The Unassembled Church
By Jeffrey Johnson
Our federal and local authorities have asked for everyone’s cooperation in fighting the spread of this novel virus by social distancing ourselves. Our President has recommended no gatherings over ten people; many governors have asked that all gatherings over fifty be suspended. This is not targeting churches, for even restaurants have been closed and sporting events have been canceled. For this reason, and as John Snyder reported to his church: “I believe that the request being made of the churches falls under a Romans 13 kind of response (to honor the legitimate authorities), rather than an Acts 5:27-29 (the Apostles were commanded by the Jews to quit preaching Christ).”
Though it is hard to say if such measures are warranted, it does make sense to take preventive actions as early as possible. Though there are not too many confirmed cases in the state where I reside, Arkansas, it appears by how things have spread in China and Italy and the rest of Europe that prevention is vital. It seems wise and loving for the church to comply out of respect for our civil leadership and concern for our community, but also out of love for one another—especially the older generation.
It is not easy, however, for churches to suspend their services. There will be those who think churches are overreacting and have no faith in God. And no doubt concerns of this nature have been weighed into the decision by those who have suspended their services. Sometimes it’s not easy being in leadership. Indeed, churches should never be eager to call off assembling themselves. Coming together in one place to worship God is the primary function of the church and one of the main responsibilities of every Christian. Missing church services should never be taken lightly. Gathering together with the saints to worship God is our principal priority. We are called to be active and faithful in our local church. This is because the local church is an assembly of the saints.
The Church Is an Assembly
One of the visible marks of faith in Christ is our desire to assemble with the saints to worship God on the Lord’s Day. We learn in the book of Acts that those who believed the gospel immediately united themselves with a local church through baptism, and then they continued to dedicate themselves to the public worship of God. These new believers knew, intuitively it seems, that they needed the local church. They went on to devote themselves to the ordinary means of grace God entrusted to the local church—teaching, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer (Acts 2:42).
Our faith not only unites us to Christ, but our faith also unites us with all those who are in Christ (Romans 12:5). With Christ as our spiritual head, we become one body (Ephesians 4:5). This is why James Bannerman, in his classic book on the church said: “The primary and normal idea of the church, as outlined in Scripture, is unquestionably that of a body of men spiritually united to Christ, and, in consequence of that union, one with each other.” And, likewise, R. C. Sproul said, “One of the most precious realities of the Christian faith is the unity that binds the hearts and souls of every Christian not only with Christ but with each other.” This invisible union that all believers have with each other in Christ Jesus compels them to assemble together.
But, not only are we united together in Christ Jesus, we are united together in such a fashion that we are interdependent. We need each other. God has made each of us deficient on purpose. Though we may be spiritually strong in one area, we are weak in many other areas. And without the spiritual strength of others, we will never mature and grow properly (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). Paul explained the importance of the local church in our spiritual growth when he said, “We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16).
We can say neither, “I don’t need the local church,” nor “The local church does not need me.” God has gifted us to serve the church. Isolating ourselves and pursuing a self-focus and individualistic Christianity is disobedience. We are called to love and serve and minister in a local church. Thus, the apostle Paul claimed:
“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:4-8). ”
The nature of Christianity compels the saints to assemble. The New Testament cannot be understood fully without seeing how essential the church is to live out the Christian life. Though there is a personal, private, and incommunicable relationship that all believers have with Christ, this is not all that makes up the Christian. Essential to the very makeup of the Christian is the fellowship of the saints. As James Bannerman explained:
“Alone with God, I must realize the Bible as if it were a message from Him to my solitary self, singled out and separated from other men, and feeling my own individual responsibility in receiving or rejecting it. But the Bible does not stop here: it deals with man, not only as a solitary unit in his relation to God, but also as a member of a spiritual society, gathered together in the name of Jesus. It is not a mere system of doctrines to be believed and precepts to be observed by each individual Christian independently of others, and apart from others: it is a system of doctrines and precepts, designed and adapted for a society of Christians.”
Moreover, Christians are commanded not to forsake the local gathering of themselves together (Hebrews 10:24-25). For this reason, Charles Spurgeon said:
“I know there are some who say, “Well, I’ve given myself to the Lord, but I don’t intend to give myself to any church.” I say, ‘Now why not?’ And they answer, “Because I can be just as good a Christian without it.” I say, ‘Are you quite clear about that? You can be as good a Christian by disobedience to your Lord’s commands as by being obedient? I don’t believe that you’re answering the purpose for which Christ saved you. You’re living contrary to the life which Christ would have you live and you are much to blame for the injury you do.’”
