155 days ago things got very real. Covid-19 had been around since January and then it would seem all at once we would have to make changes every where, including church. We shut our doors 155 days ago in the beginning of this pandemic. We would once again return July 12th to a very different setting, fewer people, masks were optional yet encouraged. There would be no hugs or handshakes, no coffee nor water given out.

Then it happened, someone from church diagnosed with covid-19 and potentially others as well. Shut the doors again. But this time just for a week to allow for some tests to be done. All are fine now thank God and we have been worshipping again in the building for a couple of weeks – with some more changes though. Our number is capped off to 65 people max in the building and we are now mandatory masks in the building.

Our worship is shorter, the message a little shorter, our time together is shorter overall. Yet it is still good to just be around your church family even without the hugs or handshakes. We still get to worship, praise our God and hear the Word of God – together.

Now, I do realize that there are many that are not coming yet and for a variety of reasons. I understand this – 100% It doesn’t matter if you are worshipping at home while watching the service online, sitting in your car in the parking lot or in the building one thing will always remain: We still have a calling and a mission. According to Matthew 28:19-20 we are called by our God to go and do something: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We do not need to be in a building to “Go and make disciples..” nor do we need to wait for any one church or one pastor to tell us this. The Word of God tells us to go do this! My question for you and myself: will we go do this or will we live in fear of that which we cannot see? The answer should be a resounding YES!! Let’s go make disciples, let’s share Him with the world! But many of us have concerns, very valid concerns. We do not to get someone else sick, nor do we want to be sick. But yet we are called to “go” and “do.” So what do we do? We must seek new ways to connect with those around us and when you are comfortable – gather with others, love on each other, meet needs. Those new ways could be through online chat or video calls. It could even be old fashioned letter writing. Taking walks in neighborhoods and meeting neighbors and praying for the lost. Something, do something to begin sharing Christ in your Israel, Judea and Samaria!

Ministry as most of us know it, I believe is forever changing. God is using this attack of the devil (will come back to this) and waking His church leaders to see, think, pray, teach, lead, worship differently.

We battle an unseen force every day, remember up above I wrote of something we cannot see? We are constantly in a spiritual battle and we rarely see the attacks coming. But our prayers, worship, reading of the Word help our every day battle against the devil. Yes, that terrible excuse of a creature – the devil. He would love nothing more than to watch the Church fall apart, give up and give in. We cannot do this! This battle is not just about a church having its doors open or a school meeting in class or even shopping without a mask, this battle is about souls. Your soul, my soul and all of those around the world.

I cannot tell you when or if covid-19 ends, if things get better or worse. I cannot tell you when churches will get to open up fully nor when schools will return to what we were used to. But I can tell you this, the lines in the sand have been drawn and battles are taking place. What we choose to do right now, this moment going forward will have lifetime impacts, in fact it will be an eternal impact.

YOU have a purpose, YOU are called to be more than what you think you can do. YOU have warriors standing right alongside you in your Christian brothers and sisters. WE can do this. WE must do this – there are no other choices or battle plans. The mission given to us is too important.

Thanks for stopping by the fire,

Pastor Dennis.