Hebrews 10:24-25 – Meet

Our Parishioner’s Pick today comes from a familiar passage:

Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV)

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Here is the comment that came with the submission:

I miss the people who watch online, and feel we need to be reminded that we come together to encourage one another. The bottom line is if we are able, we should be together in body as well as spirit.

How do we do church in a digital age?

The author certainly didn’t have in mind whether or not it was okay to do church online rather than in person.

Not surprisingly there is nothing in the Bible that gives us direction on online church.

There’s no “though shall not stream thy services.”

Paul didn’t write to Timothy, “Rebuke those who watch church online.”

Does the Bible say anything remotely related to online church?

History of streaming at PACOC

We began it out of necessity with the pandemic.

We didn’t have it before – talk about it but expenses, volunteers, and it could discourage people from coming to church. Streaming wasn’t really on our radar. We did not have as a vision to be an online church.

We didn’t meet for 10 weeks and even after that our attendance was sluggish for several months. We needed some level of connection with the church. We did some classes online. We interviewed some members online. We beefed up our presence on social media.

Once attendance got back to near pre-pandemic numbers we kept streaming. Why?

Cultural expectation – the church has adapted throughout history. Buildings, electricity, sound systems, video projection (I remember a similar debate). We become all things to all men to win some. If we met in a tent with no electricity, sound system, song books we would very much limit out potential for outreach.

Not as expensive or difficult as it used to be

A way to serve those who are homebound. This was an argument even before the pandemic. Deliver tapes. Take them communion. Online church gives a better connection.

A way to serve those who have trouble in crowds. Some people are overwhelmed with crowds.

A way to introduce people to our church. Some have found us online. Some check us out online before they come.

We continue to stream but ask this question: With technological innovation there comes a danger to compromise the mission and practice of the church.

Is online church an option?

Some would say absolutely not.

We now have expressions like “online campus” and “online church.” Are these oxymorons that are true contradictions, like “paid volunteer” or “exact estimate”?

The Christian life, in other words, can never be fully digitized

It is not only assumed, but often stated, that online church can do discipleship, fellowship, the “one another’s,” even the sacraments, just as well as physical church. But the Bible nowhere teaches that we can commune, fully, with God in our “soul” only, without our body. In fact, the Bible teaches the opposite, that physical bodies are an integral part of God’s sanctification and redemption.

“Digital is a consumeristic mindset,” said Reed.

There are a dozen examples of how digital interaction is too quick, too individual, too isolating, and too shallow.

“It's just so easy to be at home, stay in your pajamas, sip your coffee, watch the livestream and feel like you did church but not ever be connected with other believers, encouraging one another and loving one another,” Greenstreet said. “It's been one of the biggest dangers of the online [services] that I’ve seen.”

For example, Allison’s book, Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church, mentions the phenomenon of online church, but does not measure it against the New Testament’s metaphors and descriptors for the church. In this robust work of almost 500 pages, Allison addresses online church in less than two pages and considers “virtual church” a “trend toward noninvolvement in a church.”

On the other hand, some say yes.

“The digital space then becomes a really natural place for people to go to as sources of authority, so why not get ourselves in those places and be curious, honest, and helpful in the way that we offer content to try to reach people who may never step foot in your church but happen to scroll across something that moves them,” he said.

Churches are doing this. Online hosts. Dynamic interaction. They will cut into the church service and then cut back to the hosts.

Relationships can be established without face-to-face contact. Think of when people used to have pen pals. Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a historical-fiction book of the correspondence between CS Lewis who lived in England and an American woman. They developed a very close relationship through writing.

Paul had a virtual relationship with the church in Rome. He had never been there but writes this powerful letter to them. John and Peter write letters to believers some of whom they may have never met.

Is it necessary to come to church in person. In our digital age we can have all the content of church on a screen.

AI can write you a sermon or you can find one online

Get a worship playlist on Spotify

Have communion delivered to your home

Give online

What do you do? Does the Bible give us any direction? Not specifically, but maybe indirectly.

The word translated church is a word that means assemble. People who came together. In the first century world that would be in person, not sending a letter.

The early church was a gathering church. We see it over and over again. They get together in person.

Acts 2:42–47 (NIV) — 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 4:31 (NIV) — 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 12:12 (NIV) — 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.

Acts 20:7 (NIV) — 7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.

1 Corinthians 16:1–2 (NIV) — 1 Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Romans 16:5 (NIV) — 5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

1 Corinthians 11:17 (NIV) — 17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.

1 Corinthians 11:34 (NIV) — 34 Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

1 Corinthians 16:19 (NIV) — 19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.

Philemon 1–2 (NIV) — 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker—2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:

James 2:2 (NIV) — 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.

Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV) — 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

In the Old Testament there was a place to come together. The Jews were called to the temple. There was something special and powerful about being together.

They naturally didn’t have an online option, but if they did would they encourage it? Would the Day of Pentecost be the same if it was live streamed to all the Jews throughout the Roman Empire? I don’t think so. If the pandemic taught us one thing it’s this: For the most part, we do like to be with people.

I know over the years we have taught that the church is not a building but have we emphasized that to the extent that we no longer value the holiness of gathering together in a physical place?

I think the most powerful argument for being together with people is the life of Jesus. He had his times alone, but so often we see him with people. Eating with them. Celebrating with them. Mourning with them. In the synagogue. In homes. At dinner tables. He is with crowds.

John 1:14 (NIV) — 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

I believe there is overwhelming evidence that teaches that the church, to be the church God has called us to be, needs to be people gathering together in person.

I mentioned the letter of Paul and John but look what they say. They prefer face to face interaction:

Romans 15:23–29 (NIV) — 23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

2 John 12 (NIV) — 12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

3 John 13–14 (NIV) — 13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

I also mentioned the book about CS Lewis. The American woman he wrote to he later met in person and they were married. That woman was Joy Lewis. He wasn’t content to just write letters. They had to meet!

Let me add this – our meetings have to be personal. This worship has power and is so important as we lift up our voices together. As we commune in the Lords Supper. As we hear a message from the Word. We pray together collectively. We talk about what we are doing as a larger group. But it must go deeper.

That’s why we encourage you to go beyond this 1.5 hours.

Bible class at 9 AM – more interactive than worship.

Wednesday night – eat together, smaller communities, interactive

DMC’s – work through the Word together. Share our lives. Pray for one another.

So, what do we do with our online presence?

We will keep it going. We see some advantages to it. Watch us online. Follow us. Like us. Subscribe to us.

Keep using RightNow Media. Listen to those worship playlists. Do those online Bile Study plans.

But, if we are physically and emotionally able, it should never replace gathering together in person.

This is not unlike what Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church, does in many video services or teachings in our day. He starts by stating something along these lines: “Pray that this sermon, this resource, be used by God in conjunction with you belonging to a local church,” or “This is never meant to substitute God’s good plan for you to be in a community of faith where the Word of God is preached and proclaimed.”

I know you are here in person but in your life you may wonder if you need to be. Many have drifted away.

We are a body and we need to be connected as closely as possible. We are a family. We need to be as close as possible. God wants you to find in this body, this family a group of people who help you in your faith. That you can help in their faith. We want to be a group of people who care deeply for one another. We want to walk hand in hand on this journey of life. We want to be a people who truly love one another.