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Our Way Forward: Life Changers Covid-19 Update

Posted on Author lifechangersblog

OUR WAY FORWARD: LIFE CHANGERS COVID-19 UPDATE 

We are indeed living in very crazy times! At the beginning of this week, we sent out a video outlining our way forward as a church for the next season in response to our government’s instructions on how we are to best navigate the Coronavirus pandemic. If you have not yet seen it, you can watch it here:

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/IBRf6PWoxGI

OUR CHRISTIAN RESPONSE

Before we get into the specifics of how our church will look for the foreseeable future, here is a quick biblical perspective on how we are to respond at times like this:

  1. CARE FOR THE VULNERABLE

Although the Coronavirus will not personally affect a large majority of us, we are aware that it takes its greatest toll on the elderly and those who have weak immune systems. With that in mind, scripture clearly calls us to not only be mindful of the vulnerable in our midst but also to be proactively caring for them.

  1. HONOUR THE GOVERNMENT

The New Testament is overtly clear that we are to obey and submit to the government that is over us in our nation. The mandate has been given that all gatherings of 100 or more people are to be prohibited at this time. In light of this, we are temporarily closing all of our Sunday gatherings across all of our locations, as well as Lifegroups in their traditional mid-week form.

  1. NOT TO NEGLECT THE GATHERING OF THE SAINTS

Hebrews.10 reminds us that we should not neglect the gathering of the saints, and to this end we will be recording a shortened version of our Sunday service each week, full of worship, the Word and prayerful moments, and making it available online.

Along with the option of participating with the service on your own or with your family at home, we are also making WATCH GROUPS available that will meet on Sunday mornings or evenings where they will watch and engage with the online service in a small-group setting.

This will help people who do not have access to enough data or high-speed internet to engage at this time, as well as to still at some level have fellowship around the Word of God together as scripture calls us to.

THE WAY FORWARD

  1. SIGN UP

If you are currently not in a Life Group, or if you are unsure if your Life Group is meeting as a Watch Group, you can sign up to JOIN A WATCH GROUP here: http://bit.ly/2U1wEVo

  1. SLOW DOWN

At this unusual time in our world’s history, don’t allow your own heart to lean into fear and panic. Towards that end, we’d strongly encourage you to stay away from sensationalism and social media posts that promote fear and anxiety. So be slow to read every social media post, be slow to forward posts and messages, and be slow in letting your emotions get caught up in whirl-wind.

  1. PRESS IN

We want to be a church that respects the call for social distancing, but who refuse to move into social disconnecting. So we’d love to strongly encourage you to engage with the ONLINE CHURCH SERVICE each week, join a WATCH GROUP if you can, and stay connected to your church family as much as possible. We were never meant to do life alone, and we need each other more than ever at times like these. If you have any need for assistance, support or prayer, please fill out the form attached here: http://bit.ly/2U1wEVo

  1. LOOK OUT

This is not a time for the church to go quiet and into hiding, but rather to be on the front foot, actively looking for opportunities to bless and love our world. Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight who you need to be reaching out to and actively caring for at this time, and make every effort to stay aware of the vulnerable, the at-risk and the lonely in and around your life. And finally, as you encounter people who may have questions regarding faith, church and Jesus, send them to our website where they will be able to get in touch with us.

WHAT’S NEXT

  1. Tonight we record this coming weekend’s service. Please be praying for God’s leading and wisdom in this
  2. Tomorrow Mark and Gabe will release the first of many Life Changers Podcasts with Q+A specifically relating to this season of life that we find ourselves in
  3. On Friday we will upload the first of our services to our website (lifechangers.org.za) where you will find a new look landing page for this season which will give you a clear platform to ask for prayer, give financially, receive Kids Ministry content for Watch Groups and homes as well as the online services.

We love and appreciate you more than you know and feel it a real privilege to be navigating life and our faith together through such a time as this. We firmly believe that this is not a time to shrink back in fear but rather respond in wisdom, love, and faith and show the watching world what the church truly looks like at this time.