Thoughts from a Central Valley Pastor

Category: COVID-19

The Essential Church

“Is the church essential?” That is the question that will be answered in a new documentary that will be released in theaters later this summer. The movie is called “The Essential Church” and is being produced by Grace Productions, which is a ministry of Grace Community Church. The documentary’s website invites the viewer to “Journey with us as we rediscover why the Church is essential and how we prove that our stand remains true from a scientific, legal, and most importantly Biblical perspective.” https://essentialchurchmovie.com

As I watched the trailer for the movie I was reminded of all the turmoil and difficulty that my immediate family and our church family went through during Covid. I still remember the date when the executive orders were given to shelter in place. 

It was March 19, 2020. We had been told all Californians had to stay in their homes for at least two weeks in order to flatten the curve of the coronavirus. Executive Order N-33-20 identified sixteen critical infrastructure sectors “whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation, or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, economic security, public health or safety, or any combination thereof.” Our governor went on to write, “I order that Californians working in these 16 critical infrastructure sectors may continue their work because of the importance of these sectors to Californians’ health and well-being.” 

I remember looking over the document that identified which industries were essential and which were not (https://www.cisa.gov/topics/risk-management/coronavirus/identifying-critical-infrastructure-during-covid-19) The sixteen industry sectors had been given by the federal government. They included the Critical Manufacturing Sector, Food and Agriculture Sector, and the Healthcare and Public Health Sector. I took the time to look into the Public Health Sector and I realized pastoral work could fit under the Public Health Sector because the spiritual health of an individual was essential for maintaining “Californian’s health and well-being.” 

I remember being at the post office during those early weeks and one of the people in line asked if my work was essential. With a clear conscience, I told the lady I was involved in essential work. I knew God expected me to shepherd his flock and serve the spiritual and physical needs of our people, regardless of whether there was a war, a plague, or a pandemic. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” I kept thinking about that verse whenever new restrictions were put in place. I couldn’t help reflecting on how believers gathered in the catacombs (underground tombs) of Rome during the persecutions of Nero and Diocletian. I thought about how believers ministered to the sick and dying during the Black Plague of Europe. I thought about how modern Christians in China gather in secret house churches because the government has restricted where and how they are allowed to worship. 

One of the difficulties of deciding what to do during Covid had to do with the information that was given to us by the health department. Early on, we were told the virus had the potential to wipe out a huge percentage of the population, not only of America, but of the world. Our family was concerned, just like everyone else. We sheltered in place for several weeks. I remember going on countless bike rides with our kids because that was an officially approved way to exercise while remaining six feet apart from other people. 

Our church family took all our services online. Our church staff frantically learned  how to set up a livestream and then we had to make sure all our people had access to it. We started using Zoom for our staff meetings and for weekly meetings. I remember organizing a Passover Seder meal with a livestream from our home! As the months passed by, we realized we would have to adapt to the federal, state, and county-wide restrictions. When the restrictions lifted, our leadership team decided to offer services over the radio at church. People drove up and watched the service, while tuning into 102.5 FM. Later people gathered on the lawn to worship together, while social distancing. We were finally able to go back indoors to worship, while providing hand sanitizer and face masks. We went out of our way to work with the county officials and the board of supervisors. We did all that work because we were convinced that the work of the church is essential. 

It wasn’t until February 23, 2023 that our governor officially ended the state of emergency. That means that our state was under Covid restrictions for almost three years. It is remarkable to look back and consider how our lives were impacted by the virus and the federal, state, and county guidelines. It is encouraging to me to see how God was able to sustain his people during the pandemic. It gives me hope that Christians will be able to continue to thrive, regardless of what difficulties come our way. 1 John 4:4 can be a great encouragement to believers today, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 

Of Masks and Mandates

The pandemic has been a trial that has lasted for the last two years. There has been a temptation to put our trust in masks and mandates, but the Bible always calls us to put our trust in God. 

