The Church in the Age of Covid
“I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison.” Acts 22:4 (NIV)
The stories are shocking. The largest number of pastors quitting, retiring or moving than ever before. Churches with 30% attendance of pre-Covid numbers. Churches closing.
“The Way” came from Jesus’ words: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” The Way referred to this group of people who believed Jesus was who He said He was, and followed His way for their lives. And that began to change everything.
Jesus said: There is a new way. Stop going the way you were going and start walking in this new life.
Without a doubt, the church must be intentional in these days more than ever before. What should we do? How must we be willing to reset and be intentional?
Larry Hurtado is a New Testament scholar who looked at the early church and identified five markers that make the church stand out and fulfill their mission, even in difficult times. And those difficult times were during the Roman Empire when this movement of the Way was trying to get going. Others were trying to defeat this group. Christians were killed, persecuted, put in jail, and thrown to lions. But the group kept adding people. People said: I want that. Why? Here are the five markers he names.
The Early Church:
1. WAS COMPRISED OF PEOPLE FROM ALL SORTS OF BACKGROUNDS.
This was unheard of. In that culture everyone was divided: Jews, Gentiles, Romans, slaves, free, wealthy, and the poor. And you didn’t cross those boundaries. You were who you were and you stayed there.
But people started seeing a new group, where there was this teaching that actually all are one in Christ.
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 (NIV)
People asked: How are you able to do that? Because of our God.
2. CARED FOR THOSE SUFFERING AND IN NEED.
In that culture, the poor were the poor and that was it. Those who suffered were pushed to the side. When everyone was running away from the suffering, Christians were going forward and taking care of them.
It was a new way.
3. WAS KNOWN FOR FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION.
In that culture of shame and honor, this stood out. Because in an honor culture, anytime you attack me, I have to attack back. I get even. I retaliate. I have to pay you back.
But Jesus and His followers say: “No, there is a better way. A different way. We’re going to forgive those who hurt us.” This frustrated and confused the Roman Empire because ultimately, they couldn’t hurt them. And the Christians began to pray for those hurting them, forgiving those who did them wrong. And the world asked: “What is going on?”
4. WAS COMMITTED TO THE SANCTITY OF LIFE.
This is more than being opposed to abortion because abortion was not prevalent in that time. But what did happen was children were seen as possessions and not worth much. There were actually drop-off spots for kids someone didn’t want. You would take them there and drop them off. Either they would die or someone might come along and make them a slave.
But there was this new group, this new movement who began to preach and teach and say we are all of value in God’s sight. Not only did they preach it, they would go to those drop-off spots and take these kids to raise as their family. They adopted them. This was a new way of life, and it stood out.
5. OFFERED A SEXUAL COUNTER-CULTURE.
This new group showed up and offered a different way. That sex was not about taking, it was actually about giving. The only way you can do that is in the proper context in a marriage between a man and a woman. This was an upside-down way of thinking and living in that culture. It was a new path that Jesus had charted and set His followers on.
These five are still pressure points in our culture today. People right now are trying to find answers to these questions. If we could be known for these same things, we could make an amazing difference.
We have some of the same problems today, but Jesus is the answer. In a time of pandemic, it is time for the church to move forward with one voice and show people Jesus.