Barna reports that, “Eight in 10 churched adults (81%) say in-person worship is very important to them. Yet 63 percent believe churches should continue to leverage digital resources for discipleship—even after the pandemic is resolved.” Barna is now introducing Leading Hybrid Church, a 6-Week cohort to help you lead and disciple your people both, digitally and in-person.[1]
Ok, so let’s break this down, according to Barna 8 out of 10 adults in church say that in-person worship is very important. However, 63 percent of them prefers to continue to leverage digital resources for discipleship. On top of this, Barna jumps on this opportunity to bring forth the Hybrid church, a combination of the church as we know it and a digital version. Guys, this is wrong in every way because it is simply not biblical. Furthermore, this is another attempt of the devil to move us further away from our ancient structure and Modus Operandi. Covid19 has given the devil the perfect argument to do so. Look at the recommendations from our friends in the CDC for tis last Resurrection Sunday Celebration,
Holiday Tips. Updated Mar. 18, 2021 Languages Print Safer Ways to Observe Religious Holidays. Attending gatherings to observe religious and spiritual holidays increases your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. The safest way to observe religious and spiritual holidays this year is to gather virtually, with people who live with you, or outside and at least 6 feet apart from others. · Enjoy traditional meals with those who live with you. · Practice religious holiday customs at home. · Prepare and deliver a meal to a neighbor. · Watch virtual religious and cultural performances. · Attend religious ceremonies virtually. If you plan to celebrate with others, outdoors is safer than indoors.
Covid19 is an attack on the church and on our freedom. The CDC and this idea of a Hybrid church is in direct opposition of our Biblical Mandate. The church has his own instructions coming directly from God.
- We are called to gather together in the same place according to Hebrews 10:25 tells us,
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. (NIV)
- Our modus operandi requires that we come together according to Acts 2:42,
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (NIV)
We are called as a family of believers to be devoted together to 1) the apostles’ teachings, 2) to fellowship, 3) to the breaking of bread and 4) to prayer.
Beloved, say no to this Hybrid church; we are the church, and the very gates of hell will not prevail against us.[2] The very sound of the Hybrid church is sickening to me. The church needs to return to her biblical structure and not allow the world, blind believers or the unbelievers amongst us to change our God-given structure and mission.
The word Hybrid means mixture. It is the same thing that happened right before the flood when the earth was “…corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.” The word corrupt is the Hebrew word šāḥaṯ meaning “to spoil, to ruin, to destroy and to pervert.[3] It has always been the devil’s focus to pervert God’s creation. The devil is attempting to further pervert the church.
Beloved, the essence of discipleship is not just passing on knowledge like we do a regular classroom, school, college, etc. and we get a certificated of completion, a degree and so on at the end. Discipleship does involve teaching, but more than that, demonstrating. Jesus did not lock the disciples in a classroom for three years and gave them quizzes and exams. Jesus shared his life with them and in that way impacted them tremendously. The idea of doing discipleship digitally takes away the essence of our faith. We are called to make disciples around the world. The Great Commission does not go away because of Covid19, the CDC and coward pastors; we must go on, more than ever, trusting God every step of the way.
[1] https://www.barna.com/colab-hybrid-church-2/
[2] Matthew 16:17-19
[3] Warren Baker and Eugene E. Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament(Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003), 1124.
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