An Encouragement To Return To Public Worship | COVID-19

Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

First and foremost, you are each very important to us as Elders. We truly love you and pray for you often. If you were to ask us, "What is your main goal as Elders?" Our answer would be: To help our flock truly know God. Knowing God is the supreme treasure of life and the foundation of every joy that we look forward to in eternity as Christians. Jesus' own words help us see this when He said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," (Jn. 14:6). In other words, Jesus' ministry is one of bringing sinners into a whole and right relationship with the Father, (Jn 17:3). This is exactly what we are laboring to accomplish by the help of the Holy Spirit in our Sunday worship services, our Wednesday Discipleship meetings, in the fellowship events we host, and in all the personal meetings we get to have with you. Our hope and prayer is that you not only know Christ as your Savior, but that you are continuing to grow in your relationship with God day by day.

In love, as under-shepherds of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the authority vested in us to care for the souls of God's people, we want to extend a strong encouragement to those who have chosen not to attend public worship for many months. You are important to us and we have not forgotten about you. Your presence has been missed and we have often longed to gather together before the Lord with you. This has been a difficult season to navigate for all of us in various ways. Families have had diverse circumstances and needs, varying levels of concern and sundry opinions on how to handle things. Nevertheless, because we love you and desire what is best for you, we need to encourage you to return to the life of the local church.

We encourage you not only to attend on Sundays (of course), but to prioritize your spiritual growth and service such that you are aiming for full participation in the congregational life of Covenant Grace. Our bodies are precious and worth protecting, but our souls are even more precious and deserve the priority, (Matt. 10:28). The physical, public gathering of God's redeemed children is God's ordained means for His people to be spiritually nourished, edified, built up in their faith, and sent out on mission for His glory.

There are simply no substitutes for this and we are not the first Christians to face difficult circumstances that tempt us to forsake gathering with God's people. Be encouraged by the words of Hebrews 10:23-25 which were first written to Christians who would likely suffer persecution for their continued participation in the public life of the church. They now speak to us today:

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We remind you of the call to public worship set forth in Psalm 95:1-7:

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.

Beloved brothers and sisters, come back to the house of God, to seek the face of the living God, to worship Him among the congregation with the joy and gladness which have been freely granted to us in Christ. "For the Lord will not forsake His people, He will not abandon His heritage..." (Ps. 94:14). Ours is a hope that is greater than the troubles of this life, and one which gives us the wisdom to navigate these 'evil days' with heavenly clarity, (Eph. 5:15-17).

Resting in Christ,
The Elders of Covenant Grace Church