BTC COVID Policy

Updated November 2021. By now, there are two facts that have been well-established: First, that COVID is real, and that it poses a serious threat to some. Second, COVID has become extremely controversial and divisive, not only to our society, but to churches as well. We recognize that even within our congregation there are a range of views on the subject. Given the intensity of the emotions connected to the situation, it is virtually impossible to craft a policy that will make everyone happy.

Our policy has been a work in progress: we adapt as more facts become known. When making COVID-related policy decisions, we evaluate our response on the basis of four criteria, listed in descending order of priority:

  1. Which option maximizes our ability to fulfill our mission in the gospel?

  2. Which option most accurately reflects the actual danger posed by the virus to the general population?

  3. Which option best preserves the unity of our congregation?

  4. Which option is most consistent with our constitutional rights?

Regarding the second criteria, while we recognize that COVID is dangerous to some, we balance that against the awareness that the official response to COVID has created other issues that are far more detrimental and pervasive than the disease itself: Depression. Anxiety. Suicide. Drug abuse. Economic hardship. Interrupting the educational development of an entire generation of students. 

We will continue to take a common sense, balanced approach that reflects the actual rates of infection as reported on the Marathon County Department of Health COVID dashboard. Our decisions are based on the actual number of current cases as a percentage of the total population in the county. As of November 8, 2021, only .07% of the residents in Marathon County currently has COVID, which means that 99.93% do not have COVID. Your chances of actually encountering someone with COVID are almost zero.

Throughout the course of the pandemic, at no time has the rate of infection in our county exceeded 1% on any given day (and then only briefly), which once again means that 99% of all the people you encounter do not have COVID. It is for this reason that we do not require the wearing of masks, we do not practice social distancing, and we do not condone vaccine mandates. It is our belief that all such decisions should be made on an individual basis, and we strongly encourage you to act in accordance with your conscience and what you believe is best for you and your loved ones. If you’re sick with anything, do what we always did before: limit your contact with others. If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. If you want to get vaccinated, get vaccinated. If you think it best to stay home temporarily, stay home and listen to our service online.

If the rates of infection and mortality rise to truly critical levels, the love of Christ demands that we do our part to minimize the spread of infection, and we will not hesitate to take appropriate measures, even if it means closing temporarily.

But if the rates of infection and mortality remain at these levels, then our obligation to the gospel dictates that we do all we can to remain open. We continue to believe that the rates of infection and mortality never justified the lockdowns imposed on our community, and that the government far exceeded it’s God-given authority by compelling churches to violate the mandate of scripture for us to meet together.

Finally, we are painfully aware that this is an extremely controversial issue, and that people can in good conscience disagree with one another. Regardless of which side of the debate you are on, we expect all to treat one another with Christian love, and to pursue peace. All week long we hear the news and talk about vaccines and covid and what not. But for 2 ½ hours each week, we enter an oasis where we gather with people who love God, who love His Word, who want to see lives transformed by the gospel. Let’s devote this time to encouraging and building one another up: share Christ, share scripture, pray with one another, help people lift their eyes to the hills, where our help comes from…to remind one another that Christ is coming soon to take us home.