by Coye Bouyer
PLYMOUTH, MI – In 2020, churches were forced to move to services on-line and while many of us sat and watched worship in the comfort of our living room, we still sat in isolation (just our family) on Sunday instead of the community of local assembly.
While it is true that God is still with you in the living room of your house, our physical absence from the church house meant that instead of growing together through the trials of 2020, we were forced to navigate through some very traumatic times disconnected from our local church body.
The Bible says that we are not to neglect the continual getting together with the saints (Hebrews 11:25) as had become the habit of some. The writer of Hebrews along with multiple writers of the Scriptures instruct us on the significant growth that takes place in the midst of community. Whether it’s a sports team, colleagues at work, a workout partner in the gym, or a husband and wife, there is a special comradery within the company of others.
Too often we think that because we don’t need the church to connect to God then we don’t need the church to remain connected to God. And while this is true, the Bible seems to assert that since the beginning our God intended for us to be in community.
For God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone;” Jesus sent His disciples out two by two (Lk. 10:1) and the Spirit gives various gifts to different members in order to create a more codependent yet unified and functioning church body (1 Cor. 12:4-14).
This is the case because God never intended for us to be Lone Ranger Christians rather He wanted us to be in unity with Him and community with one another. For as we grow in spiritual maturity making disciples for the Kingdom of God, these things are always better when we experience them together in community.
In 2020 we experienced a major pandemic resulting in separations, sometimes isolation, and for many a sense of disconnection. But today you and I no longer have to hide behind masks, socially distant, separating ourselves from one another, nor bind ourselves in the confines of our own home in isolation. Rather, now we can Connect and Reconnect with shopping, restaurants, travel, outdoor activities and sporting events but we also have the chance to reconnect with regards to our worship with one another.
While some will still find themselves worried due to health concerns and attempting to use careful caution with wisdom, I want to encourage you not to take too long in coming back to your local assembly where you can worship our God with the rest of the body. Not because you have to, but because your local assembly needs you to. For we are always better together than we could ever be apart. Your church misses YOU and WE hope to RECONNECT with YOU soon!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pastor Coye L. Bouyer is the founding pastor of Kingdom Life Church in Lansing, MI. where he has served since March of 2010. Pastor Bouyer recently stepped into the Diversity Ambassador role for the BSCM and firmly believes that he was not only called to Preach the Gospel as part of the process of reconciliation of man to God, but also using any platform as a bridge of reconciliation of man to man, and even more so amongst the brethren. Pastor Bouyer and his lovely wife Keturah (Gen. 25:1) have been married four over 20 years and have four children; Sierra, Seth, Cayla and Coye II.
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