Masks and Church Leadership

On Monday, Sam published a post discussing the significance of private and governmental mandates regarding masks. As an extension of that post, I’m going to take the opportunity to explore the specific issue of wearing masks as well as the broader issue of handling the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of the local congregation and in the lives of individual Christians.

Submit to Your Eldership

In America, most of us cherish the freedoms which have been codified into law. The idea that a person is free to do whatever he or she desires, provided that he or she does not infringe upon the rights of another, is generally true and widely adored. This attitude, however, sometimes is perverted into a willingness to rebel against authority, because after all, “I can do what I want.” That rebellion against authority has not escaped the church, and it has not evaded this issue.

Different congregations are responding to the crisis in different ways. Some congregations have yet to resume meeting; others are meeting sparingly, making great effort to practice social distancing and other health-conscious practices. Still others have changed very little about how they’ve assembled in the last few months. It is not the purpose of this post to criticize congregations for their particular decisions (more on that below). However, I have witnessed certain members of those congregations publicly denounce their congregations – specifically, the elders of those congregations – based on implementing a policy that seems too restrictive or born of fear. Whether it be calling the elders fearful because they have decided not to meet for a period of time, or bristling publicly about being asked to wear a mask to worship, there has been no shortage of people giving their elders grief about the decisions they’ve made.

Consider Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” This is not a suggestion; this is a command. Submit to your leaders. The Hebrews writer is referring specifically to spiritual leaders – the elders. The idea here is that how we obey and submit will influence how they keep watch; my obedience (or lack thereof) will determine whether or not they are able to lead joyfully or “with groaning.” Let us be abundantly clear: If you are a member of a local congregation whose eldership has made a decision with which you disagree, and you decide to publicly blast that congregation on social media or anywhere else, you have sinned and desperately need to repent. You can disagree with whatever decision is made, you can even bring your concern to the elders, but expressing public disdain for your elders – whose job it is to keep watch over you – is abject sin. How tragically frivolous it is to separate oneself from God over a mask!

Church Autonomy

One other facet of this issue worth exploring is that of how different congregations are handling the coronavirus pandemic; specifically, how Christians are reacting to how other Christians are handling the pandemic. This is something Sam and I have explored often in the podcast, and is something that will be an issue, likely, through at least the end of this year.

Congregations are going to make different decisions based on their particular contexts. As noted above, there exists a wide range of methods on the part of local congregations of approaching the pandemic. Christian, your job is not to blast other congregations on social media. At a bare minimum, you should offer congregations making different decisions the benefit of the doubt. Love, among other qualities, “believes all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7). If a congregation is making a judgment call with which you personally disagree, consider that they might have a reason for doing so, a reason of which you are not aware. Moreover, you are authorized to be some sort of “brotherhood police” officer; perhaps, unless a congregation is engaging in something that is overtly sinful, it would be best to withhold judgment. Certainly your speculative judgment should not be aired publicly. Likewise, snide comments about other congregations being “too afraid” are divisive and unwarranted. Congregations who have made serious adjustments in light of the pandemic are simply doing the best they can with the information they have. If you have a serious issue with how a congregation is handling the pandemic – maybe you have a relative who attends said congregation and are worried about how their handling impacts him or her – then seek out the congregation directly. Publicly venting solves nothing, and it invites in a whole host of problems the congregation should not have to bear.

During this trying time, be careful how you speak publicly about those with whom you disagree. Jesus, in listing the second of the greatest commands, said “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). If your eldership asks you to wear a mask, wear one, and do so without complaint. If your congregation does not ask or mandate a mask, do not begrudge those who do, and consider wearing one anyway. I will be wearing a mask in most public places for the foreseeable future because, as far as I can tell, this is the best approach I can take based on the evidence, but the idea that other Christians are less loving because they will not is uninformed at best. The idea that a disagreement over a mask could get in the way of the respect owed to elders and the love shared between Christians should be inconceivable.