Safety First?

Recently, I attended an event at a local church where I was greeted with a sign similar to the one below with a list of Covid precautionary measures that are being taken at the location.

“Your health and safety are our top priorities” was proudly displayed on the doors leading into the church. Whoa. Those words really struck me and threw me for a proverbial loop. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were true.

Now, I’m not here to debate whether churches should require masks and social distancing or offer online services and small groups. I certainly have opinions regarding that, but honestly, I’m glad I’m not the decision maker for those things even within my local church. The last year has been challenging for church leadership. No matter what decisions have been made, leaders have received criticism because they cannot possibly make everyone happy.

But what struck me about this sign was the wording. This church made a statement that the health and safety of those entering their doors were their utmost priorities. And that concerns me. Should those things be at the top of the list of importance for the church? The list that followed the statement proved that they were referring to the physical well-being, not a spiritual one. I can’t recall the Bible verse that says for us to go out into the world and make sure everyone feels safe from disease. Maybe I missed that one. Maybe it can be found in Hesitations 1:23, but who knows? Look it up, and let me know.

Now, I’m not saying that churches shouldn’t care about people and make things safe. Safety is important for many reasons, but it is not the ultimate goal of the Christian. We are definitely not promised safety. In fact, it would seem that what we should expect is persecution, not safety.

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

C.S. Lewis addresses this aspect of Christianity in his allegorical tale The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In it, the Christ figure is Aslan, a lion. The Pevensie children are speaking with Mr. Beaver about Aslan, and Lucy, the youngest, asks if Aslan is safe. Mr. Beaver responds:

“Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

What a beautiful picture of following Christ! He is a good King that we can trust, but following Him doesn’t guarantee safety.

Let’s consider some famous Biblical teachings of Jesus before we land on too strong of an opinion.

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 NIV

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second [commandment] is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30-31 NIV

I think these verses point to being respectful of the safety and well-being of others. Wash your hands, respect social distancing and mask requests in businesses and with those who request it. Wipe down surfaces. Stay home if you are sick, and follow quarantine guidelines. I don’t believe the government should mandate these things, but I believe that Christians should be considerate of others as a sign of love. The government shouldn’t have to mandate these things when we sacrificially love our neighbors. We can choose to extend compassion to those who are in fear instead of casting judgment on them for lacking faith, which is what I’ve observed too frequently in my Christian brothers and sisters this last year. There is a way to spread information that counteracts fear-mongering without being accusatory, judgmental, or self-righteous. We can help others through their fear and concern, but we have to actually care for them and not just be concerned about our own rights. Examine your own heart. Are you someone who just complains about restrictions and masks and loss of freedom (all valid issues), or are you actively serving others in the midst of all the craziness? Remember, as Christians we are not promised the political freedoms that I am personally extremely thankful for and want to preserve. They are a blessing to have, but let’s not replace the gospel with them. That being said, I still don’t think these verses make safety and health the top priorities for the church.

Christians have been around through many plagues and epidemics, and history would reveal that Christianity has widely spread during these times due to Christians sacrificially helping others and risking their own safety rather than fleeing or isolating themselves.

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:13 NLT

The Antonine Plague and the Plague of Cyprian, both in the Roman Empire, were instances when Christians put their faith into action to care for the sick and dying. In fact, Emperor Julian was frustrated during the latter plague because the Galilean Christians were helping their brethren and also the non-Christians! I do not want to seek out danger or harm, but as Christians, we shouldn’t be afraid to risk our health and safety to reach others for Jesus or to love like He loved. I know we are more than a year into this pandemic, so I’m late to the game in sharing this message, but I truly believe the church should be open and we should be reaching out to and serving those who are sick, struggling, hurting, or are even afraid. We shouldn’t be hiding in our homes away from everyone because we are too scared to get sick. Self-preservation is not the call of the Christian. However, as Martin Luther pointed out in his famous letter to the Reverend Doctor Johann Hess, pastor at Breslau, we as Christians shouldn’t be foolish either. We should take precautions for our own safety, but only if it is not at the cost of serving our neighbors.

So what should be the top priority of the church?

Personally, I believe the goal of the church is best summed up by a quote from Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth with a Mission (YWAM). When he was asked what the mission or purpose of the organization was, he stated it was “to know God and make Him known”.

We were created to know God personally, but Jesus left his disciples with a mission - to go into the world and make Him known to all people. We are to make disciples.

I’m not here to criticize church mission statements or signage, but as a writer and lover of language, I can’t help but pause when I see that a church displays its priorities as something other than spreading the gospel and making disciples.

I would’ve probably really appreciated the posted sign (or at least laughed a little) if it had been followed up with tips on spiritual health and “safety” against sin. After all, don’t we gather together as a church in order to grow and learn about spiritual things and encourage one another to becoming more like Christ?

All in all, I think we ought to do our part to keep other people healthy and alive so that we can share the gospel and offer abundant life and hope in Christ. We want people to feel welcome and safe when they enter the church doors. By all means, post your signs about all that you are doing to keep disease away! But…don’t miss the point. My childhood pastor used to say, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” The main thing is the gospel. Keep it at the center. Let it be the motive and drive of the church. I want the church to be known for pointing others to Jesus.

“To know Christ and to make Him known” - shouldn’t that be the number one priority of the church?