COVID-19 Resources & Reflections
As our entire world and our nation wrestles with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic it’s important that we as Christ-followers respond with deep faith in our God, with non-anxious hearts, and with wise action and loving concern for our congregations, our communities, our nation and the world.
I stayed away from any church gathering yesterday. This gave me an opportunity to check in on the many Mission Northwest churches that were live streaming their services. Some were gathered in their sanctuaries with their people present. Others were closed to the public. As our national and state governments try to get ahead of the virus' spread every church will be faced with making some hard choices about whether to meet or not. I am confident that our pastors and church leaders will prayerfully and wisely respond in a proactive, wise and Christ-honoring way.
I'm sure that if your "inbox" is anything like mine it's overflowing with notices from businesses, airlines, banks, etc about how they are responding to the crises. After awhile it gets to be mind-numbing, and we might overlook some helpful input that has shown up in our boxes.
With this Mission Northwest Email Update I've compiled several links to articles that I have found especially helpful, and which apply specifically to churches. I encourage you to check these out, and use what advice applies to your situation.
For churches that have never used Online Streaming I would encourage you to take the leap now. Recruit a tech savvy person to be your point person. Don't over think it, just do it. You can start with a smart phone, a Facebook account and a simple way to mount the phone (a tripod from Amazon is one easy fix). Position the phone close to the speaker and worship team to pick up the sound, and make sure your subject fills two-thirds of the image area for good composition. Don't forget to plug in the power cord to the phone. Also ensure that your Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) and other relevant licenses permit streaming of music.
Regardless of your opinion about the government’s handling of the pandemic, or the media’s reporting, I believe it is best to avoid sarcasm and overly critical responses. Let’s be careful to take the high road by demonstrating Christ-like grace and patience in our interactions throughout this challenging situation. A good place to start is to be willing to follow the guidelines the governing bodies issue, and to do so without grumbling.
Without a doubt some people will be too panicky, others will be cavalier opting for a wait and see approach. Let’s be proactive by staying current with the changing situation and let's act wisely to do our part to slow down the spread of the virus.
As the virus has continued to spread I've reflected on the legacy of mercy and love demonstrated by the early church in the face of misery and death that dominated the Roman empire during the various plagues of the 2nd through 4th centuries. Rodney Stark tells the story well in his excellent book, The Triumph of Christianity (see chapter Six "Misery and Mercy"). The culture considered mercy to be a character defect and it was discouraged as a weak value to be avoided. By contrast early Christians bucked the culture by showing mercy and extending care to the infirmed as they emulated their Savior. Stark writes, "Christianity provided an island of mercy and security. Foremost was the Christian duty to alleviate want and suffering in obedience to Jesus' teaching in Matt 25:35-36,40)." While the typical Roman citizen avoided the sick, Christians met the obligation to care for the ill rather than desert them, and thereby saved enormous numbers of lives. By doing so, Christians put their own lives on the line. Churches were known as communities of mercy and through their ministrations many people's lives were rescued from abandonment and death. We have such an opportunity before us today, to be communities of mercy, faith and endurance in the face of illness, fear and panic. May the Holy Spirit fill our hearts and hands with the merciful love and care of Jesus in these disturbing times.
Please check out these articles that I've found to be helpful and pass them along. Also, consider taking advantage of the webinar being hosted by Fresh Expressions.
How to Lead Calmly in a Global Outbreak
George Mason and Mark Wingfield Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas Texas
Leading during a global health crisis
requires trust in medical professionals
and the courage to love and not fear,
say two pastors who cared for a congregant
whose life was upended by Ebola.
As coronavirus cases spread in the U.S. and the world, pastors must lead with wisdom during a time when there are both real health threats and real emotional needs in our communities and congregations.
We serve as clergy at Wilshire Baptist Church, a Dallas church that made headlines when the finance of a congregant was diagnosed with Ebola in 2014. Out of that experience, we advise other church leaders to seek an informed mix of prudence, compassion and calm as they guide the response in their congregations and communities.
Read the rest of this article at the Faith & Leadership Web Site.
Should Your Church Stop Meeting to Slow COVID-19?
How 3 Seattle Churches Decided.
A global health expert offers tools for your congregation to respond now.
DANIEL P. CHIN March 12, 2020
As part of our mission in this world, the church can be
a strong agent to prevent sickness and protect the vulnerable.
We are an integral part of our community,
and many social contacts run through our church.
If we can recognize the early signs
of a local COVID-19 outbreak, we can lead in protecting
those inside and outside our churches.
