Guidance for Churches in Covid-19 Pandemic Mandarin Translation

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The Connecting Church: Re-imagining the Church of the Present and Future in this COVID-19 Pandemic Era

 

The Connecting Church: Re-imagining the Church of the Present and Future in this COVID-19 Pandemic Era

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The COVID-19 pandemic which is caused by SARS-CoV-2, a single strand of RNA cause a worldwide upheaval. It literally causes society to lockdown, confined billions to their homes. Churches worldwide are closed, with the cancellation of most church activities in church buildings. Overnight, it forced the church to move online utilizing numerous platforms and social media. Some churches are doing well in this, others not so. Now, as the pandemic begins to settle, there are indications that the authorities will be slowly easing restrictions for churches to meet physically. While restrictions are eased, there still are many requirements that are instituted for the prevention of COVID-19 infection and reinfection. In general, church gatherings are limited to 30 persons or less at one time, meetings not more than one and a half hours, and should have 2 hours between meetings to allowing cleaning. Congregants seated distancing at least 1-2 meters from each other and should wear face masks. Temperature monitoring and personal contact information will be taken on entering the hall. People traffic is directed to move in one direction so that there will be no mixing. People are to go leave church premises immediately after the services. Children under 15 years old and seniors more than 60 years old will not be allowed to attend the physical service. It is not known how long these restrictions will be implemented as there is no way of predicting how long the pandemic will last.

There has been a lot of literature on the Digital Church and the Distanced Church, implying that the digital mode is the next step in the evolution of the church. While the church may be connected digitally, there is still the need for human to human gathering. There are limits to human interactions through the electronic platforms. Deeper human relationships can only be built in the physical presence of each other. However, being forced online has opened the church’s eyes at the vast potential of digital and the connectivity that the internet offers. The COVID-19 church will be where human gathers together. What is new is how it has expanded beyond its bricks-and-mortar shells to cyberspace to become a Connecting Church.

First, the Connecting Church is connected to God. During the lockdown, some churches have direct streaming Sunday services, while others use pre-recorded sermons. Congregants are encouraged to log in and participate in the worship. Some churches shut down totally. The deliverance of services depends on the technical equipment and abilities of the church. It is heartening to note that some of the bigger and more techno-savvy churches are offering courses and apprenticeship to help the smaller churches to set up online worship services. Some churches allow Holy Communion online at home. What is encouraging is that suddenly congregants are exposed to a wide variety of services and sermons as the online services are open to all. This has developed a sense of unity and togetherness for the congregations in these times of social distancing. The Holy Spirit continues to work through the internet and there have been numerous reports of healing, deliverance, and divine encounters online.

Second, the timing of the development of communication software such as WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram, social media such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Youtube, and streaming communication such as Facetime, Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook Live, and Microsoft Teams allow the socially distanced church to connect with one another. Many small groups in churches are meeting regularly, continuing their weekly meetings online. Individuals are reconnecting with each other through their telephones or online platform. Some are connecting long lost friends and reconnecting with others. Some churches hold regular prayer meetings online. Others continue their midweek devotional teachings. Attendance for these events is high because it is convenient to attend. Before, to attend a meeting one needs to dress, leave the house, and travel to attend a meeting. Now it is one step from the kitchen to the living room. These new emerging technologies enabled the members of the church to be connected to each other. As was quoted by a member of a church, “We are socially distanced but we are not spiritually distanced. We are actually closer now than ever before as a Body of Christ”. Yet, with all these technologies, we still need to be physically present to each other as we are embodied souls, and our interaction with the world is incarnational.

Third, small groups have always been where most interactions take place. It is the crucible of spiritual formation. It is the most connected part of the body of Christ. Relationships in small groups are the elements of spiritual formation. Small groups, also known as cell groups, are the level where human interaction interacts at its best, or its worst. The Acts 2 church is a small group and it has all the curricular forms of Godliness in its makeup. As the lockdown restrictions ease, probably the gathering of 10 or fewer people will be allowed. Hence the small groups will be the first part of the church to gather before the larger groups are allowed. In the meantime, the larger group will continue to stream and meet online with numerous restrictions to prevent large group gatherings.

