5 Things a Church Must Remember in a Pandemic (probably more)

This is the question that every Church in the world is currently asking and many are looking to each other for guidance on how to navigate the responsibility of being a light during this COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial that the Church that God established continues to operate during these times. People are hurting, jobs are lost, fear reigns and despair is setting in for some. God established the church of the best of times and the worst of times. Until Jesus returns, it is on us to be used by Him to minister in this world. This post will probably be added to as we go along and we would love to hear your thoughts as well in the comments, but here are some current thoughts.

1. Continuing the church is non-negotiable. The pandemic is starting to sort out the pretenders from the contenders. 
2. Church websites are now the gathering place. You may have your zooms, hangouts, whatsapps and group calls but to the world, your Church website must be current and the place to organise online meetings, disseminate updates, keep people connected to the church. 
3. Pastors need to work the phones. Suddenly the pastor no longer sees people's faces in church, it is very hard to read what is happening in people's lives. There is never a greater need to call people to see how they are going, whether they joined the livestream etc. 
4. Don't neglect the assembling. While we can't gather physically, the church needs to find ways for the people to gather. Some technologies can be used such as Teams, Zoom and Hangouts. If you have gone through the comparisons let us know. 
5. Look for the opportunities. This may be the best time to reach out to some people. It may be a good time to direct people to useful resources that can help with their quiet time.