But even if there were no positive commands to assemble, the very nature of Christianity would compel believers to meet with one another in the assembly of the saints. James Bannerman made this very point when he said:
“Where there is no positive command or appointment requiring Christians to unite together and to form on earth a society joined together by the profession of the same faith, the very nature of Christianity would force such a result. In the profession of it in common, men would find themselves insensibly drawn to other believers with a power not to be resisted; and in the bounds of the same Savior and the same Spirit they would feel and own a nearer tie than that of kindred, and a holier relationship than one of blood. In common joy and sorrows which Christians and none but Christians share, in the one faith and one Savior in which they rejoice together in same hopes and fears, the same sin escaped, and the same Salvation won, in which they participate, there is a union of the most intimate kind produced and cemented, which is not with them a matter of choice, but a matter of inevitable necessity.”
It is for these reasons I think Christ chose the word “ecclesia,” which means “an assembly,” (see Acts 19:32, 39, 41) to describe the body of believers He would build (Matthew 16:18). Assembling is one of the essential marks of a church. A church that does not fellowship and communion together is not a church.
So, knowing the vitality and importance of our Sunday morning gatherings, it is with much deliberation and concern that many Bible-believing churches around the world have decided to temporarily suspend their services.
What Are Churches to Do When They (Temporarily) Cease to Assemble?
And now that many churches have followed the request of civil authorities, what are local churches called to do? As we think about how to handles the difficult weeks ahead of us, here are six small things to remember:
1. Remember that the Church Is More than an Assembly
Though a church is an assembly, we must remember that a church is more than an assembly. Local churches do not cease to exist when they are not gathered in one place. We see this in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians when he said, “when you come together in the church” (1 Corinthians 11:15) and again when he said, “If therefore the whole church be come together in one place” (1 Corinthians 14:23). In these two references, we see Paul calling the body of believers in Corinth a church even when they were not gathered in one place. This was certainly the case when the church of Jerusalem was under persecution and the membership had to flee for their lives. “And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1). In that, the church in Jerusalem was still identified as a church though they were, for a temporary period, not able to meet together.
Though this may seem like a small point, it has an important theological significance. Though it does not undermine that one of the main responsibilities for both Christians and churches to come together in one place to worship God, it does imply that Christians and churches have more responsibilities than just coming together. And if this is the case, though our church services may be suspended, this is not a time for us to cease to be a church. Churches should redeem the time and do their best to turn what appears to be evil into good. In my opinion, this is the perfect time for churches to focus on doing all their other responsibilities well.
2. Remember that Ministry Is Full Time for Us All
Because the church is more than an assembly, but a body that works together and cares for one another, this is not a time to take a break from the rest of our responsibilities as church leaders and church members. We must remember that the ministry is every church member’s responsibility. God has called every church member into the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Every Christian is called to be a member of a local church, and every member of a local church is called to minister to their local church. You don’t need to be a pastor or a deacon to serve the saints. You don’t need to be assigned or appointed to a particular ministry to have an important role to play within the life of God’s people. Serving, assisting, loving, and caring for the saints is every member’s responsibility. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:10-11). According to the apostle Paul, we are all called to devote ourselves “to one another in brotherly love” as we “honor one another above ourselves” and “share with God’s people who are in need” (Romans 12:9-13). “So then, as we have opportunity,” Paul tells us, “let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). And God has promised not to forget our work and the love we have shown in His name through “ministering to the saints” (Hebrews 6:10).
Now is the perfect opportunity to increase our care for the body of Christ. Just because we may not be gathering in one location for Sunday worship does not mean that we need to take a break from loving one another. Rather, suspended services should be a call to action. Let churches do their best to work on all other vital aspects of the church. Serving and ministering to the sick and elderly members in our churches should be our first concern. Regularly checking in on them, praying for them, and taking them needed supplies, groceries, and medication can be a wonderful ministry to the church in these days. But no member needs to be neglected and forgotten. And reaching out to everyone is too big of a job just for the elders and deacons of the church. This work requires all of us to do our part.