Fourth, the large group which we commonly identify as the church. Prior to the pandemic, the decline of the Megachurch movement was observed by many church growth experts. The fall from grace of some of the megachurch leaders is sad reminders of the cracks in the movement. The megachurch movement is closely linked to the consumer culture from which it draws its inspiration. Around the time of the growth of the megachurch movement, there was also the cell church movement. Cell groups are small groups within a church, usually comprising of 10-20 members.

A church with cells is different from a cell church. A church with cells is a church that has cell groups as one of the activities of the church. The main focus is however on the main Sunday service, and the leaders are the pastors and church leaders overseeing the whole church. The main focus of the cell church is on the cells itself which the Sunday service is one of the functions of the cells. The leadership of the church lies with the cell leaders.

Most churches are churches with cells. The pandemic has revealed the vulnerability of this model. The lockdown closed the main church which is usually sited in buildings. The suddenness of the lockdown caught the leadership of many churches off guard. Many churches are led by top-down leadership. Many churches were adrift in limbo while their leaders recovered from their shock and formulate some sort of response. However, within the first few weeks, it was found that it was members of small groups which are connecting with one another to encourage and comfort. When the leaders recover from their shock and reassert control of the cell groups was the church considered to be functioning. It is my considered opinion that the cell churches did better in the lockdown as their leadership is not vertical but the horizontal. They just continued with their connections and being church.

Finally, which type of church will survive the aftermath of the pandemic? Economic and social disruption will follow pandemic. Churches with cells are often heavily invested in buildings and staff. Money will be scarce as tithing amounts will be reduced as members face the financial crunch. Churches may be forced to heavily mortgage if not sell off their buildings, and reduce their personnel. A cell church may not be so heavily invested in buildings and personnel. Cells usually meet in homes of members. They are likely to ride the storm better.

The situation is dire and there may be closure of churches and ‘retrenchment’ of pastors! A leader of a major denomination in Malaysia in a recent webinar estimated that one-third of the churches in his denomination may have to close down in the aftermath of the pandemic. These are mostly church with cells and heavily committed financially to the rental properties and staff.

There needs to be a paradigm shift in our thinking about the way we do and become church. I will suggest the COVID-19 Connecting Church be a Cell Church that is connected physically in homes and via technologies. Sunday services will be streamed into the cells. Perhaps it is no longer necessary for large auditoriums and offices. If needed, these churches can always rent a hall for their large group meetings. This makes more sense than owning large buildings which we utilize for a few hours every week. This will reduce the financial burden and allows more member to take up leadership roles and cell leaders. This is more in line with the Biblical and Reformers’ mandate of the priesthood of all believers. Understanding ecclesiology in terms of substance rather than the form allows us the liberty to choose.

In summary, what type of church will emerge from the dust once the lockdown is over and the authorities facilitate the opening of the churches? While many are hopeful that life will return to normal once the pandemic is over, the reality is that we have to live with the new normalcy. Unfortunately, there will be many Christian leaders who will want to return to the old normal, by force if necessary. What is this new normalcy and what will the church look like? Connectivity is the key here. We have discovered the genie of technology and there is no way to put the genie back into the jar. Social distancing is here to stay and in a way, we will remain a ‘distanced’ church. The organizational setup of a connecting cell church is a better option in times such as these.

Alex Tang

11 June 2020

Panduan untuk Gereja Dalam Era Coronavirus

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Guidance for Churches Post COVID-19 Era Webinar

 

How can we be the body of Christ in a challenging times like this? If we can meet for worship in the future, how can we adjust physical services to make them safer to attend? Is digital church the way to go? What about our rural communities, the elderly, and bedridden? How do we exercise pastoral care and ensure the vulnerable are protected? How can we support our congregation? What about the training of our future pastors in seminaries? Join our panelists who will offer reflections from theological, pastoral, spirituality, and medical perspectives.

