It is not an overstatement to say the COVID pandemic has significantly disrupted the daily routines of Americans and not only ours but of those around the world. Businesses have closed, possibly permanently, and work habits have changed and some of those may have changed permanently. And there may be shortages during the upcoming holiday season because of the pandemic.

     Churches have not been immune from the pandemic itself or its effects. Depending on their individual circumstances churches have cancelled in person services for varying periods of times, but many have begun having in person services again.

     Prior to the pandemic church attendance had been in decline as our culture becomes more secular. Even with the decline prior to the pandemic, church attendance lags behind pre-pandemic numbers and some wonder if the church will be able to regain lost ground.

     Some have suggested that the pandemic was used by God to winnow out nominal Christians, those who are believers in name only. While that may have been an effect, I am reticent to say that was God’s intent.

     Gallup and Barna Group have statistically documented the decline in church attendance and membership for decades, the reason for the decline is not tracked as easily. While various scandals have wracked the church as an institution, they do not appear to be the reason.

     “The most common experience of Christians who don’t go to church seems to be less a deliberate choice and more a substitution of habits … a large share of Christians are opting to go it alone,” says one article. But there is some research that suggests there are benefits to church attendance.

      The Nurses’ Health Study followed the behaviors of 70,000 health care workers for more than a decade and a half.

     The study showed those who attended church services regularly were, “29 percent less likely to become depressed, about 50 percent less likely to divorce, and five times less likely to commit suicide than those who never attended” and “the most striking finding of all,” those “who attended services weekly were 33 percent less likely to die.”

     Similar research shows a “religious upbringing profoundly affects lifelong health and well-being … regular service attendance helps shield children from the ‘big three’ dangers of adolescence: depression, substance abuse, and premature sexual activity.”

     Newer studies of health care professionals indicate religious service attenders had fewer ‘deaths of despair,’ deaths by suicide, drug overdose or alcohol.”

     A host of “large, well-designed research studies have found that religious service attendance is associated with, greater longevity, less depression, less suicide, less smoking, less substance abuse, better cancer and cardiovascular-disease survival, less divorce, greater social support, greater meaning in life, greater life satisfaction, more volunteering and greater civic engagement.”     

Clearly there are dangers in going “it alone.” The scriptural exhortation of “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near,” Hebrews 10:25, should have renewed relevance.

In a recent gubernatorial debate the two candidates for governor of Virginia addressed their perspective of public education. The Republican nominee, Glenn Youngkin, made the point that parents should have a role in the education of their children and their views respected. The former governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, said, “No, parents should have basically no role in terms of curricular decisions in public schools.”

     Dr. Al Mohler, Jr., in his commentary titled “The Briefing” said we should “notice how candid and straightforward is the rejection of parental involvement.” Indeed, McAuliffe is telling parents send us your children and fund the public school system with your tax dollars but what and how we educate your children is none of your business.

     When the founders of our nation traveled to the New World and sought to carve out of the wilderness some freedom for themselves and their families, children were often home schooled. As the demands of making a living off the land increased the need for public schools did as well. Time spent teaching children was needed to make the homestead productive.

     Parents recognized the need for public schools. Local school boards sprang up governed by the doctrine of, “in loco parentis,” Latin for, in place of the parents.

     The educator John Dewey sought to use the public school system to teach a “common culture” to students. But Dewey was an atheist and a humanist and thought children needed to be separated from their parents religious worldviews.

     Local school systems are coming under increasing pressure from the federal Department of Education to adopt curriculums that are in many regards, in conflict, with local norms. The pressure comes in the form of strings attached to federal funding. There are those within government like Terry McAuliffe who think parents should stay out of the business of public education.

     Consider the push to teach Critical Race Theory and the influence of the LGBTQ agenda. Do you think your kindergarten child should be exposed to Drag Queen Story Hour? Do you want your first-grade child taught sex education in an amoral atmosphere where sinful practices are thought acceptable?

     Paul wrote, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” Ephesians 6:4. The Scriptures clearly teach that parents bear the burden for their children’s moral and religious education, but what the parents teach in the home should not be undermined by the public school system.

     Thankfully, there are educators in the public school system who work to compliment what parents teach in the home, but we must guard against those who would steal the hearts and minds of our children. The pandemic has seen an increase in home and private schooling. We may be returning to our educational roots.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ,” Colossians 2:8.

The findings in a recent poll conducted by the American Family Survey suggested “the numbers continue to see a slight erosion in the public’s evaluation of marriage as an institution.” The American Family Survey first began tracking data related to marriage in 2015, so its most recent survey covers a mere six years. Nevertheless, the decline in attitudes toward matrimony are a concern.

     When the collection of information began in 2015 more than 60 percent of those surveyed believed “marriage was needed to create strong families,” by 2021 only 52 percent believed marriage was essential. In 2015 only 12 percent thought marriage was “old-fashioned and out of date,” by 2021 that number had grown to 19 percent.

     While the change in percentages seems slight we are talking about a change that has occurred in only six years. And while I find the decline in societal attitudes toward marriage alarming, I am not surprised by the statistics. As America becomes more secular and unwilling to accept the Creator’s plan for the family and human flourishing, attitudes regarding marriage will fall.

