Without Getting Caught Up in Culture

Remember the pandemic? I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m doing it. I’m going to talk about the pandemic.

Specifically, the most popular Bible verse of the pandemic, which for the rest of my life (and maybe yours too) will trigger memories of COVID, lockdowns, anger, and discord. This verse, previously somewhat obscure in church life, became the go-to statement for many who were angry with the situation and used church leadership as their outlet.

From the Book of Hebrews:

“Let us…not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some…”

Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV

Connected with this Scripture quote, I received many a strong petition to “Just do what Scripture says!” Which really meant “Scrap online church and show the government who’s really in charge!” (Exaggerating? Not so much.)

Addressing Interpretation Issues

It should be noted that I’m fairly conservative-leaning; not a full “anti-vaxer” but definitely edging on conspiracy theorist when it comes to politicians. So, like it or leave it, many of the people in the extreme Hebrews 10 camp are my people. There are many issues that we might align with.

Moreover, I might have given them more airtime on the Hebrews 10 argument if it had been this single issue, but it wasn’t and it isn’t. There have been many more misinterpreted and misquoted passages of Scripture over the years, just of lesser importance (or lesser rage).

As a Lead Pastor in an Evangelical church, this is my life. As evangelicals, we pride ourselves on being people of the Book (the Bible), but congregational interpretation can run wild. I’ve heard it all!

Common Misuses of Scripture

Here are a few examples of common misuses (and misquotes) of Scripture that pastors and church leaders commonly come across, before, during and now after the pandemic:

• “Where two or three are gathered” (Matt. 18:20) is misused as a defence for the sanctity of the Wednesday night prayer meeting or a poorly attended event or activity.
• “I can do all things through Christ” (Phil. 4:13) is misused to keep pushing a ministry that is clearly failing or to disregard a necessary course correction.
• “No more than you can handle” (1 Cor. 10:13) is misquoted and misused instead of correcting foolish behaviours and mitigating the pain.
• “Money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10) is misquoted and misused to treat church finances as secret (or sacred) instead of being an indicator of spiritual health.

Guiding Through Context

Coming back to the pandemic, every pastor and church leader received further training in guiding people through context:

• What did this passage mean for the original audience?
• What do we know about the church then versus the church now?
• What do we know about the culture then and the culture now?

Although all of this was highlighted many times before, in sermons, studies, and one-on-one conversations, it needed to be offered again. This is the life of a pastor; helping people gain context and correct interpretation of Scripture will always be a component of our ministry.

Post-Pandemic Reflections

Now that we’re a couple of years out of this mess, I still have a little Bible-verse PTSD when I even hear the word “Hebrews”. I assume almost every other pastor or minister, whether they were for or against restrictions, likely feels the same way.

I am thankful that our church was gracious, found a balance, and for the most part, navigated the pandemic fairly well. I’ve heard many stories from colleagues, realizing that some had far worse challenges than we experienced. Regardless, the journey was difficult for all of us.

Current Challenges and Cautions

Today, we face new crises and hot-button issues streaming across all our devices and social platforms. Be cautious that you don’t bend Scripture to your will. Interpret the Bible within its original context and with clarity, but without getting caught up in the cultural moment.

If you happened to have been one of the pandemic Bible thumpers on your pastor or minister, today might be a good day to reach out and apologize. Consider how you might have allowed the anxiety and anger of the pandemic moment to push you to attack your church leadership; your brothers and sisters who were doing their best to find a way through.

A Final Thought

Truth be told, I believe the pandemic (whatever was true or false) was a work of Satan to bring apathy, discord, rage, and slander into the Church. That being said, he didn’t win. The Church has bounced back! Why? Because Jesus promised it would.

So, I’ll leave you with His promise, given to Peter, to which we have 2000 years of evidence, including a global pandemic.

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:18-19, ESV

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts

1. How has your understanding of Scripture changed through recent events?
2. What strategies do you use to interpret the Bible in its original context?
3. Have you experienced a situation where Scripture was used out of context? How did you handle it?