As I write this, my heart is very heavy. I just spent the second Sunday morning of Lent in my living room with my wife, watching a livestream of the worship service from my church. The church was empty because this past Friday, the King County Public Health Department in Washington state sent a notice to faith-based organizations, recommending that they cancel all gatherings with 50 or more people. Pretty much all churches in the Seattle area have already stopped their in-person worship services along with most other church activities. Since the evangelical church that I attend has over 1,500 worshipers in four services each Sunday, we livestreamed our worship services. As this article was being prepared for publication, Gov. Jay Inslee took it further, banning gatherings larger than 250 people in three metro counties, and WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
But my heart is not heavy because I could not gather with others to worship (as much as I appreciate corporate worship). It is heavy because I can see where the COVID-19 epidemic is going to take us, while most of those in our society and churches do not. Seventeen years ago, I was working for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Beijing when the SARS coronavirus epidemic broke out in China. I was thrust into leading much of WHO’s support to China and worked 24/7 for over three months to help contain that epidemic. I saw firsthand the effects of SARS on the people of China, the extraordinary social distancing efforts undertaken by the government, and the cost that the society paid to contain that epidemic.
After working for WHO and then the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in China, my wife and I moved to Seattle in 2015 to lead the foundation’s work to control tuberculosis in several countries. For a quarter of a century, I’ve answered a calling as a follower of Christ to stop the spread of diseases and work to eliminate them, and now I heed that calling to speak to my brothers and sisters in Christ to take this epidemic seriously and respond.
Read the rest of this article at Christianity Today.
How to Lead Through Rapid, Unexpected Change
(Responding to COVID-19)
Carey Nieuwhof
COVID-19, and the radical changesit has wrought on the world and daily life, are externally-driven changes.You didn’t ask for any of this. But youhave to lead through it anyway.
No surprise here, but you are leading through unprecedented global change. Just stop for a minute. Re-read that first line.
Unprecedented global change.
If it feels challenging, it’s only because it is challenging.
The question becomes how do you do it? How do you lead through change when you’ve never been down this road before, and frankly…neither has anyone else?
My last post outlined some crisis leadership principles related to the COVID-19 crisis that can help. In this post, I’ll share some principles that can help you lead through rapid, unexpected change.
1. Motivation alone doesn’t work on externally-imposed change
You can’t motivate your way out of a crisis like this. You have to lead your way through it.
Making the leadership challenge more intense is the fact that the change we’re experiencing is externally-imposed change, not internally-driven change.
Quick example. It’s one thing to decide you want to lose 20 lbs and making the lifestyle changes to do it, or launch a new location, or build a building (all of which are internally-driven change). Sure, that’s difficult.
But it’s another thing entirely to have someone change your kitchen, restock your pantry and order you to drop 20 pounds in six weeks, order you to open a location or to raise money for a new facility. That’s all externally-imposed change—it wasn’t your decision.
When change is externally-imposed, you lose freedom, choice and control. That’s what makes it so difficult.
When you lead internally-motivated change, you set the
timeline
motivation
and agenda.
With externally-driven change, you control none of that, including control over the outcome.
COVID-19, and the radical changes it has wrought on the world and daily life, are externally-driven changes. You didn’t ask for any of this. But you have to lead through it anyway.
Which leaves a lot of people and leaders panicking. Many of us, after all, are control freaks. Let’s just name that out loud.
I’m not writing about this because there’s an easy answer, but simply being aware of the dynamics in play can help you understand what you’re dealing with and why you and others feel the way you feel.
The best way to lead internally-driven is to focus on motivation…the why behind the what. (Think about how great you’ll feel after! Imagine what we can accomplish together!)
When change is externally-driven, motivation still matters, but a significant part of your job in leading externally-driven change isn’t motivation, it’s interpretation.
People are confused. They don’t know what’s happening. They need a source they can trust. A leader who knows what’s best and acts. In other words, people are looking for someone who can help reliably interpret events and lead them into a better future.
I’ve seen a lot of leaders miss that in the last week because they’re still focused on motivation.
I’ve heard a lot of: Come on, you’ve got this. God has this. This is no big deal. We’re bigger than this. Nothing bad’s going to happen.
In the process, those leaders lose credibility because they’ve failed to interpret the situation accurately.
While it’s extremely difficult to get reliable and accurate information, and while some government decisions may be under or overreactions to the problem, the crisis we’re facing is both real and deep.
On a very factual level, the stock market has tanked, borders are closing, airports and cities are madhouses or ghost towns, businesses are struggling, people are struggling, freedom and mobility is dwindling to war-time levels, and of course, people are sick and dying.
You can’t motivate your way out of a crisis like this.
You have to lead your way through it.
