At least that’s what each of our state governments confessed in mandating that we shut down. Some of you are still experiencing this tragic over-step with no one to stand up on your behalf.

As soon as this began to happen, I wondered, “Is this really happening? Surely down here in the ‘Bible belt,’ local mayors and chiefs of police will allow us to meet so long as we maintain safety measures. How is the liquor store ‘essential’ while we are not? This was not the case. Instead the responses were something like this, “We love God, and we’re Christians, but we need to listen to the science now and shut down.” We were told that it shouldn’t be a big deal since we could use Facebook or YouTube and “worship online” in our homes.

There were none to help. I watched as denomination after denomination ordered their congregations to close. We in the LCMS were left to fend for ourselves. Those who did stand up were quieted quickly with calls to “obey the governing authorities.”

The longer I sat, the more frustrated I became. I understood not being able to go into the nursing homes and assisted living facilities. I even understood the temporary cessation of many shut-in visits. The virus and its threat were very real. We didn’t want to parade around as if it wasn’t a big deal. But how in the world could worship be deemed “not essential?”

I wanted to respond, but I didn’t know how. I searched for an answer, and in coming to a conclusion, I became a bit dejected. When one looks at worship in America across denominations (and even in certain pockets of the LCMS), it becomes clear why worship “in-person” was deemed “non-essential.” When worship is all about waking up, getting your “game-face” on, and preparing to “give your best to God,” there’s no reason that cannot be done from the home. One can easily turn on the TV or computer, watch the concert, listen to the TED Talk, get all the warm fuzzies, and with a new spark of motivation, go on with their life. But if worship is as we find it throughout the Scriptures where God literally dwells in the midst of His people and gathers them to give them forgiveness, life, and salvation through Word and Sacrament, it becomes essential for the Church to gather.

“But the early Church didn’t meet in large gatherings for nearly 300 years, and they went out and changed the world!”

For some people, namely the social media history and theology scholars who have taken over the Internet in these days, this is a compelling argument. “Did Christians really only meet in homes and then go out into their cities and towns and change the world?”

Yes and no.

First of all, Christians met together in homes because they were being killed for being Christian. Nero used them as street lamps by pouring oil on them and lighting them on fire. They were trapped in the arena to be crucified and fed to lions.

Eusebius documents that local rulers made sport of who could come up with the most vile way to kill Christians. Some has their legs tied to separate trees that had been bent over. Once tied down securely, the trees were let go, and as they returned to their normal position, the Christian was torn in half.

Sure. Let’s compare that to the Coronavirus.

Further, those homes did not only contain one family. Multiple families would gather in a person’s home. Then in the evening on Sunday, they would gather together as one to celebrate the Sacrament in a larger home with a courtyard. (See the issues in Corinth.)

Ultimately, any comparison one wants to make to the early Church, how they met, and it being a good thing, falls short. Persecution and heresy ruled the day of those 300 years. It’s probably not a good idea to want to return to that.

Again, though, it seems like it’s the ones with the former view of worship that cling to this desire. If worship is solely about “giving your best to God” or “showing Him how much you love Him,” there’s no reason one cannot do that from the home. But if worship is gathering where God dwells in our midst and receiving the good things He has to give through Word and Sacrament, I’d say where that gathering where He’s promised to be is essential.

This is not about taking a stand against the government. This is not about playing the hero (or martyr!). This is about faithfulness and truth. Encourage your pastors to stand firm. If we bow out for a virus, how will we stand against the Turk? God have mercy on us all!