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National Day of Lament & Mourning — June 1, 2020

Jesus wept. This powerful, 2-word sentence in the Gospel according to John always delivers a punch.  Simple.  Personal.  Profound.  Jesus wept.  Period.

Why?  Because Jesus was standing in the little village of Bethany at the tomb of his friend, Lazarus, who was buried inside.  Grief gripped Jesus.  Friends stood near.  And from the eyes of God-in-the-flesh came “liquid love” — tears.

Jesus was a man of many sorrows.  We find his grief, anguish, and heart-ache in every one of the four New Testament Gospels.  Luke 19:41-42 is particularly poignant today:

“But as they came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, Jesus began to cry. ‘I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you.’”

The questions have come to me both from within myself and from a friend who wrote and asked, “Steve, WWJD?  What would Jesus do now in the face of all that is happening across our nation and around the world?”  

My very soul says, “He weeps.”  Jesus weeps with more than 100K deaths from COVID-19 in the USA alone, and more than a third-of-a-million deaths around the world.  Jesus weeps with the devastation to families, the barely-attended funerals, and the broken hearts.  

And once again a senseless, violent death occurs in our land.  Frustrations and anger boil over.  And Jesus weeps again.

This world is broken. Theologians, pastors, priests, and preachers have said this for two millennia.  Do we need further evidence?  Our world is broken — our systems, our actions, our responses, and our hearts — all are broken.  

This is the perfect time for us, all of us, to join Jesus and weep.  There are many, many sorrows in our broken world.  Let us join Jesus and, for a day and especially today, also be a people of sorrow.

My annual trek through Scripture had me recently reading these words in 2 Chronicles 7:14 once again:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

I bear His name.  I dare to call myself, “Christian.”  I am the one who must humble myself and pray and seek the face of God and turn from my wicked ways, then God will hear from heaven, and forgive my sin, and heal my land.  As the Hebrew Prophets did say, “This is the Word of the Lord.”  

Humility is not natural to the terrain of my human way.  Hubris is closer to what is unfortunately natural for me.  Yet the only way forward, the only way through, the only way to a new day, goes through the threshold of humility.

I do not know.  I do not have “an” answer and certainly not “THE” answer.  It is time for me to confess and to listen.  Maybe I will even learn a little more than the little I currently know.

I need what my country and our world needs — a miracle.  How fitting that today, Monday, June 1st, a National Day of Lament and Mourning, follows Pentecost Sunday.  The New Testament book of Acts begins with death and grief and despondency.  In response, the people prayed.  God heard.  The Holy Spirit was poured out.  History changed.  May it happen again.  Amen.

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When Sunday comes…

When Sunday comes…
Our pastors will be standing in church sanctuaries that are completely empty. Speaking to a room of chairs. Carrying the weight of their congregations on their shoulders. Wondering how everyone is doing. Wondering what this is going to look like on the other side. Wondering how the finances are going to fare in light of all this. Wondering how to shepherd their flock.

When Sunday comes…
Jump on your church’s livestream. Don’t watch later cause you’ve got all day. Be on time! Participate in it as it’s happening. Engage with what is taking place. Pray when prayer is happening. Worship alongside the worship leader. Be present and be engaged. Please comment, share, love, encourage, and pray. Yes, it’s different and uncomfortable and maybe even a little weird for you, just like it is for many pastors all around the country and across the globe.

When Sunday comes…
Please, be faithful to your church. I know your newsfeed will be flooded with live-streams from countless churches, but I am asking you to be faithful to your church. You can watch other livestreams later.

When Sunday comes…
Please be sure and give! Your church still has an important ministry in your community and our world. Yes, the budget needs to be met and bills still need to be paid. Give online or mail in your check or send it with a carrier pigeon if you have to (just kidding, right?). Whatever ways are available to you to give, please do so. Pastors carry the weight of your church’s finances, community engagement, and your missionary support on their shoulders. It is a heavy load in good times but now it is immense. Please don’t slack off on your faithful giving and living generously.

When Sunday comes…
‘Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you’ (Hebrews 13:7) so please practice L.E.P.S. — Love, Encourage, Pray-for, and Support your pastor and your church.

When some other day comes…
We will look back on all of this. When we do may it be a time when you discovered God in fresh new ways. When your prayer life deepened. When your love for God and others became practical, feasible, fiscal, and felt.

