Why Face Masks and Singing in Services Are Minor Matters

How important are face masks and singing in services compared with preaching the gospel and the Ezekiel warning to all Israel and to much of the world?

During the COVID crisis, one large Church of God fellowship had members wear face masks at services and refrain from singing loudly.  This was understood to be a temporary measure to be in effect till the COVID crisis was over, which it was in about a couple of years.

Some ministers and members were offended by this and left that organization over that issue.  In the case of the leader, he was apparently fired over his insistence that face masks not be required and that members could sing normally at services.  But many others who were not employed by that organization separated voluntarily.  These ministers and members formed a new group over the issue of the old organization's response to the COVID crisis.

The old organization they left was preaching the gospel effectively and bearing fruit, but on a small scale.  Naturally, by leaving the organization, these ministers and members pulled financial resources from that organization, reducing the income available for preaching the gospel, thus diminishing the power of that organization to preach the gospel and warn the nations of the punishment coming upon them if they do not repent.  

How important was this issue?  How important were face masks and singing in comparison with preaching the gospel and the Ezekiel warning?

There is encouragement in the Bible for singing, but no command to sing at Sabbath services.  One has all the rest of the week to sing praises to God, and we can sing in our hearts as the apostle Paul said (Ephesians 5:18-21).  And though there may be a statement in the Bible about approaching God with unveiled faces, the context is entirely different from disease control.

That issue is over.  COVID has run its course and things are back to normal.  But I hear no talk among these ministers about going back to the old organization they came out of now that they can sing in services and not wear face masks.  Why?  Is it because they have already proven to themselves that the old organization is not worthy of them?  In their minds, the old organization has proven itself to be unfaithful to God, so why go back - is that how they think?

They seem to assume in their minds that the leaders of the old organization were motivated by fear of the COVID disease - fear of dying or getting sick.  It apparently does not occur to many of them that the motivation may have been protecting the work of preaching the gospel, work that depends on assets that could be threatened by lawsuits from family members of anyone who dies from COVID.

Why does this not occur to them?  Is it because many of them do not care about the gospel?  You may be able to tell by their priorities over the last four years.

And so, for the sake of face masks and singing, which have no long term effect on anyone, these ministers and members pull a substantial part of the financial support that was contributed for the gospel out of the organization they left, so that organization now has less money and can only do a smaller work of warning the nations about the great tribulation to come in which 90% of more of the people will die, some so hungry they will eat their own children.

Where is their sense of proportion?

In this context, face masks and singing at services seem like minor matters.  It seems that way to me.  You might have a different opinion.

I am sure some will accuse me, based on my recent posts, of wrongfully creating division.  But, if it is unity you want, why not try to go back to the organization you originally left?  If you created division by leaving the old group, you may be able to repair that division by going back. The COVID crisis is over, and the group you joined seems to place the gospel in low priority.  You didn't know that would happen when you joined, but you know it now.

Maybe it is time for you to say, it was better for the work of God when I was with the old organization.  I will go back.

If not, then please do not accuse me of causing division.  

Be consistent.