Dear Converge MidAmerica Pastors and Church Leaders,
“Unprecedented” is the word that is often heard regarding the COVID-19 virus pandemic that is globally affecting all of our lives.
It is at unprecedented times like these that we need to heed God’s word on how we, as God’s people are to respond. Paul’s words to Titus I believe are very timely.
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone” (Titus 3:1-2).
As leaders, we are living through a unique event in history that requires clear and patient pastoral leadership. The purpose of this letter is to give encouragement and to share resources that can assist you in leading your congregations throughout the pandemic. During this unprecedented season, let’s practice the following:
GLEAN FROM OTHERS:
If you have not yet read Converge President Scott Ridout’s letter to all Converge churches then I would advise you to do so. In it, he references some Converge Northwest District church responses that may be helpful in addressing your congregation. Many godly people, beyond our churches, have also been seeking the Lord’s guidance in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic and our congregations can benefit from their efforts. Here are some of those resources.
- “How Do We Make Sense of the Coronavirus” by Dr. John Piper
- “Love in the Time of the Coronavirus” by Andy Couch
- “Taking Church Online in a Coronavirus Age” by Jay Kim
- “Responding to Highly Contagious Illnesses” by Church Law & Tax
- “Preparing Your Church for Coronavirus” from the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College.
SHOW RESPECT TO CIVIL LEADERS:
Please walk in solidarity with your local and state officials and do your best to align your church leadership and communication with their formal recommendations. Among the wide variety of responses that we are experiencing, a clear pattern of increasingly collaborative, proactive and preventative care measures is emerging at local, state, and federal government levels. This is a time to be praying for our elected officials, their appointees, and their staff to have great wisdom in the execution of their civil leadership responsibilities and communication. Here is the Federal Government website also check your state, county and city website for updates because this situation is very fluid.
COMMUNICATE WELL:
Please communicate well with your congregation. You and your leadership may unexpectedly find yourselves cancelling activities and services. If you are to do this please make sure that you are communicating through email, texting, phone calls and personal conversations to ensure your congregation is getting the message. Please take special care to connect with the homebound and elderly in your congregation. Here are three COVID-19 communication examples from Heartland Church in Fishers, IN; Chapelstreet Church, Geneva, IL and Immanuel Church in Gurnee, IL
LEVERAGE ONLINE ACCESSIBILITY:
If people are discouraged from public gatherings or if you must cancel your services, how will you continue to shepherd the flock and how will people worship through tithes and offerings? Do you livestream or record your church services? How easy is your online giving access? Now is the time to make sure that your congregation is aware of where and how to find your online messages and giving options. If you do not know how to set up a livestream of your sermons or how to set up online giving then here are some tutorials for low-cost solutions.
- Stadia 60 Minute Live Streaming Webinar (March 17 at 9AM & 12PM CST)
- The Five Best Online Giving Platforms
- How do I go live on Facebook using streaming software?
Please do not hesitate to contact me or the Converge MidAmerica Office staff with any questions or for any assistance.
Finally, one of our Converge MidAmerica Pastors Adam Groh of Berkley Community Church, Berkley, MI posted a section of Martin Luther’s letter to a fellow pastor in how he approached the spread of The Black Death plague. Luther’s wise words can help inform the way we approach things happening in our world right now.
“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated, and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me, and I have done what he has expected of me, and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely, as stated above. See, this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash, no foolhardy, and does not tempt God.”
Thank you for your partnership and prayers,
Gary Rohrmayer
President
Converge MidAmerica