Next week, on February 15th, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will lift the mask mandates that have been in place since December 15, 2021. Governor Newsom has promised to update the state’s strategy of dealing with Covid-19 from a “pandemic” approach, which seeks to eliminate the virus, to an “endemic” approach, which seeks to treat Covid-19 like any other virus. 

This update comes just two weeks after the governor and the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, were seen maskless at the Rams-49ers playoff game. The mayor gave the following explanation for why he wasn’t wearing a mask, “When people ask for a photograph, I hold my breath.” This is a far cry from Garcetti’s words in July of last year, “Wearing a mask is critical to helping us stop the spread of this virus, safely reopen our city and save lives.” If wearing a mask can make the difference between life and death, then Garcetti is playing a dangerous game by removing it at a public event.

Fans at the 49ers-Rams game

It is also interesting to note that the guidelines on large events will be changing soon. Indoor events can have up to 1,000 in attendance, while outdoor attendance can be up to 10,000. SoFi stadium, where the governor and mayor were recently seen holding their breath, had 74,447 people in attendance. That is seven times higher than what the state mandates, but no one from the CDPH was there trying to stop them. After all, Sofi stadium is technically an outdoor venue so the thousands of unmasked fans didn’t have to worry about holding their breath.

Christians gathering in churches across California will not see much of a change from the February 15th rule change. The mandate on indoor church attendance has been the same since April 12, 2021, when the capacity limit was completely lifted, due to “recent judicial rulings.” Technically speaking, the CDPH mandates were downgraded to “recommendations” for churches. This was applied to singing restrictions, mask guidelines, social distancing, and indoor capacity. 

It has been interesting to visit churches during the last six months. Wherever I have entered the doors of churches it has felt like I am entering a pre-pandemic sanctuary, where people are not living in fear of government mandates. They have been wise and reasonable about the virus and by the grace of God they have seen God sustain them through the pandemic. 

This does not mean that churches have been unaffected by the pandemic. Of course people have become sick and some have been called home to be with our Heavenly Father. This is never easy, but God’s word gives us the right perspective to deal with the trial. James 1:2 says, “Consider it all joy my brothers when you encounter trials of various kinds, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result, so you can be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.” (English Standard Version) 

The churches who saw the pandemic as a trial were able to keep the right mindset during the last two years. They did not give in to the temptation to put their trust in man or masks, mandates or medicine. No, the Christian puts his trust in God. Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (ESV) 

The Shrewd Christian

Jesus said, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Mt. 10:16) NASB

Every generation of Christians has discovered the meaning of this verse in a slightly different manner because the wolves have been at work in slightly different ways. During Jesus’ time followers of Christ were aware that King Herod Antipas (the son of Herod the Great) was as shrewd as a fox because that’s the nickname Jesus gave him. You don’t have to read very far into the gospels to discover how the Herodian dynasty gained its reputation. 1

Christians living in California today are beginning to quote this verse more often because the shrewdness of the administration is moving from “conspiracy theory” status to “you know, I think you’re right” status. This understanding has increased because of the most recent guidelines that were delivered to churches on July 1st. The common sense approach to this issue is to see what happened, read the documents, and decide on a reasonable conclusion. That is my goal for this article.

On Wednesday, July 1st, the governor held a press conference where he communicated that certain private sector businesses were going to have to close indoor operations. I was surprised because churches were not on the list. The next day I waited to see if anything would be published because I thought that would be the last opportunity for changes to be made before the holiday weekend. Wouldn’t you know it. Early Friday morning, I received a text message with a link to the Sacramento Bee article that mentioned that houses of worship are to “discontinue singing.” I would be lying if I told you I was surprised. I realized it was time to find the original document and read it for myself. It is a 14 page document that was released by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on July 1st. Once again, I was not surprised to discover that it had not been mentioned in the July 1st press release.

