What I Saw the Day We Didn't 'Assemble'

I think I'll remember Sunday, March 22, 2020 for a long, long time.

It began like any other Sunday. I started early so I could get to the church building and have some 'alone' time as I prepared my thoughts for Sunday worship. But it was not like any other Sunday. For one thing, I wore blue jeans; but that was not what made it memorable.

I stepped out the back door to walk to my car and the familiar sound of passing cars was missing. No, the streets were not desolate; no tumbleweed. But it was more like a hike in the woods; the sounds of nature. Yet that was not what made it a memorable day.

I turned half a block from my house onto State St. and drove three miles to the church building which is also on State St. All four traffic lights were green, and that almost never happens. I passed only one car, and that never happens. Yet, that was not what made it a memorable day.

I entered the church building and it was dark, just like any other day. However, I did not walk through turning on lights as I normally do on a Sunday morning. I did not unlock the doors. Government officials and health officials had recommended that group gatherings dismiss due to the Coronavirus.  No one would be coming that Sunday.

I had arrived two hours before meeting time. Meeting time? Yes.

I wanted to go back through my sermon one more time and get things set up before everyone started gathering.

We were not meeting at our church building; we were not even meeting together physically. One of our church members introduced me to a computer application that allowed multiple individuals to join in an interactive video conference call. It was different than streaming live or watching a worship assembly on TV. We could interact as if we were in the same room.

I know that this is not new technology. It is used in business and education all the time. But it was the first time any of us had 'gathered' online for a period of worship and fellowship. I was able to share songs via audio and video from my computer so that we could all join together in a period of singing. Other men of the congregation were able to lead the whole group in prayer and share thoughts when we paused for the Lord's Supper. At the end of our worship fellowship, we stayed in our virtual assembly to share prayer requests and relate updates relevant to our church group.

I saw something on that day that we didn't 'assemble.'

Before I tell you what I saw, I have to relate a recent experience I had while a part of a religious group on Facebook. I saw a few posts about a particular Bible verse about the Christian 'assembly.' Here's the verse (the discussion focused on the section in boldface type):

Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.Hebrews 10:24–25 (NASB95)

There were basically two views: Some insisted that the verse was a command for Christians to meet every Sunday. 'Going to church' was something a good Christian had to do. Their rigid stance makes me sad; I think they missed the point.

Those opposing that view countered with statements like: "It's not a command" and "It doesn't say every Sunday" and "It doesn't even say Sunday" and "It doesn't say anything about worship." Their rigid opposition makes me sad; I think they also missed the point.

Both positions stripped the Scripture of meaning. The command viewpoint made it something that even a robot or a dog could obey. The opposing viewpoint, however, lacked substance by merely pointing out what the verse 'did not' say. Those with both viewpoints approached the Scriptures as a legal document. Both figuratively rolled up the scroll of Scripture and whacked the other on the head. Shame! Shame on both!

As long as we discuss Bible verses in legal terms we will only construct religious traditions that are not unlike the traditions of the Jewish elders at the time of Jesus. Rather, we ought to search for meaning and relevance in all the things God has spoken. Why did God say anything about "not forsaking our own assembling together"?

I saw something on Sunday, March 22, 2020, that day that we didn't 'assemble.'

I saw Hebrews 10:25 in a deeper way because I was given a different perspective. For the first time ever we were kept from meeting together and it had nothing to do with inclement weather, building renovations, etc. Our circumstances profoundly emphasized that meeting together is important for the life of the church.

With the help of one of our tech savvy church members, forty-two families and individuals met together in an online video conference meeting. I started the meeting 15 minutes early and several had already joined the meeting. One couple amused us by volunteering to be official 'greeters' as other folks joined. After our 'scheduled assembly' many folks remained in the online meeting to chat. This didn't happen because we were "commanded" or because "we didn't have to meet every Sunday." It happened because we wanted to assemble together. No, actually, we HAD TO ASSEMBLE because that is who we are.

That little phrase, "not forsaking our own assembling together" IS God's way of telling us that coming together in the name of Jesus is rich and powerful. Our assemblies have meaning because of the intent of our hearts toward God and toward each other.

I weary of the voices of critics who tell us that our worship assemblies today are nothing like the assemblies of the 1st Century Christians. Maybe so, but God really did mean something in Hebrews 10:25 and I think I will never look at our 'church assembly' quite the same way. 

Our small congregation assembled online on Sunday, March 22, 2020. We prayed together; we sang together; we shared in the Lord's Supper together, we considered some thoughts from God's word together and we just sat around and talked together.

It was unusual in may ways. But we were together...and we are richer for our experience.
That is a day I will always remember.

And we will continue to meet online...every Sunday...until we can once again join together in person.

God was so wise in giving us instruction reminding us of the importance of being together. 

Mark Stinnett
March 23, 2020