I understand why ministers and preachers want their congregations back in the building. Churches are no different from social and service organizations. Most club and church memberships meet weekly and develop a friendship with others and a routine. Churches operate on donations at their services and service organizations often do the same.

Churches are different in one respect. Ministers, preachers, custodians and others are paid employees. The bigger the congregation, the bigger the payroll. Some large and mega churches spend over a million in salaries. Most don’t have enough tucked away to keep paying salaries for long. They need people in the pews putting checks, cash or electronic payments in the “baskets.”

The other reason is the routine and one I learned over twenty-eight years ago as president of a service club. People who attended every week formed a routine and enjoyed people who they would not normally see otherwise. When people miss a few meetings they lose the routine need and will often not return as often or not at all. Being out for six, eight, ten weeks will end a lot of organizations and give club members and congregation members a chance to stop going or to go someplace else.

Whichever is the reason for talking their congregation back into the pews, the people will be told it is “God’s Will” if they get sick or die.