“Surreal.” That’s how Patrick Curles described his experience preaching to an empty church during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
As strange as it may have sounded four weeks ago, preaching to vacant pews on Sunday morning has become the new reality for Curles, executive minister at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Montgomery, and pastors all across Alabama.
Buddy Champion, pastor at First Baptist Church Trussville, hopes the challenging circumstances have helped him sharpen his message even further.
“The energy you get from a sanctuary full of people isn’t there,” he remarked to Yellowhammer News. “While I’m preaching to the camera I don’t see faces in their seats in the church, now I picture them with their families gathered around listening together. This motivates me even more to make sure God’s Word is clear.”
On March 17, the Alabama Department of Public Health issued an order preventing gatherings of more than 25 people in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. While a similar order on March 27 lowered that number to 10 persons, worship services had effectively been shut down at that point.
In unprecedented circumstances, churches began to adapt.
Trinity has directed its members to the livestream of its service on Youtube and its traditional radio broadcast. Whether by informing its members through email or the posting of daily video devotionals from senior pastor Claude McRoberts, Trinity has sought new ways to stay connected to its congregation.
While FBC Trussville’s 10:00 a.m. virtual worship service has become an important connection point for the church, according to executive pastor Lance Pate, the daily interactions with members have become a point of emphasis, as well.
“We are all learning how to minister to our age groups from a distance,” he said.
This includes an online daily Bible reading plan with F260. Preschool, children and student ministries at FBC Trussville have daily interaction with families through the newly-created fbctfamilies.org site which offers devotions, activities and games. And JELLO (Jesus Especially Loves Little Ones) is now an online song and movement time for preschoolers on Facebook live every Thursday.
Like Champion, Curles and the ministry staff at Trinity have tried to seize on the new circumstances as a way to reach people at a time when they are most receptive.
“It is important to remember that every challenge is an opportunity,” he pointed out. “Worshipping remotely and out of our normal routine has in many ways made our services more important to people. I think that worshipping in this way provides a different perspective on what we do in worship, certainly makes it more real and important, and the difficulties help to open our hearts more to the work that God wants to do in each one of us.”
For most believers in Alabama, and in many other places across the nation, this is the first Easter Week of their lives in which they will be unable to celebrate Christ’s resurrection in a corporate manner. During the most important week on the calendar for Christians, worship will be confined to their homes.
Pate says there is one constant onto which Christians sitting at home may hold.
“Not being together is tough and we will miss the corporate celebration but it doesn’t change what Christ did for us all,” he said. “We are reminding our people that nothing will stop each of us from personally celebrating Easter. We’ll come together online for both Good Friday and Easter, but families are now challenged to make very strategic plans so that their families understand the power of the cross and Christ’s resurrection.”
Curles sees several ways in which Christians can enjoy worship this week.
Although difficult and inconvenient, these circumstances are not new, according to Curles.
“The Apostle Paul reminds us that every challenge and temptation we face has presented itself to the church before, and God will provide a way forward,” he said. “That, at the least, is a comfort. Early Christians were not able to worship together because of persecution, so they worshipped together in small house churches. For Christians, although this may be new to us, it is not new to the Church of Christ Jesus.”
He also thinks there is an ability to embrace its uniqueness.
“Lean into it and make it special,” he advised. “Christians believe that they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and that, therefore, Christ is with us and lives within us. We do not have to be in a sanctuary to be in the presence of God; He is present to us at all times and in all places it we only recognize His presence and draw near to Him in faith. Use this time to draw near to Him in fresh ways and embrace the break in routine.”
Finally, he focuses on the fact that the pattern of Christianity is death and resurrection.
“Jesus’ life was one of death and resurrection and He thereby made a way for us to know God again,” he said. “Then, we begin the Christian life by dying to ourselves and our life apart from God and are raised to new life in Jesus Christ. It seems that God is giving us all an opportunity examine how we have left Him and return home in faith during this Lenten season.”
As the staff at FBC Trussville continues its outreach in the community and with its members during this crisis, providing encouragement has been at the center of its communication.
“As the church, we’ve been trying very specifically to connected with every member to make sure this situation doesn’t become overwhelming and discouraging,” Pate stated. “This can so easily happen. For example, our Seasoned Adult Ministry has a group of 50 people contacting each of our 1000 senior adults each week. We want everyone to hear from us and know we’re all in this together. It’s also been our goal as a staff to offer God’s Word of hope in all of our contacts.”
What can sometimes seem to be a delicate balance between religious liberty and government order has been tested in some corners of the country during the COVID-19 crisis. However, congregations in Alabama have largely appeared to move forward with the greater good in mind.
Champion underscored his view that the spiritual and physical health of his congregation must both be considered in the decision being made.
“I’m thankful our government is doing it’s best to allow churches to continue helping the spiritual and emotional well being of communities,” said Champion. “I realize they are not limiting Easter worship or any worship service out of power or control. We are all being limited for health and safety reasons. As much as I miss being with the people, it would be devastating for me to have this virus run uncontrolled through our congregations.”
For those overcome by fear and the chaos it fuels, Curles and Pate both counsel that there is one direction to look.
“Peace is not the absence of anxiety, it is the presence of a Person, Christ and His Holy Spirit,” remarked Curles.
“With all the confusion in the world right now, the Bible is the only real answer,” concluded Pate.
Tim Howe is an owner of Yellowhammer News