Registration: bit.ly/churchguidance

Pain and Suicide

The suicide of American television celebrity, actor, chef and author Anthony Bourdain on June 8, 2018, shocked many people when the news hit the social media. It was a shock to us that Bourdain who was handsome, respected, successful, popular, and at the prime of his career would choose to commit suicide.  We often think that suicide occurs only in ‘other people’.  Likewise, it was not long ago that the suicide of popular actor-comedian Robin Williams raised similar existential questions but we were too busy in our fast-paced lives to search for the real hard answers. Kim Jong-Hyun, a popular member of the group SHINee, one of Korea’s top boy bands, shocked his young fans worldwide by his suicide in December 2017. In his suicide note, Kim cited loneliness and depression. Suicide is a taboo subject in our culture and is not discussed much in public except in high profile celebrity suicides. This article will discuss the prevalence and causes of suicide and how we as a church can help those who might view and contemplate suicide as the solution to their problems.

The World Health Organization (WHO) gives the statistics of 800,000 suicide occurrences per year which makes for one suicide in every 40 seconds! The highest suicide rate is in the 15-29 years and those above the 70 years old age range. In the last 45 years, the rate of suicide has increased by 65% worldwide. There are no reliable statistics for Malaysia as suicide is a crime here and hence not often reported. From the anecdotal accounts of NGOs such as The Befrienders and hospital sources, the prevalence of Malaysia suicide rates is increasing together with the rising suicide rates in the world.

The act of committing suicide is an act of desperation.

The act of committing suicide is an act of desperation. Ironic as it may seem, it is an act of self-preservation where the natural instinct is to kill oneself to escape from a situation where they cannot see any other way out. The pain they experience is so overwhelming and self-consuming that they see death as the only answer. Pastor Rick Warren who lost his son Matthew to suicide in 2013 noted, “Suicide is a permanent, irreversible attempt to solve a temporary problem. You don’t have to die to end your pain.” The pain they feel may be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual.

• Some people who are suffering from intractable cancers or other chronic diseases may be in a constant state of never-ending physical pain where anti-pain medication has ceased to offer any relief from the pain.
• Depression is also an important cause of emotional pain that is often overlooked and missed by others. The pain is like a cloud of darkness that envelopes and suffocates the lives of those who suffer from it. Depression is all-consuming, leaving a numbing emptiness within. It is often impossible for one to come out of depression by willpower alone. The emotional pain of loss and abandonment caused by loss of children, spouses, and of divorce can also be crippling.
• Mental pain may come yet from financial disasters, addiction, and loss of self-esteem. People committing suicide to avoid paying a crippling loan from the ‘Ah Longs’ or moneylenders may not be as rare as we think.
• Spiritual pain is the existential pain of the loss of God’s presence that manifests as an emptiness in our lives. It is often confused with depression. The spiritual pain associated with celebrity suicides is only the tip of the iceberg.

As we look at suicide, it is important to remember that it is an act of desperation. We should view such people with compassion. Even the best of us may be driven by circumstances to the brink of this abyss.

As Christians, what should our thoughts be about suicide? Surprisingly, the Bible has little to say about suicide.  There are seven incidents of suicides in the Scriptures: Abimelech (Judges 9:52-54); Samson (Judges 16: 29-30); Saul and his armor-bearer (1Samuel 31: 3-5); Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15:31b); Zimri (1Kings 16:18-20); and Judas Iscariot (Matt 27:3-5)

It is interesting to note that of the seven suicides recorded in the Scriptures, the suicides of Abimelech, Saul and Zimri were recorded as a direct judgement of God on their sins, even going so far as to say that God killed Saul. The Scriptures were silent on the other four suicides through the ignoble context in each case speaks for themselves. Therefore the Scriptures thus offer no specific guidelines on suicide, allowing each situation to speak for itself.  Theologian Karl Barth noted the following in his multivolume Church Dogmatics : “a remarkable fact that in the Bible suicide is nowhere explicitly forbidden.”

