Being Christians in a viral world

Four years ago, Gail and myself retired from being senior pastors at Calvary Church in Kingswinford, now known as Arise Church. We wondered how, what and where our new form of ‘ministry’ would be in the future.

It quickly became apparent that the Lord had plans for us to widen our friendship groups. To date, we regularly relate to over 50 people who have yet to fully know Jesus as Lord and Saviour but who are all ‘well on the way’.

So can we encourage everyone, as people’s lifestyles drastically change with the Coronavirus lock down, with what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:20 (TM):

‘God has given us the task of telling everyone what He’s doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ Himself now’.

Like Philip and the church in Acts 8, we, as the church are experiencing a ‘scattering’ at the moment. Admittedly, we’re connected by a variety of ‘vehicles’ from WhatsApp to Zoom-conferencing to Live-streaming church. We are now presented with an opportunity, like never before in our lifetime, to be both peacemakers as well as Christ’s representatives in a desperate and fearful season.

For our neighbours, friends and colleagues who are yet to know the love of God, we believe that we are here ‘for such a time as this’.  J John simply and succinctly has suggested for us to ‘pray for, care for and ultimately share with people the love of God, displayed in Jesus’.

So can we challenge you to do three things:

1. Create a list of those people in your life who you currently relate to and begin to pray fervently for both their physical and mental well-being leading ultimately to their salvation.
2. Encourage you to be part of the ‘care movement’ that is happening in and around us in various sectors of society.
3. Inspire you to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal how and when to share your faith journey, keeping in mind the added challenge of social distancing.

Remember, you’re part of a process that God will use but not necessarily the whole ‘package’. Be available, anticipate opportunities and be bold. Be wise, stay relevant, use your own God-given personality to tell your own story or other’s stories of God’s love, provision and protection. Use every current means of communication available to you (e.g. this week we forwarded our Church service YouTube link to over half of our connections , because it was relevant to anyone).

Finally, don’t be afraid to offer to pray for people for anything and everything. Philip, in his meeting with the Ethiopian, had the joy of being able to be led by the Holy Spirit (transported actually!) and speak relevantly about the Good News of Jesus.

May the Lord do the same in all of us, as we pray for, care for and share with our friends, neighbours, colleagues and whoever else is in our ‘circle of life’.

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