A Word from Your Mission Strategist, Steve Laughman
In Numbers 21 God provided a cure for a plague. Serpents were biting and killing the people. God told Moses to make a serpent on a standard and to raise it up for the people to see. If they were bitten, they could look at the bronze serpent, and they would be healed. I have always thought this story was strange. God’s second commandment was not to make any graven images, and yet here He was instructing Moses to make a bronze serpent. It is not until Jesus talks with Nicodemus in John 3 that we understand how the bronze serpent foreshadows His crucifixion.
As with the Israelites, one truth is clear for us, as well: God provides the cure. While we should all be praying for and cheering on scientists and medical professionals, we must also cry out to God for the cure to disease, whatever form it takes. My prayer is this grand disruption in our lives causes us to focus more on God and our need for Him. He alone holds our lives and the lives of those we love. May our trust in Him grow stronger even as we look toward getting back to a new normal.
Speaking of the new normal, many of our churches plan to gather again soon for worship. We will all need to make decisions based on the leading of the Lord and the wisdom He gives. I trust that these decisions are not being made lightly. Whether your church is resuming corporate gatherings or waiting, understand that many are still being cautious and will stay away for a while. Continue to minister to them through online services and pastoral contacts. The move back to normal will be gradual and will probably take more time that we expect. Be patient with each other.
Like you, I would never have asked for this challenge, but I believe we can always learn from whatever experiences we have. Here are a few things I have learned:
· Our pastors are extremely resourceful. Not only are they preparing sermons and continuing to minister in difficult times, but now they are navigating the digital world. If you have not told your pastor how much you appreciate him lately, please do so. This also includes all the wonderful staff members who keep things going.
· A time of rest was overdue. Many of us were burning the candle at both ends before circumstances forced us to take a break. The Bible is clear that we need to balance work with rest, and we generally do a poor job of this. Hopefully, you have taken advantage of the opportunity to rest some.
· Not everything we do as a church is necessary. Not gathering in a building has forced us to prioritize what matters most when it comes to ministry. We can all agree that the preaching of the Word has been the focus lately. Perhaps when we can gather again, we will be more mindful of how we spend our time and resources.
· God’s people yearn to be together. I have missed worshipping together. I have missed sitting down with a cup of coffee across the table from a group of pastors. We were built for community, and it is a good sign of health that we desire to be together again.
· There is more than one way to “do church”. Your approaches to maintaining connection and ministering to one another have been as diverse as the number of churches. It is refreshing to see that we do not have to be the same to accomplish the same goals.
· Church is so much more than a building. While we are thankful for the resources God gives us to do ministry, the real church is the people. I knew this before the pandemic, and so did you. But it has been good to see how this truth has become more pronounced during this time.
· Prayer is often an untapped source of power and peace. Crisis drives us to our knees. This should not be the case, but it is. My hope is that our prayer lives will never be the same after this.
Know that I have been praying for your church and your pastors. This is not just something we are getting through together. Our world has changed forever, and we will have opportunities and challenges because of it. I am thankful for each of you. I am also thankful that I get to quarantine with the most capable and awesome wife a man could ask for. Your Associational Ministry Assistant stressed over putting together a newsletter when nearly everything has been cancelled or postponed. It may be a little different that usual, but I think she did a great job, as always!
