The Anti-gospel of Covid 19

The Gospel, from the Greek “evangelion” means good news. It is the message of God’s salvation by the work of His son; Jesus Christ. The Gospel is unique because it is a message that both enlightens the mind and carries the hope of transformation from condemnation to freedom for everyone who will embrace its truths and call upon the name of the Lord.

It is this gospel message that we as the ekklesia (church) are called to proclaim. Our Lord; Jesus Christ established the scope of the message when He proclaimed “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lords favor.” In these words of our Lord, we hear that His message encourages, lifts the spirits and station of the poor and broken, liberates the sinner from sin and those bound in bonds of chains physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually are set free. His message brings revelation and inspires hope. His message is that God is for us and not against us.

It is the hope His message gives that draws us together and then sends us out into the far corners of the earth to rescue the perishing. His message has built edifices of worship, established missions organizations, inspired food pantries, clothing closets, homeless shelters, homes for orphans and facilities for unwed mothers and the chemically dependent who had nowhere else to turn. The message of Christ has been the single greatest force for good, hope, love, and benevolence the world has ever seen. His message has propelled mankind to greater faith, courage, and feats that could have never been inspired by lesser writings. The Gospel is truly God-Breathed and must be a focal point of our church gatherings.

Now comes a somber warning. In Galatians 1:8 the Apostle Paul warns “but though we or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. This is of course dealing with those who would mix false doctrine into Christ Gospel or who might even preach another Christ. The Bible is very clear that there are those who are wolves in sheep’s clothing who would devour the flock of God. Many “will believe a lie and be damned.”

However, it is not the gospel of wolves in sheep’s clothing that moves me to write this observational piece. I am moved by the subtle and unintentional anti-gospel that is being preached, taught, and conversed in many of our sanctuaries at our times of gathering. I call it the anti-gospel of Covid 19.

What began in March 2020 as temporary voluntary compliance with state and local mandates to flatten the curve of a global pandemic has morphed into what appears to be a new lifestyle of social distancing, restricted gatherings, mask mandates, and sanitation requirements. The church with the pure motive to be good citizens, stepped up to the plate. Initially, we left our sanctuaries with the thought of community health and vowed that these temporary adjustments would not affect our faith, mission, or unity of the body. The church went online to minister and parishioners went online to give so that the church would be operational.

In time, albeit with limitations, we came back into our sanctuaries. Historically, a church sanctuary has always been considered a sacred space where God’s people came together to worship Him in reverence and awe. It is built and dedicated to separate the holy from the profane. It is a place of refuge and safety where we gather to close ourselves in with God.

However, the pandemic continues and the ever-changing mandates are affecting our world which includes our personal, work, market, educational, and worship spaces. Daily we are reminded of rising Covid numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths. We are encouraged to limit travel, exposure to others (even family) and always wear masks. We are told to tell on our neighbor if they are not complying. The message is clear. Covid 19 is everywhere and it’s probably going to get you. What was once concern and restraint for many has become an all-controlling fear that dictates every thought and activity.

Now, I’ve said all of the above to get to this. Unintentionally our sanctuaries have stopped being sanctuaries that provides a separation from the profane, a place of safety and refuge from the spirit that is in the world. In my travels from church to church, it seems that Covid talk shrouds the conversations and activities of the church. The pandemic narrative comes out in announcements, testimonies, and even sermons from pastors who are frustrated by the varied opinions and comments of parishioners who are too willing to make their complaints. In so many instances our ministry has become Covid tainted. We come to church needing a break, needing good news. We need the poor and broken to be uplifted. We need deliverance from oppression. We need revelation, hope, and our faith strengthened. We need family connection. We need to walk from the sanctuary assured that God is for us. However, all too often we deal with all things Covid and who is or isn’t in compliance that we walk away from the sanctuary without truly engaging the Lord. Often, pastors walk away waiting for the Covid compliance complaints to begin. What began with creativity and unity in March has become divisive and stressful. We are Covid weary.

Minister, I encourage you to regain your sense of sanctuary ( in Him, the living sanctuary, and in the physical edifice) and that life-changing Gospel that the seekers who come to the sanctuary so desperately need. I’m not encouraging you to thumb your nose at the pandemic, to those who are fearful, or even to the mandates given by government officials with whom you may or may not agree with politically. I am asking you to consider redirecting some communication. Consider communicating Covid updates and mandates through social media, tech services, or even signage outside of the sanctuary. I encourage you to move away from public and private conversations in the sanctuary concerning your frustrations over governing officials and media concerning Covid. Encourage your parishioners to follow you in that example so that the body is ministering helps and hope to one another. I encourage you to allow your sanctuary communication concerning Covid be in the form of prayer for healing in the nation.

Let us feed our people hope, good news, and let them leave the sanctuary to face a negative world with a rested mind and spirit in the goodness of God. Let the sanctuary be a sanctuary!

Bishop White