By Matt Tullos
Special assistant to the executive director, TBMB
We don’t know how long this new reality will last. It’s difficult for us to navigate local ministry in the midst of a national emergency. Here are 19 things we challenge church leaders to do during the Coronavirus also known as C-19
(1) Set aside time for personal prayer. There are so many hurdles to jump through in communicating during this uncertain time but the most important communication you can do is to intercede. Here is a short, guided prayer activity:
• Pray for God to use the Coronavirus Crisis to bring a national revival. This is the heart-cry of the Church. Could God use something as difficult and all-encompassing as a virus to bring people back to God? Absolutely.
• Pray for three pastors that you know. Pastors are under tremendous stress during this time. Not only are they concerned about their own future, but they are concerned for the future of the Church and the people to whom they minister.
• Pray for our national leaders. Perhaps God might use this crisis to bring our nation together. He most certainly can, but we must pray that He will.
• Pray for wisdom. The words we speak as church leaders are powerful. They can be helpful, but they can also be damaging during crisis.
• Pray for the virus to be eliminated. We pray that what the evil one meant for harm, might be a way for God to show his power and give us a reason to share how he rescued our world again.
• Pray for the poor. They always are hit the hardest in times of crisis.
(2) Use your phone to call your members. In this time of social distancing, practice the ministry of your personal voice and counsel. Texting is a great tool, but nothing beats a voice conversation. Pray over the phone as much as you can. Challenge your people to treat this time as if it were war time. We check-up on friends and neighbors during times of war.
(3) Cancel regular gatherings at the building and explain why. Do we believe in the protective hand of God? Absolutely! But Jesus also calls on us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The church is the people, not the building. Large gatherings are not wise during this time. And as we’ve already seen, it has a possibility to do harm.
(4) Give blood. As the time of this post our blood supply is at around 60 percent below normal. This could get even worse which would create an even greater crisis. It’s safe to give blood and if you aren’t sick and you qualify to give blood, do so and encourage your church members to do so.
(5) Be available. This is not the time to go hours without checking email and phone messages. Being on the grid as leaders will ease your church’s stress level.
(6) Inform your people. Step up communication and let people know what’s going on within your church body and how they can help, pray, give and care.
(7) Update your website. Your website and Facebook page are the front door of your church during the crisis. Make sure it is updated with information for your members and community.
(8) Get people involved in caring and supporting each other. No single pastor or staff can do it all. Get organized so that your staff doesn’t flame out.
(9) Keep calm. God isn’t surprised by what’s going on. He isn’t wringing His hands. Neither should we.
(10) Avoid making claims about prophecy that you might have to take back later. The best thing that we can say is that we are one day closer to the Lord’s coming than we were yesterday. That should be enough.
(11) Remind leaders that our faith is not in the government, the medical community, the media or our 401ks. Our faith is in the Lord.
(12) Share personal updates through email or social media. It’s so easy to do and such a blessing to your church when everyone updates. If you haven’t gotten on Facebook- now is the time. Utilize it. Facebook, for all its concerns, rants and downfalls, is still hands-down the most visited website and phone ap. If it bothers you, hold your nose and take the plunge. Anything your church has already recorded either on video or audio can be pushed out and made available in a digital form. Use your cell phone to record encouraging messages and place them on your Social Media pages.
(13) Utilize technology. We’ve heard a lot about the Spanish flu that wiped out millions. A lot has changed over the past 100 years. We are so much more equipped for this. Let’s get creative with the tools we have to overcome this crisis.
(14) Deep clean your office and church if possible. This is a great time to do this as we prepare for the day when everyone returns to church. Being vigilant now will pay dividends later.
(15) Make plans. But this is a great time to refocus on what you church will be like in the coming months and years.
(16) Affirm your local government leaders. They are stressed. Just a quick e-mail or post, let them know you are praying for them. You might have disagreements with some or even most of their policies. But they need our prayers.
(17) Remind your people that the Great Commission is not gathering a crowd together. It is to make disciples. Most of making disciples happens outside the four walls of your church. Let’s be intentional about discipling our people where they are: home.
(18) Make sure every service, even online, gives an opportunity for people to respond to the gospel. And oh yeah, make sure you give the Gospel. We are not helping if we only meet the social need but never give the Gospel with an invitation to respond.
(19) Trust God. The old spiritual really says it best. “He’s got the whole world in his hands” He’s got this! And great things are always ahead. One thing we know about Jesus, He always saves the best for last. B&R