For the first time in my life, I haven’t been set foot in a church in months.

I love going to church. I like seeing my friends. I like hearing about God and Jesus Christ and studying the Bible. I really like singing Christian songs and hymns in a room full of fellow Christians.

Our church, First Baptist Church of Broken Arrow, has been offering Sunday services on YouTube for months. It is not as good as being there in person, but it’s a workable substitute.

In July, the church slowly started having people back in the building on Sunday morning. They have restored Sunday School for some classes and they have reopened the nursery and children’s ministry meetings on Sundays.

Our Sunday School class, a senior group, has chosen to meet for an hour every Sunday morning on Zoom – a computer program that lets you see and hear others in a meeting.  Zoom works pretty good but it is not the same as being there in person. Now we have some meet at the church while some – including us – continue to Zoom.

We have some members of our class that are rightly concerned about catching the coronavirus and so far.

Our family is staying home for now, mostly for health reasons.

There is no right or wrong here.

The government has no right to tell churches that they can’t meet or that they can’t sing during a church service. The governor of California has tried to stop churches from meeting because of the coronavirus and they want to restrict what they do in a service.

That is unconstitutional.

We got a new pastor in January, Dr. Matt Brooks, and he is great. First Baptist is a large church but there was a flurry of professions of faith in Jesus Christ the first few months of this year. It is exciting.

There are still folks who are becoming Christians but you have to wonder what impact the coronavirus has had. First Baptist had more than 800 in attendance in three services on a recent Sunday in July and that was impressive. Very impressive.

Most Sunday School classes are meeting but attendance is not as high as it was before the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the worries for churches was that closing the doors could mean a steep drop in financial support. First Baptist of Broken Arrow has received more than 90% of their normal budget during the virus and that is a direct answer to the prayers of the staff and members. People who are not actually in the building are sending in checks or donating online.

Our church offered a three-day shortened Vacation Bible School and it had to be canceled due to an outbreak..

Falls Creek Camp closed this summer due to the coronavirus. In early August, First Baptist wanted to take students to the Flint Valley campus of New Life Ranch for a day trip in August but that was canceled, too

Like so many churches, they are trying to make the “new normal” as much like the “old normal” as possible.

So, my question is, when the Chinese coronavirus pandemic is over, will people return to church?

That’s a tough question.

A core group of dedicated believers obviously will return. And I suspect that some nonbelievers, who have been shaken by the medical, financial and cultural turmoil of the pandemic, might go to church as they ponder their eternal destiny and look for a connection or reconnection with God and Jesus Christ. But some churchgoers will fall away and not return.  Going to church is a habit. For some, it’s a habit they enjoy and for others it’s more of an obligation.

And if you see church attendance as a duty rather than a joy, you might take the opportunity of a pandemic to stay home on Sundays. You could rationalize that Sunday is the only day for you to get extra rest and not having to get up early, get dressed and go to church will offer more time for relaxation, perhaps a Sunday brunch or maybe a chance to catch up on some chores around the house. Or watch NFL football.

That’s a dangerous attitude that is contrary to what the Bible teaches.

Hebrews 10:23-25 states: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;  and 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.”

We need the Church and we need the local church. We need to be with other believers. And this is especially important as we see the disintegration of our post-Christian culture. The more trouble we see in America, the more we should want to spend time with fellow Christians.

I am looking forward to returning the church building. It always lifts my spirit to be among people who love the Lord and who want to gather to worship Him.