The Highland church has changed.

After 90 years as an onsite church – interrupted by an abrupt shift to entirely online church – we are now in our first couple of weeks as both an onsite and online church.

This is new territory for us, as it is for the many churches navigating the COVID-19 landscape and the new congregational identities it has forged.

To us, the most significant challenge moving forward is this: How does a church stay unified on God’s mission now?

We recognize that so much of our past unity was a natural byproduct of physical gatherings: worship, Sunday school classes, small groups, service opportunities, etc. These social gatherings produce an inherent congregational energy and momentum. Not only that, but as Christians we believe God works through physical events and gatherings to bind us to one another, pour out grace upon us, and fill us with the Spirit. So in the absence of physical gatherings with the entire body, we are up against both natural and spiritual barriers to unity.

That said, we are not the first Christians to be scattered. Take a look at Acts 8 and Acts 11 to catch a glimpse of how powerfully God can work through a scattered church for the redemption and joy of whole cities.

We believe God has, can, and will continue to bless the scattered church. Filled with that hope, we set about designing a practical initiative through which we expect God to bind us together, whether onsite or online.

It’s called Be Church.

Paul once wrote this to his church:

“To God’s church that is in Corinth: To those who have been made holy to God in Christ Jesus, who are called to be God’s people. Together with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place – he’s their Lord and ours!” (1 Cor 1:2 CEB, emphasis added)

God calls us to be the church in every place. In a moment when we can’t all go to church, we can still be the church. All of us, in every place. This is our calling: Be Church.

As part of Be Church, we are asking everyone in our church family – whether onsite or online – to do three things each week: love, grow, and worship.

For each of the three, we’ve outlined several possibilities for our church family.

First, love. Here are some ways:

1. Love your actual neighbors. You can do this in simple, practical ways. Consider picking up groceries for an at-risk neighbor.

2. Love your church family. Call someone from Highland just to check on them.

3. Share the good news. It’s as easy as sharing with a friend something we post online, and then talking to them later about what they saw or read. Anyone can do this.

4. Serve with us. Follow Highland on social media or sign up for our weekly email, where you can find details on upcoming service opportunities.

Second, grow. Here are some ways:

1. Join a “Jesus Group.” If you are new to the whole church thing and want to know more about Jesus, then join one of these virtual groups.

2. Join a virtual class or small group. Many of our Sunday school classes and small groups are meeting online right now. Some are also meeting in person in safe ways. If you are not a part of one of these groups or classes, you can sign up online.

3. Give. Giving is one of the ways we grow. So, give to support the ministries of your church. You can do that online.

4. Pray with us. Each week we’ll post instructions for a prayer initiative we want everyone to be part of. It’s focused on pursuing God’s wisdom in this ambiguous, challenging time. Who doesn’t need more wisdom? So follow us online, and pray with us every day.

Finally, worship. Here are some ways:

1. Worship with us online. We’ll continue to offer our online worship service each week. So, if you are at risk, vulnerable, or just scared – keep worshiping with us from home.

2. Worship with us outside. We will continue periodic outdoor worship experiences.

3. Worship with us inside. Preregister each week for socially distanced and masked indoor services.

4. Join a “Quaranteam.” If you can’t come to a large gathering but have some people you trust, or if you would like to develop some new friends in Christ, sign up for a small group. Each group will worship together in a home or at a park on Sundays, using our online worship.

We don’t expect Highlanders to do all 12 of these options. We expect them to do all three: love, grow, and worship.

Our prayer is that God will bind us together as we endeavor to Be Church in this new season of our life.

A friend of mine, another minister, likes to say that we are all just beggars sharing bread. I like that.

Perhaps this bit of bread will be enough to energize or inspire your church with its own effort at bridging the onsite/online identity challenge that we are all facing.