This is not a time to relax, but time to work. As we are separated from weekly fellowship and as we are away from the public worship of God, we will be more prone to temptation, discouragements, and spiritual apathy. The strong may become weak, and the weak may become even weaker. Our phone calls, our text messages, our encouragement, and our prayers are all the more needed during this time.
Let love spread faster than this virus. Let concern for others go deeper than the fear of the unknown. And let benevolence and charity be greater than the selfishness of those who are only worried about stockpiling supplies for self-consumption. May our compassion be what is most contagious in these days. May we all seek to encourage others to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).
3. Remember to Give Your Tithes and Offerings
Remember, we still need to give our tithes and offerings to the church. Our compensated leaders and staff and missionaries still need to be supported. And with such a crisis, financial needs will inevitably arise. Some of our fellow church members may be laid off of work. This will be a financial crisis for many. Churches and their members will need to help bear one anothers burdens during these days. Continue supporting your respective local church.
4. Remember that Sunday Is Still the Lord’s Day
Remember that just because Sunday morning services have been canceled does not mean the Lord’s Day has been canceled. We still need a day of rest and a day to worship God. Thankfully we have the technology to aid us in this need. This is a great time for churches to use available technology to feed their people the preached word on Sunday morning. Seek to maintain your Sunday routine the best you can. Wake up and prepare you and your family for worship. Take a little extra time to pray as a family, and even sing together. Then listen to the recorded sermon with a sense of fear and anticipation. Seek to avoid the temptation to interact with your family and walk around. If you take notes, continue this practice. Take this time seriously, and afterward interact via text, phone calls, or emails with other church members. Remember, Sunday is a good time to care for the needs of others.
With this said, we need to be careful and not begin to think that live-streaming and virtual church services are a real substitute. Temporarily, it may be better than nothing, but Brian Borgman reminds us of the real danger of live streaming:
“Let me say loudly and clearly, watching livestream is not a valid substitute for church. There is no such thing as a valid substitute for the church. Watching a sermon is not a valid substitute for the ministry of the Word. Digital substitutes are not substitutes at all. That said, in times like these we may be able to utilize technology to aid people, but here is the point, we must not think of these alternatives as viable alternatives to the real thing. They are temporary, less than ideal alternatives.”
5. Remember to Lay Up Our Treasures in Heaven
As the fear of death spreads, this is a time to remember that life is not our own and this world is not our home. May this virus lead to death—that is death to self. During these days, may we pick up our cross, crucify ourselves so that the life in Christ may be lived through us. May we see what is important. May we see the vanity of this world and inwardly sense that our life does not consist in the abundance of things we possess (Luke 12:15). What matters in life is not what we can buy and hoard, but what we can share and give away. And our most valuable possession that is ours to offer is the hope we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, may we be bolder in our witness and look for ways to share the gospel with others during the days ahead. This is a time to not only serve the church but seek to reach the lost with the only cure to man’s deepest sickness. We are all dying, but thankfully we who believe have the gift of life and we have been entrusted with the message of life to give to those who are perishing in their sins.
6. Remember that This Will Cost Us
Lastly, as we are away from our gathered worship services, let’s remember that this will cost us something. If we miss one Sunday service it will not make a discernable difference in our spiritual walk. If we miss a day at the gym, it’s not the end of the world. Yet there is a reason God has called us to meet together. Sunday morning worship, I believe, is the chief means that Christ has established to sanctify His body. God has given the gathered church a special promise of His presence. The ordinary means of grace have been entrusted not to individual Christians but to the church. And if we have to be away from the gathered assembly for too long, it will affect us all. Again, a recorded sermon cannot fully replace public worship. Thus, may we remember the importance of our church services and eagerly long for the day we can come back together again.
Conclusion
It may be that we have taken church gatherings for granted; so, may God use this difficult time to draw His people closer together through a desire to serve one another; may He use it to give us a deeper application of the local church and its gathered services. Oh what joy this should bring to us when the Lord brings us back together as a family. Church, let’s be diligent to fight sin, love the saints, and live our lives for the glory of God.
Jeffrey Johnson is a pastor at Grace Bible Church and the director of academics at Grace Bible Theological Seminary in Conway, Arkansas, a community where he also resides with his wife Letha and their four children. His new book, The Church is available now.