Will COVID-19 end the church?

We assume that everyone understands the restrictions that have come about because of the pandemic. However, as a pastor, I am concerned that our most at-risk people will feel abandoned by their families, friends and their faith community. I am thankful for chaplains who work on the staffs of hospitals and nursing homes, but most people prefer a visit from their minister.

When I first started out in ministry, I could go to a chaplain's lounge at the hospital and find a roster of patients listed with their church affiliations. HIPPA changed all of that by adding layers of privacy that prevent pastors from obtaining patient information. The younger generation calls to let me know they are in the hospital. The older generation expects the pastors to know who is in the hospital and make rounds like they once did. This is one example of how a policy change has forever affected the way pastors minister to people.

I understand that some politicians have spoken up for patent rights during the COVID-19 situation. There are probably some members of the clergy who can break barriers to visit parishioners, but I am not convinced that it is a good idea to visit if there is a risk of spreading infection. I also do not want to take the place of a family member when there is a strict limit of the number of visitors who are allowed. Still, church attendees who are expecting a drop-in visit from the pastor may be disappointed.

I have been able to visit many members over the telephone, and I have been able to write cards and letters. The younger generation takes for granted the ability to instant message. We are not accustomed to waiting for letters to come in and go out through the Postal Service. Very few elderly church members communicate with their pastors via text messaging. We are having difficulty finding a substitution for weekly in-person meetings.

Another challenge is email and social media. Even though most of our members have some form of digital communication, it is hard to be sure if they are getting the messages. We have successfully adapted to a livestream format of our Sunday morning worship, but it is hard to know who you are reaching and how much they are feeling connected to the ministry.

I read a recent article where pastors expressed concern that their members were no longer watching the online broadcasts of the worship service. There is fear that church members will feel disconnected to their local church and will be unwilling to return to in-person worship. It is possible that our churches and worship services will get smaller. This will create greater challenges in the areas of evangelism and discipleship.

Throughout my time in ministry, I could always count on the core of the church membership to be ready and available to do the work of the ministry. Now, it seems as though we can no longer effectively minister with the most committed members because of physical separation and isolation. Will we lose our churches? Is everyone just going to stay home and watch church on television? Will this crisis turn us from disciples who serve to consumers who seek to be entertained?

Jesus said, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18 (ESV). We believe that the confession that Jesus is the Christ is the foundation of Christianity. What God has established will not be destroyed. Hell cannot destroy the church, and neither can COVID-19.

We were created for community and worship. I believe the church is indestructible until the Lord returns. We have had difficult days in the past, and we survived. Do not give up on the church -- you need your faith community, and your faith community needs you.