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7 Steps in the Right Direction in the face of Coronavirus Response

I want to thank Mike Claypool, the State Pastor for North and South Carolina, for this excellent list of how to respond in creative ways.
These are difficult days but they also provide opportunities for us to be examples of hope and faith in Christ!  We need to be able to minister to our members and our communities. ‘Social distancing’ makes this a challenge but I want to offer you assistance with several ministry options.
1. Pastoral Care
It is important to stay connected to your members. Phone calls, texts, encouraging emails can go a long way to letting them know that you care and are staying in touch with their needs.
2. Prayer
Sharing prayer needs via email prayer chains, One-Call or other similar platforms can help congregational members stay connected with each other’s needs. Utilizing some of the options below can also help with this.
3. Low Tech Options for Services, Meetings, Bible Studies
www.freeconferencecall.com is a tool you can use to connect groups of senior adults or others in your congregation who are not able to use technology.
You can sign up for a FREE account. This account will provide you with a phone number, an access code, and a PIN number.
Everyone calls the phone number and when prompted, they key in the access code. As the host, you will be asked for your PIN number which will then enable your call to go live.
There is a key to mute everyone so you can eliminate background noise and interruptions.
Anyone who has a phone can utilize this option so you can lead a Bible study, share prayer requests, conduct meetings or share a devotional. Everyone can hear what you are sharing on their phone and you can control when others can share.
4. Video conferencing for meetings, Bible studies and services
Zoom has FREE and paid options. The FREE version allows up to 100 people to log on to your online ‘meeting’. This is a video/audio platform so they can see and hear you and each other.
This is a great way to have a ‘Sunday School’ lesson, small group Bible study or other type of preaching/teaching.
Go to https://zoom.us and sign up for your free account.
You can set the date and time for your service/meeting/Bible study and email a link to your members. They can click on the link and it will download the app automatically and connect them to the meeting. They can use a computer, tablet or smartphone. Having a device with a built in microphone and camera makes it easier.
If they can’t do the video, each meeting also has a call in option. They dial the phone number and the meeting access number. Then they can listen in and talk while others hear them and can speak to them.
The down side is that the free version is limited to 40 minute ‘meetings’.
If you want more time, want to be able to record the ‘meeting’ or have other options, you can do that with a paid subscription that starts at $14.99 a month.
If you don’t need those options, the basic version of Zoom is free for you and your audience.
5. Online Services via Facebook Live
Facebook Live is a free option. You can broadcast your message live to those who click on your page. The down side is that this allows only one way communication, you to your audience. It is free and a large number of your members probably already have Facebook.
It is low cost and fairly easy. If you already have a Facebook page for your church, simply go to your page, click “Overview” and at the top right it will say “Live”. It will open up your mic and your camera on your phone or computer and then click “Start Live Video”.
Some TIPS….
A. Open it in your churches Facebook Page, not your personal page. This will allow others who may not be your ‘friend’ to find your service.
B. Bring the camera in close to the speaker. Think about ‘Sports Center’ or a news anchor. People will pay more attention when they see the speakers facial expressions instead of your whole stage or platform.
C. If you have a website put a bold announcement that is easy to find with a link to your Facebook Page and the TIME that you will be broadcasting. (If you don’t have a website and want one, give me a call. I can help you with that!)
D. People have a very short attention span when it comes to screen time. A good 15 minute sermon will keep them with you a lot better than a long 45 minute one. All they have to do is click to leave…no one is going to see them get up and leave your ‘online sanctuary’! Lol
E. While they are watching, have them hit ‘SHARE’. That will allow all of their ‘friends’ to see what they are watching and then they can click on your service and ‘attend’ as well! This is a great outreach opportunity! It is a great way to help your members be able to invite their ‘friends’ to attend your church. Once we are able to hold open services, you may find that you have some new members!
6. Giving Opportunities
During the next 6-8 weeks, it may be difficult for people to get out of the house and your church’s electric bill and church’s mortgage are still going to be due….we need to encourage our people to be faithful, in church or out!
Providing an online giving platform can help many, particularly if it has a ‘reoccurring giving’ option. This allows them to set the amount and the frequency. They can give their tithes automatically every week, bi-weekly or monthly.
Givelify is one good option that many of our churches are using. There is a small service fee per transaction but that is a small price to pay. This app is made for churches and non-profits so it works very well.
FaithLife has an online option as well.
The Cash App is another option.
However you communicate with your congregation during these times, don’t be afraid to remind them to be faithful in their giving. It’s not just because your ministry needs it, but Jesus promised that if we give, it will be given unto us. Help them to remember and receive the blessing of faithfully giving!
7. COMMUNICATE and COACH YOUR CONGREGATION
Personal phone calls, Facebook announcements, emails, etc are all good ways to communicate but no one way is good for everyone.
You can’t expect that everyone is going to read your email (some of you aren’t reading this!). Not everyone is going to see your Facebook post. Communicate, communicate, communicate! Communicate on a regular basis.
Don’t let them drift away by being ‘out of sight, out of mind’.
Coach them. Many of them don’t know how or are even afraid they can’t do an online meeting or conference call. Practice yourself and then provide instructions. Coach them how to do. Encourage them to stay connected!
These are difficult and challenging times! This situation is forcing us to try other forms of ministry we may not have tried before…
But if you need any help with any of these options, let me know. I will be glad to help you!
I will be praying for each of you and your congregations!
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