today. Even after Jesus’ ascension, they hung out in Jerusalem as “the 12”! Hebrews 10:25 does not condemn “Missing Sunday Church Services.” It means “Don’t Stop Hanging Out With Other Believers.” We need each other!
How can we do that during a pandemic? If churches, restaurants, public spaces, and bars are closed, where is one to “hang out”? When “hanging out”, what should we be doing? Teens and 20-somethings can’t exist unless they “hang out”! When Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, they immediately “hung out” in mass, unprotected, feeling invincible, and the Covid-19 virus exploded.
There is no physical contact when people “hang out” virtually through social networking. Previous generations passed notes in school and talked on the phone for hours. Today’s generation FaceTimes, Zooms, Goggle+s, Instagrams, texts, emails, etc. Communication still flows.
Does “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” mean we have to make FaceTime or Zoom meetings with other believers a “Bible Study” or “Prayer Meeting” or a “Regurgitating of the Sunday Sermon”? No, Christians do not have to act pious every time they “hang out”. Be real; be genuine! We do not need to be religious; just relational.
Covid-19’s tactic of isolation is an attempt to disconnect. We need to stay connected. A modern version of Hebrew 10:25 might be, “Don’t “de-friend” your brother or sister in the Lord; don’t block them.” Continue to communicate with them on a daily basis. “Don’t isolate one another.” Communications is so much of the 21st century experience. During life’s storms, don’t let the communication lines fall down, fail, or be broken. “Hang out” and “Hang In” with “one another! Don’t Hang Up! We are a family, the family of God, and to not be dysfunctional we must communicate as peers regularly, honestly, openly, and with transparency.
We do not have to be religious to be the church; we just have to be relational, even if that just means social networking during this pandemic. Again, “Hang out” and “Hang In” with “one another! Don’t Hang Up!