In certain Christian traditions, suicide is regarded as an ‘unpardonable’ sin and those who commit suicide are not given the rites and burial in the church grounds. They are usually buried outside the church and are regarded as being condemned to hell. What is the origin of this belief? The root of this belief may be traced to Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest theologians of the church. In his thesis, On Suicide, Thomas Aquinas argued that to commit suicide is to sin against God, family and community. God is sovereign, and He decides when we are born and when we die. To commit suicide is to usurp the sovereignty of God over our time of death. Suicide deprives children of their parents, and community of the contribution of that person. Thomas Aquinas never said that suicide is an unpardonable sin. Unfortunately, Church traditions made it into an unpardonable sin.  The unpardonable sin is stated in Mark 3:22–30 and Matthew 12:22–32 as sinning against the Holy Spirit; suicide, is not.

“Suicide is a permanent, irreversible attempt to solve a temporary problem. You don’t have to die to end your pain.”

Rick Warren who lost his son to suicide

Suicide is an act committed in sheer desperation.  What can we offer to those who are suicidal?  There are several ways in which we can help.

Firstly, Christians must be educated about suicide so as to remove the taboo associated with it. Education gives a clearer perspective and understanding of the utter hopelessness and despair that drive people to suicide; they need our help and are not to be shunned or rejected.

Secondly, Christians must be willing to walk alongside those in pain. Suicidal persons tend to withdraw from human contact. Often they are lonely and are entangled in their loneliness within. They need someone to talk to and to befriend them.  Befrienders and other such voluntary suicide hot-lines have proven effective in tackling and helping to get potential suicidal persons to abort their suicide attempts because they provide that much-needed listening ear.  That being said, the NGOs are mere frontlines who should be able to approach the church to help these broken persons. Help is not just the offering of platitudes but the offer to journey together for a period of time. It needs commitment. Unfortunately, not many churches are registered with them to offer such help at the present moment.

Thirdly, Christians have to learn to recognize the warning signs of a suicidal person. We need to be able to pick up on cues such as excessive talks and obsession with details on ways to kill themselves, the increasing use of alcohol or drugs, the sudden giving away of their favourite things. We should be extra vigilant of those in unbearable pain as described above, those withdrawn, or those who are experiencing extreme mood swings.

Fourthly, Christians should know when to call for further help. A suicidal person should not be left alone and may need to be committed to a psychiatric facility. The help of professionals such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and counsellors may be required to deal with the person’s depression and other pain issues.

Finally, all the above actions must be saturated with prayers. There are many occasions where I have observed the power of prayer penetrating what often is an impenetrable hard shell that a suicidal person had built around him/her.

Suicide will become increasingly common in our high pressured society. Euthanasia or assisted suicide for the terminally ill has been successfully lobbied to become law in many countries recently. Any suicide, however, will have serious ramification to the immediate family, community, and society. Christians can do much to help people who are suicidal and prevent their suicide attempts.

Empty Souls

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Christian spiritual formation, Gordon MacDonald

Gordon MacDonald, writing in Leadership Journal Winter 2016 in an article entitled The Day I Hit a Wall

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coined the word ’empty souls’ as when busy Christians run on empty because of their busyness. I like what he writes about preventing this:

Over time I have comprised a bulleted list of the insights that resulted from that December day so many years ago. I include them not because I have mastered them, but because they represent the direction in which I like to walk each day.

• My allocation of time and energy must begin by inserting Sabbath pauses into my calendar before work begins … not after work ends. Because ministry work never ends.

• I have come to appreciate the importance of searching events and personal encounters for the embedded messages of wisdom and discernment that God offers.

• I have tried to be sensitive to the various ways God makes his presence felt: in creation’s beauty and art, in suffering, in study, in various forms of private and corporate worship, in the wonderful stories of Jesus.

• I have gathered a small cadre of personal friends who know my heart (and I, theirs) and who are not reluctant to either encourage me or rebuke me when necessary.

• I have pursued the discipline of intercessory prayer for my family and friends, for the church in the world, for global leaders, for those who suffer.

• I have treasured the insights that come from the biographies of great men and women of God who have lived through the centuries

• I have come to love the Bible, to draw from its pages the thoughts and purposes of God.

• I have understood the importance of readily repenting when I am wrong and quickly forgiving when others have hurt me.

