An uncertain future is unfolding with the advent of the coronavirus pandemic. Church leaders around the world are realizing that they have to start looking beyond surviving the first couple of weeks and start planning for the next 90 days, but how? Where do they begin? Now more than ever, community is key! The networks that we help build around the world are providing leaders facing crisis with a small group of pastors they can work with to solve these problems and think through next steps. While we aren’t traveling now, we are able to stay in regular communication with our teams around the world via technology.
6 Week Covid Coaching Sessions
Our partners at NewThing, working with Send Institute and Catapult have developed a 6-week coaching session that we’ve been able to open up free of charge to pastors around the world, and here in the states. These sessions are walking our leaders through how to 1) STABILIZE, 2) RE-NORMALIZE, 3) MOBILIZE, and 4) FUTURIZE. It’s been a great way to help leaders think through next steps, and to do it in community with other leaders around the world struggling through the same decisions.
Stories From the Field
Sasha (Macedonia): Sasha pointed out that it might actually be easier for smaller churches than larger churches right now. Sasha, like many leaders around the world is using Zoom for meeting and doing worship services by Facebook live. He’s also working to organize small group gatherings online, but in Macedonia hardware is a challenge. “Some people have old phones that don’t have enough memory for new video call apps.”
Zeph (Nairobi): “The big challenge is dealing with people’s fear and uncertainty about their future. Our congregations and even some churches with staff are being laid off.” Zeph is preparing short devotions for delivery through Facebook or What’s Ap. His 3 main small groups are using Zoom, but others are not able to meet using technology. Zeph is urging his people to donate food supplies for those in need and then mobilizing them for cautious distribution.
Thimoteo (Brazil): Thimoteo has a church of 20+ people, but most of them do not have the ability to use technology for gathering. Thimoteo is trying to visit as many people as he can to try to teach them how to use technology like Zoom, Google Hangouts, What’s Ap and Facebook Live so they can stay connected.
Mushtaq (Pakistan): The UN recently warned that Pakistan might be one of the hardest hit nations from the economic fallout of this pandemic. Mushtaq is not only focussed on helping lead his churches, but he’s recently taken the role of leading the movement we began working with in January of this year. He says, “We are not just a church we are trying to unite the Church in networks.” Mushtaq is currently providing food for 80 pastoral teams and their families for a month, and planning for more. He’s also working to equip those teams to do the same for their people by mobilizing connections and raising support from around the world to help feed Pakistan. Mushtaq explained, “Many of the Christians were beaten out by the Muslim majority and are struggling.” He’s taking risks and running on little sleep. Pray for him.
Greg (Berlin). Greg leads a church of 50-60 people who meet in a school. He’s now meeting via Zoom and training his people to use Zoom. He has a solid small group structure and has transitioned them pretty well to Zoom. Greg says “There’s a general attitude that this is a time of opportunity, but what are we supposed to do?” Greg, like many leaders, has a great optimism about what God can do through this crisis. He has his eyes open wide to see how best to leverage this moment for God’s glory.
Josh (India): Our partners in India had 4 hours notice before things were locked down. People are being harassed and the situation is tense. India is a massive country with great poverty and dense population centers. Our partners there are concerned about the humanitarian crisis that this pandemic could bring about.
The Struggle Is Real, but God is in Control
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you”
Isaiah 26:3
Now more than ever Christians around the world face opportunities in the midst of crisis. Pray that God would give you clarity on the opportunities before you. Pray for your church and its staff and pray for our leaders around the world as they seek to navigate the risks and opportunities of the COVID19 pandemic.
