At this stage of the Pandemic the only thing that seems certain is that we don't know what is going to happen. Will we soon get an effective vaccine? We don't know. Will there be a severe second wave of infections? We don't know. Will there be increased further lockdowns and restrictions? We don't know. How will the economy recover - will it recover? We don't know.
But those of us who are part of the church, the Body of Christ, also don't know how the church will come through all of this either. I hear of discouraged Pastors. I hear of encouraged Pastors. Surely there are church leaders a plenty who are wondering about the shape and make up of their church when this is all over (if it ever is). How will my church look? Will it come through well? Some might even be wondering; will it even survive? We don't know.
But there is something about the Church which I believe this Pandemic will reveal and that is the Church being the Church. For all our claims, especially if we are preachers, that the church is the people and not the building, in reality we tend to be very focused on gathering people into our buildings. Of course we can cover this with phrases like'the gathered church'. We believe in the gathered church; indeed we are passionate about it and the more that gather the more successful our church is often judged to be. Churches can even get referred to as 'significant' if they are considered to have enough people in the building. But what about when the church cannot gather as has been true for the past six months? Only now are some churches beginning to experiment with some form of weekly gathering - of course with reduced numbers because of social distancing, face masks on and shorter meetings. But are we the church only when we are gathered? Surely this cannot be. We are the church even when we cannot gather for every Believer belongs to the Universal Church even though this is typically expressed when joined to and attending a local church.
Perhaps the Coronavirus will flesh out what is really the church. In times of persecution Christians can be isolated for months, years or even decades, but they are still the church. Paul was held in prison for two years in Caesarea and so unable to attend a local gathering of the church, but he was still part of the church. John Bunyan was imprisoned in Bedford for 12 years mostly unable to meet with the congregation he led and pastored. Writing Pilgrim's Progress in a prison cell, but still, though separated, part of the church and sometimes allowed home for a short visit presumably to buddy with his family!
The church is the church even when it isn't gathered. By the grace of God during this Pandemic we have access to Zoom, YouTube and videos etc. This means that during our months of separation we can join, at a distance, with others in worship and receive teaching from God's Word. It doesn't matter if we don't join in at 10 or 11am Sunday morning as the technology allows us to be gathered at 3pm Sunday afternoon or 3am on Wednesday morning if we prefer. But the church, if it is the church, though separate will gather.
So right now increasing numbers of churches are beginning to hold meetings of the saints together; even though we cannot know if even that will be able to continue. The church will attend and not attend these times. Some of us have seen a very helpful video where the speaker makes an appeal for us to be very patient, understanding and loving of one another during this time. For some will instantly rush back to any gathering they can. Others, nervous for their own health or the health of others won't immediately return. Some may be very delayed in coming back and someone will be the last one to come back! But because the church is the church she will will gather again; usually we know where even if we don't know when. Meanwhile, the church has the blessing of being able to make use of technology to 'gather.' The church will financially support the ministry and ongoing mission of the church. The church will pray even though not at prayer meetings. The church will seek to be a christian presence wherever possible and will look forward to the opportunity really to gather physically together again, whether that be sooner or later.
But for any that hold the view that church is simply a place you go to, that it's there for our entertainment and convenience, that we'll turn up if the kid's work is excellent or the youth work meets with our approval, that the church is there for our benefit and until it's properly operating again we won't bother, then that's not the church. I don't know how this Pandemic will end for the church or what the church in general or my local church in particular will look like. But I suspect that when we do gather again those who assemble will really be the church. I don't claim to know what God is doing in this Pandemic, but I'm sure that as the Sovereign Lord he's doing something and maybe that will include revealing what really is the Church.