“Since Your Church is Closed, be the Church” (2 Hezekiah 3:16) 2

When churches are unable to meet on their properties, ecclesiology suddenly trends in a radically biblical direction.

After the sanctuary is flooded, the pastor tells the people the church is not the building.

The worship center burns to the ground, but the pastor informs the news reporter the church is not gone, only the structure.

A whirlwind brings devastation to the community, but the pastor says the church is okay–but the walls of the building and roof are gone.

And when the status quo returns, so does a radically unbiblical ecclesiology. The building, once again, becomes the church.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the Church back to the ecclesiological crisis. This time the global communion of the saints is affected. In some parts of the world, churches are slowly returning to their worship facilities. What will life and ministry be like in a post-pandemic society? As I have written HERE, what if nothing changes?

Pastors, you have an opportunity to leverage this moment and teach your people a biblical ecclesiology regarding the church’s ontology. There is nothing inherently wrong with having a building, a meeting place. The assembly must assemble, preferably not online! However, when your language identifies that space as that which Jesus is building (Matt 16:18) and the holy temple that is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone (Eph 2:20-22), then it is time to watch your language. The Bride of Christ has never been defined by wood and bricks.

Language communicates. It communicates theology. It affects ministry and apostolic practice. Do we not strive to speak correctly about theology proper? Christology? Pneumatology? Do we not seek to speak biblically about racism? Justice? Care for those in need? Culture and context have a long history of serving as an excuse for compromise on biblical teaching throughout the world. Most of us in the West have been quick to rise up and call out syncretism and accommodation. . . elsewhere. But what about our communities?

But everyone speaks this way. All the theologians and my seminary professors speak this way.

If everyone jumped off a theological cliff would you follow? (cf. Acts 17:11)

But it only makes sense to be inconsistent by being biblically correct in one area and culturally correct in another. My people know the difference between the church and the church.

Really?

Speak in terms of ecclesiological foundations (biblical non-negotiables) and ecclesiological flexibles (biblical allowances). Put your meeting place into this latter category. Call the building a building. Call the ekklesia the church.

Since traditional gatherings have been hindered, you have been telling your church for weeks, months that the people are the church. Will you continue in this direction? Or, will the church be open on Sunday at 11:00 for the church to gather for fellowship and worship?