There’s a tendency to oversimplify people’s reasons for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Some people are late adopters with everything. They don’t rush into any decisions let alone ones with such big consequences. Others fear the reliability of a vaccine development process that feels rushed. For others, the decision has been influenced by political division and mistrust. Unfortunately, a huge amount of misinformation has also clouded people’s thinking.
I have deliberately avoided speaking about vaccines because I feel it’s a medical decision and therefore best made in consultation with your doctor, not your pastor. There are some Christians however who have avoided getting the COVID-19 vaccine for spiritual reasons. While believers may disagree on the application of biblical principles, I don’t feel that I’m doing my job as your pastor if I don’t try to make clear some of the related teachings of the Bible, as best I understand them.
A few weeks ago, we hosted several mental health professionals for a seminar entitled, “Renewed not Defeated: How to End the Pandemic Mentally Healthier Than You Started.” As I listened to the speakers, it struck me how complex mental health is. They talked about physical factors like diet, exercise, and chemical imbalances. They talked about social factors like isolation, group involvement, and safe relationships. They talked about factors related to trauma and abuse. They talked a lot about what I’ll call wisdom factors. When we believe things that aren’t true and develop habits that are unwise, it affects our mental health. They also talked about how God can help. Let me share what I learned and how I relate.
Over the last couple of weeks, the passages that I’ve preached from 1 Thessalonians have focused on our need for people (See: We’re Better Together). Time invested in fellowship with other Christians is God’s means for our growth, strength and protection. With that fresh in my mind, the blog article sitting in my inbox caught my attention, “Loving the Church but Dreading Sunday Morning.” It talked about the challenge of Christian fellowship for someone who struggles with social anxiety. Apparently, the author’s not alone. One statistic I read said that 18% of the population suffers from some kind of anxiety disorder and more than a third of those receive no treatment. So how do you manage the anxiety that keeps you from the people you need?
I’m up this week in beautiful Huntsville, learning and growing with other leaders in The Fellowship from across Ontario. This morning, Heritage professor, Dr. Stan Fowler led a discussion of the current challenges to biblical faith and morality in our society today. We looked at the Scriptural foundations of various Christian convictions and considered ways that they are being attacked in new legal rulings and cultural movements. There was much discussion as people shared stories of the problems they are facing in their local communities. It was Dr. Fowler’s final words that were, for me, the most important however. “Don’t forget,” he said, “spiritual and moral change isn’t always downward.” I'll try and explain why I found this helpful.
