With the advent of Andy Stanley’s North Point Community Church announcing they are closing up shop until at least 2021– perhaps longer, new polling results from Barna show that several pastors are likeminded and will follow suit, as they remain pessimistic about reopening anytime soon.
With results initially flattened out, the option to put off this sacred Christian duty, command, and joyous endeavor has become a more and more attractive option for disobedient pastors.
And it’s not just large megachurches like Northpoint, but smaller churches as well. In an Instagram post, Pastor Derek Sweatman of Atlanta Christian Church posted this update.
From a logistical perspective, there is no reason why this church could not safely gather inside their building or outside in their large parking lot to have services. It’s not that they can’t meet, but rather that they don’t think it important enough to meet.
With the ball rolling in this direction, and 5% of Churches considering shuttering their doors for the remainder of the year trending upwards, we expect that number to grow, and to see multiple announcements over the next two weeks indicating likewise.