I will let you read the document for yourself because after all we have been trained to be read Scripture carefully, so why not read government documents in the same way? One interesting difference between Scripture and documents from the CDPH is that when the CDPH gives commands they have an interesting habit of being under the heading of “Guidance” or “Considerations” or “Health Advisory” if you go back as far as 2019. One example of this is on page 13 of the singing document. There is a section titled, “Considerations for Places of Worship.” The first paragraph gives the command to “Discontinue offering self-service food and beverages.” One sentence later it says, “If food and beverages must be served, provide items in single-serve, disposable containers whenever possible.” Now, this is helpful. It shows how the document can be read. The command to discontinue food service is a guideline. It is a consideration that the CDPH is recommending to be followed.

The careful reader will recognize that the next paragraph says, “Discontinue singing,” but it refrains from adding the same allowance that was used for food service. Since this is a document intended for guidance, then the Christian reader knows he is able to continuing singing because it is believed by many Christians that singing must continue to be done wherever Christians gather (Eph. 5:19). That was true for believers who sang in the catacombs of Rome and it is true today.

It is worth nothing that the document is entitled, “Places of Worship.” If worship is being done with social distancing in place shouldn’t these places be given some allowance to be able to worship with singing? Thirteen pages of recommendations have already been given in the document, why not include a sentence about singing with a face covering, or humming, or mouthing the words, or worship leaders singing for the streaming service? Nope. The document does not give contain any allowances for singing. But the careful reader does not need the allowance. It already exists in the context of the document because it is intended for guidance and for the consideration of the reader.

I told you people were quoting Matthew 10:16 more often. This announcement was made in a shrewd manner and it contains shrewd wording to try to convince the reader that California has banned singing in places built for singing to our glorious God.

Now before I continue any further, it is important to make sure that there is no confusion about the necessity of Christians gathering to worship. Christians who hold to the sixty-six books of the Bible believe that it is the inspired word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and like Peter and John we know we must “proclaim what we have seen and heard” from God’s Holy word. Hebrews 10:25 makes it clear that we are to not stop meeting together because God commands it. Ephesians 5:19 makes it clear that we are to sing together as the body of Christ because God commands it. These are two principles that we are to stand firm upon (Eph. 6:10-20).

Some will make the argument that we must obey the government from Romans 13. This is a valid point when the government enforces good behavior. The minute it begins to prohibit behavior that the Bible clearly commands then Romans 13 is not the right Scripture for the issue. Acts 4:19-20 needs to be considered, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,  for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” The CDPH is free to make a decision about how their guidelines are enforced, but if anyone comes to our church gathering and hears us singing we will let them decide if what we are doing is right or wrong. From our perspective it has been rightly divided.

If I did not believe that Christians need to gather for singing worship I would not have been motivated to study the CDPH documents. Nor would I have been motivated to call the governor’s office (916) 445-2841, the California Department of Public Health’s office (916) 440-7259, or the King’s County Department of Public Health Office (559) 584-1401. Each of these phone calls were helpful because I was able to hear directly from a public employee concerning the singing guidelines. The governor’s office made it clear that they were not able to interpret the document for me. The CDPH was more helpful. They told me that social distancing needed to be followed while agreeing that the document was open to interpretation. The KCDPH agreed that social distancing needed to be followed. This led me to to conclude that social distancing needs to be followed while singing indoors. And this is the position that I now hold and will continue to hold as long as the shelter-in-place order still stands.

I believe that this issue of singing worship is an illustration of what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 10:16. We are to be as wise as serpents. This means we need to be like the men of Isaachar, who had understanding of their times (1 Chr. 12:32). We are also to be as innocent as doves. This means we need to be innocent of wrong-doing and in this case singing with social distancing is good for the community, the church, and the government. We have to remember that human health is not only affected by a one strain of one virus. Singing with social distancing is a common sense approach that honors Christ and those in authority and I highly recommend it to the maximum extent possible.