Read the rest of this article at Carey Nieuwhof.
FREE WEBINAR:
How Your Church Can Be Faithful During Coronavirus
What is really happening and how should the Church respond?
Wednesday, March 18th @ 10:30AM PT
Fresh Expressions US and Missio Alliance are
bringing together a scientist, a health expert
and a church leader to help you
navigate this complex issue.
You will learn:
A basic science perspective that illuminates why churches should take gospel-demonstrating, crisis-response leadership roles.
Suggestions from a medical expert on how best to advise congregations about precautions and protocols that save lives.
Cues for how to lead churches into following the Way-of-Jesus: loving neighbors, serving congregations, inspiring volunteers, saving lives and consoling the dying throughout this crisis.
Special Guest Presenters:
Dr. Charles Harper
About Charles Harper:Dr. Charles (Chuck) Harper is a church deacon, Sunday school teacher, astrophysical planetary scientist and tech inventor.
Dr. William B. Hurlbut
About William Hurlbut:William B. Hurlbut is a physician and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University Medical Center, and a former member of the President's Council on Bioethics.
Barry Crane
About Barry:Barry is Senior Pastor of North Sound Church in Edmonds, Washington. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta (B.A. in History), the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), the University of Washington (M.A.) and Fuller Theological Seminary (D.Min.).
Click here for more information and registration for this webinar.
A Long List of Wise Suggestions
Considering the rapidly changing nature of the news surrounding this pandemic, it's important to stay connected to news and government sources of information. Listen to local town, county and state officials for recommendations regarding large gatherings and best practices.
Required actions may change from region to region, but there are actions everyone can take to work together to deal with this crisis:
Pray for one another.
Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds (about the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice).
Disinfect surfaces, workplaces, pews, etc., especially in high-traffic areas.
Be aware-the coronavirus is impacting high-risk groups, such as the elderly; those with severe chronic medical conditions or underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, lung or heart disease; and those with compromised immune systems.
Anyone who has been exposed, whether they know it or not, may transmit the virus to others. Use caution and put community before personal convenience.
Stay home if you are in a high-risk group; if you are feeling sick, have a fever, cough, difficulty breathing; have traveled to a quarantined or affected area; or have come in close contact with someone with or suspected of having the illness in the past 14 days.
Call, write and stay connected to folks who are under quarantine or practicing social distancing.
Share accurate information from reliable sources. See the resources below.
In times of collective fear and uncertainty, people may revert to bias or stereotypes as coping and blaming mechanisms. This reversion results in discrimination and stigmatization of other communities, groups and people who may be infected. In such times, remember that we are called upon to live the best of our Christian faith to defend and support one another.
During worship, consider:
Placing offering plates in a stationary location and inviting people to drop their offering in them. Assign someone to help those who may need assistance.
Alternative ways to share communion, such as inviting people to come forward to receive the bread/cup from servers wearing gloves. Assign a gloved server to bring the elements to those with mobility difficulties.
Avoiding passing a microphone during announcements or prayer request time.
Bowing, waving, sharing a peace sign in lieu of handshakes and hugs.
Encouraging allowing generous seating space between congregants and others during worship and gathering times.
Avoiding self-serve food and drink during gatherings and ensuring that anyone serving food wears gloves.
Encouraging those responsible for counting the offering to wear gloves.
Remember those directly impacted:
Pray for the sick and their families and caregivers.
If you display any symptoms or have had contact with a symptomatic person, do not visit those at high risk. Follow the instructions of care facilities limiting visitors.
Consider ways other than visits to remain in contact with people who are sick or self-quarantined, which can be very isolating; make phone calls or send cards, e-mail or text messages.
Offer opportunities for virtual connection.
Prepare for what's ahead:
Make use of virtual meeting space for church meetings when possible.
Learn how to utilize YouTube, Zoom, Facebook Live or other methods to engage in virtual worship.
Ensure that your Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) and other relevant licenses permit streaming of music if you will be livestreaming worship.
If you livestream, be sure you have required permissions from those who will be on screen (especially important for any minors who may be present).
Pray and plan for Holy Week. Prayerfully consider what might need to be altered (shared meals, communion, large gatherings, etc.).
Establish a phone tree and other methods for sharing information about event/worship changes or cancellations. Make sure the congregation knows how to use them.
If your church does not currently offer paid sick leave for staff, consider implementing a temporary policy that allows infected employees to stay home.
Consider how school closures and changes to feeding programs might impact your community and congregation.
Consider collecting non-perishable items to be distributed if/when need arises.
Identify and address potential language, cultural and disability barriers associated with communicating information to people.