Monday; May 18


If you would have told me when I started being a church leader that one of the most stressful decisions I would be involved in making was whether people should be required to wear face masks at church I would have laughed.  Could I imagine having to navigate through the world’s immoral influence on the church?  Yes!  Could I have envisioned having to deal with social apathy influencing our ability to reach out to the lost?  Absolutely!  But face masks in church – no way!  Well, it is 2020 and church leaders all over the nation are having to make solid and balanced decisions about the physical health and welfare of their congregations on top of trying to shepherd them toward spiritual well-being. 
As we continue our journey into these uncharted waters, I have noticed some things that have been beneficial to us and I am sure would be useful to other leaders:
1.  Pray for wisdom.  We cannot manage this on our own or lead people to where they need to be without divine guidance.  Please keep your spiritual leaders in your payers.
2.   Be patient.  If you would have told me last week that we would have the freedom to make the choices we have had this week, I would have been elated.  However, these new opportunities present new problems.  Folks, we have been called up on “reinvent the wheel” and it is going to take us some time to do it.
3.  Be sensitive to the needs of others.  Each one of us comes into this crisis with our own personality, fears, opinions, knowledge, skepticism and concerns.  Some want to move fast, others expect prudence and caution.  This is one of those times when we don’t know who is right and may not know for months down the road.  Let’s keep in mind Paul’s admonition to the first century church, “… be subject to one another in the fear of Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).   I don’t know what will come from the pandemic, but I do know that unless we work through this together satan will end up being the big winner!
Think About It!

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