Large gatherings have a valuable place in our lives... and I'm fairly certain that most folks are really starting to miss them even more so and appreciate the important role they play.
And yet, these days especially, it's beyond easy to find a number of streaming classes, services, concerts... everything. It's almost overwhelming, as if we didn't already have every option available to us for purchase, now a large portion of it is FREE!
If we're not careful, all this availability can easily fall into passive learning. We still end up staring at a screen and not actively doing something. I caught myself starting to do this yesterday... I pulled out a canvas to paint after watching some videos the night before. The day was drawing to a close and I watched more painting videos, haha! So, needless to say, I am currently having to force myself to NOT watch another video until I actually paint something!!!
Don't get me wrong, my kiddos are still very much playing Minecraft and taking advantage of Disney plus in the evenings. But I'm also having to be careful not to throw every online opportunity in their direction... "here watch this free theatre class and this dance class and this art class and this and this and this". I need to remember that they have plenty of things they can self-cultivate without having to watch another video every 30 minutes.
It's not the easiest to say "no" to free and readily available things. Sometimes we just have to focus back in a little bit and utilize the fact that we can still learn through self-practice and from each other. I realize that not everyone is surrounded by 4 kids and a spouse, so I can't speak into your exact experience right now, I can only speak to mine. We happen to be a homeschool family all of the time, so while this season is definitely a bit strange for us, it's not that entirely different from our normal routine. But, I'd like to share an encouragement that's more from our recent past experience than from our current situation regarding church gatherings.
I've been through the stop-cold-turkey in attendance, and I've been through a couple years of navigating what life looks like without the weekly services. I want you to know its been a bumpy road but it's been a good thing. I'm not saying it's for everyone and I'm definitely not saying church gatherings are evil and should be stopped. I'm saying... a season of family teaching family, family discipling family, confessing with family, worshipping with family can be a really good thing.
Its a good time to remember that spiritual gifts are not just found in your church leadership, they are found in your very own home. This is a wonderful time to cultivate the gifts you have; to grow in them in a way that won't happen when surrounded by others who are often appointed to work that gift for you. The thing is, our gifts though they might fall into certain categories (shepherd, apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist), are going to be manifested differently through each individual personality, experience and context, and that makes each individual person vital to the whole church body regardless of age, gender or position. It's important that we are all continually growing in our gifts and at the same time strengthening others in their gift AND in ours. We can each be versed in all the gifts and we can learn this from each other. The gifts aren't given to simply have one person be the best at that gift, but to invest it into others so they can function in that area as well. We should always be replaceable. We should always be working to equip others to do what we do well and learn from others what they do well.
The way many churches function doesn't necessarily make it impossible, but it certainly makes it more difficult, to avoid the tendency to rely on a handful of individuals for everything. Sometimes, in the name of "being prepared" or "properly trained first" we hold off on releasing folks to function in their still developing gifts. Gifts are constantly being developed, though... there's no official line or mark of readiness. Everyone who steps into a gift constantly make mistakes and will constantly learn new things from them. I'm here to tell you that right here, right now, you have been released to function in your gift. You have permission to do what the Lord has been calling you to do despite not having a position or a title. You don't need a title or position, (and of course you don't actually need my permission) you just need to obey Christ teachings and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit right where you are.
If you've ever been on a short term missions trip, you'll know how it is; you get thrust into a small group of people and spend almost every waking hour with them and then together you get thrust into situations you're not normally in and you're basically forced to do what needs to be done. Yes, you have leadership walking you through some stuff, I'm not saying get rid of leadership at all, I'm saying that leadership should push you out of the nest and then support you in that experience. And what usually comes out of a time of short term missions? Often, you come home empowered to walk in a gift you may have discovered was waiting to burst out given a chance... and maybe you come home realizing you were relying on others for certain things that you had the ability to do all along... you got thrust out of the nest of constant care and were forced to do the work yourself. This is what the work of the church and the equipping of the saints can look like, but this often what the church often fails at doing (is there such a thing as helicopter churching?!). Not intentionally by any means, but simple because we're good at organizing things to function well, but then they function so well that it's hard to allow it to be a little awkward and grow a little wild.
In a time where every resource is available to you, books and podcasts and commentaries and worship albums and so on... don't feel guilty or be afraid to take this time to say no to all the extra stuff for a good bit of time and simplify to just you and the word, or your family and the word. I'm not saying DON't watch you live-streaming church service, that's just silly. What I am saying is don't let that be all there is if you do. Just go for it... read the Word together cover to cover, I know you have the time and yes, even all the "boring" or "weird" parts! Pray the Word. Sing the Word. Speak the Word. If you're going to obey the teachings, you have to know them, not just what someone else says about them. If you rest in and spend time with the heart of God, your heart WILL be transformed.
Also, be encouraged... it will NOT look like a service designed for a large group. Trying to copy one just leads to awkwardness and boredom quite frankly. Let it be simple. Let it be genuine. Let it be flexible. Let it be creative. Let it be functional. Let it be what the Spirit leads it to be and see what happens!