     Statistics reveal trends, but there are some facts that cannot be denied. The executive editor of Deseret News said statistics also show “people have higher life satisfaction when they marry” and it “is better for children … Marriage provides stability and life satisfaction and those who get married often have more longevity and better financial wealth and physical and mental health.”

     In our current cultural climate men and women often begin a relationship through casual sex and with very different expectations. When those expectations are not met they are ready to end the relationship and move on to the next without reaching a mutual level of trust and commitment.

     They then carry the hurts of unmet expectations into the next relationship which is almost always a recipe for failure. It isn’t any wonder that people lose faith in marriage as an institution when they have never committed to the idea of the need for trust and commitment in a relationship.

     God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone … the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man and brought her to the man … for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh,” Genesis 2:18, 22, 24.

     Becoming “one flesh” in one sense means becoming a single unit committed to face life together in a bond of mutual love and trust. Marriage and family are the basic unit of any society no matter what that society’s politics, form of government, or culture are. As goes the family, so goes the nation.

If America loses its standing on the global stage it will not be because of attacks from without but because of decay from within. That is not merely a religious perspective; that is a reality you can count on.

The city of Los Angeles had recently considered mandating Covid vaccines for everyone in the city. This ongoing emphasis on mandating vaccinations continues to be prominent in the news. I am glad I live in Florida, the state that is mandate free.

     My wife and I came down with the coronavirus in August of 2020. We had a relatively mild case that lasted about two weeks. A friend of mine and his wife had the Covid about the same time. His wife recently gave blood and as a courtesy they tested her for Covid antibodies. She was told she still has a very high count of antibodies more than a year after being ill.

     Just a few days ago I went to the emergency room with a suspected heart issue. I turned out not to be a heart issue at all, but part of the treatment included a test to see if I was infected with Covid. The test was negative.

     Since having been sick with the coronavirus I do not wear a mask, have not been vaccinated and I have frequently attended what are termed “super spreader” events such as church, funerals, weddings, high school sporting events, both indoor and outdoor, and grocery shopping. I have not been reinfected.

     I am not saying I cannot be reinfected; I am simply saying I haven’t.

     I am a veteran and go to the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center for all my medical needs. The VA highly recommends being vaccinated for my welfare and the welfare of others.

     So, I asked while I was there in the ER having blood drawn to check for cardiac issues, if they would do a blood draw and screen my blood to see if I may have residual Covid antibodies. They wouldn’t.

     Paul in his letter to Titus enjoined believers “to be sensible.” “Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible,” Titus 2:2. The term to be sensible is used repeatedly in the second chapter for different age groups and genders and is enjoined upon church leaders in the first chapter.

     It seems sensible to me that if the Veteran’s Administration is as concerned about my health and others, as they say, they would be willing to test my blood to see if I still have a natural immunity and not need a vaccine that is questionable. I am not interested in opinions and politics; I am interested in the science when it comes to my health.

     The coronavirus appeared so suddenly, and spread so quickly, I do not think medical science has caught up with what needs to be done. Because the Covid has been so deadly, I think most of what has been recommended has been driven more by fear of the virus than by what we know about the virus.

Given the fact there is so little we know about this virus and seem to be ignoring certain scientific aspects, I cannot comprehend governmental mandates. It does not seem sensible to me.

Recently, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a statement on how her faith informs her position on abortion. It was a response to the claim by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone made regarding the passage of a House Bill 3755. Known as the Women’s Health Protection Act, its intent is to guarantee the right to abortion even if the Supreme Court of the United States overturns Roe v. Wade.

     Archbishop Cordileone said the bill “is surely the type of legislation one would expect from a devout Satanist, not a devout Catholic.” Pelosi replied, “The archbishop … and I have a disagreement … I believe God has given us a free will to honor our responsibilities.”

     This is nothing less than a clash of beliefs. What is one to think? What is one to believe?

     I believe part of God’s image in man is we have a will similar to His, to make decisions free of coercion. Of course, His will is Holy, ours, not so much.

     By an act of their will Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and eat from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. Cain chose to murder his brother Abel. Judas chose to betray Christ. As humans we do not always chose to do what is holy.

     Paul in his second letter to the Thessalonians wrote, “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith,” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2.

     I believe everyone has faith, that is, each of us live by a set of beliefs that cannot be empirically proven. For instance, the atheist believes there is no God and subsequently lives like there is no God, but he cannot prove there is no God; what might be termed a natural faith.

     In contradistinction, the Christian believes in a biblical faith, a saving faith. Everyone has faith, but everyone’s faith is not informed by the Scriptures. This is what Paul meant when he said, “not all have faith.”

     By an act of their will people make all sorts of decisions, but the freedom to do as we please does not sanctify those decisions, does not make those decisions inherently holy or godly. Our decisions are godly to the extent they are in keeping with the will of God as He has revealed in the Scriptures.

     Sadly, the kind of faith expressed by Pelosi seems to be the kind of faith the majority of our culture embraces, faith in their own will and decisions, and no faith in God and His will.

     “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them,” Psalm 139:16.

I believe what the Psalmist wrote, but not all have faith.