• I have made it a priority to move toward those who are weak and vulnerable with words of hope … as Jesus did.

• I have sought to discipline my lifestyle: to keep free of clutter, to downsize, to keep simple, to accept the obscurity that comes with the aging life.

• I have heard the call of God in my older years to be a spiritual father to any younger people who want to welcome me into their experience.

• I have determined to daily return to the cross and reaffirm my conversion and call to follow Jesus.

 

We need to avoid ’empty soul’ syndrome and Gordon gives very good advice.

 

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Spiritual Formation Peanuts

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Christian spiritual formation, discernment, spiritual discipline, spiritual formation

Some maxims of spiritual formation with their authors

Sermon: Lessons from Philadelphia

There are many lessons from the Letter to the Church in Philadelphia in the Book of Revelation. Here is one of my sermon on it.

Hey, this just not my phone, this is also my library!

We are very aware that mobile hand phones especially smart phones have become as essential part of life in the last two decades. Nowadays we cannot imagine life before these small portable mobile devices. Pay phone booths, expensive operator assisted calls and land line are slowly becoming a thing of the past. The world has become even more interconnected as never before. With the ever expanding cellular infrastructure development, cellular mobile phones are becoming common in some underdeveloped countries even before the land based telephones. According to the United Nations more than 6 billion of the 7 billion people on earth today has access to a mobile phone!

This is an exciting time for the Church. Most mobile phones not only receive voice phone calls but also books and videos. This means that The Church has a unique opportunity today to make the bible available to almost 85% of the people on earth by means of free downloads of e-bible or audio bible! This is a fantastic opportunity. Not only e-bibles but also books on Christianity, Christian living and theology.

The revolution that resulted from the Guttenberg Press caused not only a revolution in learning and knowledge, but indirectly the Protestant Reformation. The bible became more easily available and was translated into a more readable form in the local languages from Latin or Greek. The limitations to that revolution was printing costs, distribution and point of sales/bookshops. The present e-book revolution bypass the limitations of the printing press (surprisingly this has not really translated to cheaper books). The electronic version is easily distributed and downloaded at the cost of a website and mobile apps.

The e-book revolution has placed the power of publishing and distribution into the hands of the authors and readers. Publishers are gatekeepers of printed books and while it is acknowledged that as corporate companies, they need to make a profit, they however also limit books published to that of a few superstar authors. Authors should make their works free or at a minimal charge on the Internet. This is especially true of sermon transcript, books on Christianity and Christian living. In fact, superstar authors and pastors should be the first to do so. Many do not need these incomes from their books. The call is also to Christian theological publishers. For reasons best known to themselves, most of our theological writings in books and journals are locked up behind walls that demand we pay a high monetary price to have access to these books and articles. Open the doors and allow the knowledge and wisdom to be available to all. Commentaries, theological thesis and writings are valuable resources that should be available to all. Everyone, including the poorest Christian living in the slums should have access to a well-stocked Christian library through his or her phone.

The mobile phones also make easily accessible videos and audio messages. Through Youtube, Godtube and other such services, everyone will be able to access Christian documentaries, attend lectures, participate in conferences, and even attend Church services. The technology for streaming video is always improving as is the technology for uploading and downloading.

The dawn of a new era is here. It is now possible to share the bible and Christian teachings to at least 85% of the whole population, even those who are living at the ends of the earth. This is a tremendous opportunity. It is hoped that the Church will awaken to this opportunity.

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Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)

Connectivity and Church of Facebook

I am seeking a missional use of the socialmedia. These two interesting books offers some interesting insights.

Jessie Rice (2009) correctly pointed out the that phenomenal growth of the social media is the human need for connectivity- whether virtual or real face-to-face. Much of the book explains what facebook is all about. However, Rice does not offer much when it come to a discussion a virtual community. He does not answer the question whether such a community may be formed and if so, in what form? Rice however offers some guidelines on using facebook.

Christakis and Fowler (2011), two well known and respected social scientists examine the importance of human connecting in the second book. Though at time quite technical, they show the importance of connectivity for human well-being. Check out the book website

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Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)