Are You Ready for the Surge?
Are You Ready for the Surge?
1 Peter 3:15 tells followers of Jesus to “…sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” My question today is, Are you ready?
Church families across Oregon are watching and waiting for a decision from the Oregon Supreme Court which could allow resumption of regular worship services sooner than the State’s current “re-opening” plan. That’s because a judge in Baker City ruled Monday that the current stay-at-home order from Governor Brown is unconstitutional. The State immediately appealed to the high court, which put a stay on the judge’s order for now. So the governor’s plan stays in effect, at least until the Supreme Court rules on the case. Avoiding the rest of the legal weeds, it is safe to say that many families of faith are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to gather again to worship God together in person. Which brings up the question: Are we ready? Are you ready? Is your church ready for the potential surge of neighbors flooding through the church doors as soon as they are open? That may seem like a far-fetched idea in communities where outreach has been difficult for years. But consider this: many of your ministries have been reaching out these past several weeks in ways you have never tried before. Your message is being heard. Some of you have shown the love of Jesus in your communities in very concrete ways that cause unbelievers to wonder, “Is there something to this Christianity thing?” During the Great Awakenings of the past, the Spirit of God moved so strongly that it wasn’t uncommon for the unsaved to walk in off the street during a church service and beg to know how they could be saved. It could happen in America again. Is your church ready to give an answer? Are you? If your church doors were to reopen tomorrow, would you be ready to genuinely welcome strangers as well as old friends? Would you be prepared to offer them a place of safety and shelter from physical and spiritual threats still present all around us?
ZOOM Discussion – “Keeping Hope Alive in Uncertain Times” Wednesday, MAY 20, 9-10 AM.
Join fellow pastors and church leaders in prayer and discussion of creative ways to keep hope alive in our churches and communities in this time of pandemic and isolation. Look forward to the sudden surge in attendance that might come when the restrictions are lifted. Share your most creative ideas, and maybe form a ministry partnership or two. See some friendly faces that you may be missing during the “stay at home” period. Join us using Zoom meeting ID 962 5835 5569. If you don’t know how to Zoom, but would like to join us, drop a line to thiscox@infaith.org .
A Few Ways to Get Your Church Ready for the Surge
Pray – that the Lord will open your eyes to the needs, and your heart to the spiritual concerns of all those you encounter.
Proclaim – Let your community know that you are reopening (and when that will be)! Proclaim your joy in Christ through email, Facebook, web pages, fliers, mailings and – best of all – personal invitations to neighbors to join you in worship.
Prepare – all the logistical precautions of keeping people safe from the virus that is still among us. Show you are aware and that you care.
Preach – Words of re-assurance for those believers whose faith may have been shaken by recent world events. Words of truth for those who need to understand God’s love in ways they may have never understood before…the Gospel of Jesus Christ, clearly and simply put so that even the young will grasp its power.
Praise God for Developments at Glendoveer Chapel! After months of searching for the Lord’s will, InFaith has accepted an offer from a small church group to buy the former Glendoveer Chapel (160th & Glisan, Portland). We have just entered into escrow, and expect the deal to be finalized in mid-June. The Chapel, built in 1944 by the Ventura Chapel Association, has been an ASSU/AMF/InFaith mission point for many years. After the building was bequeathed to InFaith in 2009, it was used for about 10 years by Glendoveer Bible Church. As that body diminished in size, InFaith began again considering how to best use the property for the glory of God. The Home Office decision was to sell the chapel and reinvest funds into other ministry needs, but our prayer was always that the Lord would bring another church body that needed a home, rather than a developer who might raze the building and construct housing. Our prayers have been answered. Praise God! I will be able to share more about the new congregation once the transaction has been completed. But for now – I will need some help cleaning out the chapel before we turn over the keys. I will need two or three volunteers to work with me for about a day, sometime in June. Please let me know if the Lord leads you to pitch in.
Pastors are Praying at Woodland Park Chapel, Thursday, May 21 at 10 AM
There’s nothing quite like joining a handful of godly leaders and praying for one another and your ministries. We keep appropriate distance while getting close to God together. Please step in for a time of connected conversation with our Creator. Woodland Park Chapel is at 1914 NE 102nd Ave, Portland.
A Few Other Items for Prayer:
Praise God that my 92-year-old father came safely through his pacemaker replacement last week.
Praise God that Columbia Community Bible Church treasurer Marilyn Patton has recovered enough from her recent medical problems that she has returned home to her husband Ron.
Please pray for CCBC pastor Steven Boyle, who had a recent reaction to medication that left him quite dizzy and unfocused.
Pray for Camp Morrow, Trout Creek Bible Camp and the many other Christian camps in the area who are still not sure what their ministries will be allowed to do this summer.
Now may the Spirit of God empower you to serve with more joy than you can explain, in ways you may never have imagined, sharing His love to a world that needs salvation more than it knows.
Tom Hiscox, NW Oregon Area Missionary
thiscox@infaith.org