Should Churches Cancel Services During Pandemics?

Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, so in general, canceling services is contrary to Scripture.  No exception is noted for pandemics.  (I was at a church that had a gas leak during a service, and it was the right thing to do to send everyone home early.  I’m not talking about one-off situations like blizzards and tornado warnings.  I’m talking about ongoing policy during a pandemic.)

I know some churches did cancel services due to COVID, while many others had online-only services.  Others met in parking lots in sealed cars and others had normal services, sometimes in defiance of the government, risking imprisonment for threatening public safety.

The government in many places declared churches “non-essential” and ordered them closed, while booze stores and cannabis dispensaries were declared “essential.”  That is just a slap in God’s face.  Cannot God provide better help than alcohol or pot?  I actually got an explanation in one place – since many people are alcoholics, they would go to pieces if they couldn’t visit the local liquor store.  However, JESUS can set people free from the sin of alcoholism, so which is better?  Sadly, many places do not preach the fullness of the gospel and could end up with more people at the midweek AA meeting than at the Sunday service!  I can see where some officials are coming from, though I disagree with them.

One thing was notable when churches went to only online services – they usually lost a good chunk of their live attendance forever.  Even after COVID blew over, people had learned that they could watch church from home in their pajamas and they liked that better.  That is NOT assembling yourself together with others!  For starters, how are you going to “greet one another with a holy kiss” (Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, 1 Peter 5:14) over the internet?  For dead, boring churches, people might not see much difference, but it’s hard to duplicate the moving of the Holy Spirit in a live online service.  I’m not saying the Holy Spirit couldn’t move in an online service, but you surely aren’t going to lay hands on any sick people online!

I understand that churches may want to make accommodations to make people feel safer.  I went somewhere where they greeted everyone with forehead thermometer guns to make sure no sick people came in!  The first Sunday this happened, my wife was sent home (I left with her in disgust) because we had driven to church in an open convertible on a sunny day when we were both perfectly healthy.  Meanwhile, people with fevers could easily beat the thermometer guns by stuffing their heads in front of their car vents with the air conditioner on for a little while before coming in.

Some practical suggestions for church services during a pandemic are in the topic Should Churches Mandate Social Distancing During Pandemics?.

Would I still hold services in defiance of the government if it meant I could go to jail?  Personally, I would to avoid violating God’s command in Hebrews 10:25.  I would consider clandestine house meetings to avoid the eye of the government, which people in communist countries have had to do for years on a regular basis!  Thank God, they don’t refuse to assemble together in one place just because it violates man’s laws.  If there is ever a conflict, Acts 5:29 decides it: “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than man.”