What if we never go back to “2019 Normal”?
What if covid-19 kills live in-person sporting events?
What if gathering in large groups becomes a thing of the past?
What if colleges go to on-line instruction only?
What if someone takes your temperature before entering a building?
What if wearing masks becomes a way of life?
What if the way we “do” church never goes back to the way it was?
What if the coronavirus kills the mega church era?
What if believers were to meet in small groups instead of mass gatherings?
What if churches moved from massive buildings, massive debts and multiple staffs to small intimate gatherings in every neighborhood and apartment complex?
What if preachers sermonizing to an iPhone camera instead of a congregation was the new pulpit and means of proclamation?
What if group Bible chats on-line became the new discipleship method?
What if one-to-one seasoned Christian mentors became the most needed and valuable church resource?
What if parents took on the role of spiritual leaders instead of relying on children’s and youth pastors?
What if the priesthood of all believers took on a new deeper, richer meaning”
What if God transforms the “new normal” into a better, cheaper and more fruitful means of spreading the Gospel?
What if Covid-19 brought a revival like we could have never foresaw or envisioned?
What if we look back on the days when we all gathered and worshipped together with great fondness, but still were rejoicing at the millions of new converts?
What if we trust in the God who saw Jesus upend the religious authorities in the first century and Martin Luther shake the church world in the 16th Century and Covid-19 usher in a new church era in the 21st Century?
What if we continue to believe Jesus words in Matthew 16:18 (I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it) even if the Church looks very different than what we have ever known?
What if things never go back to the way they were and we concluded that the new way of doing church was more effective in making Christ-like disciples than the old way of doing church…

and isn’t that the point of the Church— making Christ-like disciples?

What if God used a pandemic for his glory.
What if people took this time to evaluate the direction of their lives
What if we remembered that the most important things aren’t “things” at all.
What if we recognized the worth of those who stock our grocery shelves, deliver our mail and pick up our trash.
What if we viewed first responders and medical professionals as heroes once more
What if we loved our neighbor just a little bit more.
What if we called on widows a little more frequently
What if we noticed that those living and working in nursing homes and assisted living facilities are people too
What if we read our Bible a little bit deeper.
What if we prayed a little bit harder for those children whose stay-at-home order has increased the potential for their abuse (with no one seeing the evidence of bruises or dysfunction and no one reporting)
What if we saw the value in face to face gatherings
What if we determined to be thankful for this time spent with family
What if we diagnosed that too much unhealthy energy is spent on news outlets, social media platforms and foolish arguments
What if we calculated how much time is wasted by sports
What if (after the pandemic) people continued to check on their neighbor’s well-being.
What if we came through this pandemic as better followers of Jesus; more committed to be like Him
What if we renewed our passion for gathering for worship
What if the Church emerged from the pandemic stronger than ever
What if revival broke out among the peoples of the world
What if in twenty years we looked back on these days and remembered the horribleness of it all and the lives lost and the businesses damaged, but could also reflect on how God worked in many miraculous ways
What if the coronavirus curse is turned into a blessing.

What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— Romans 9:22-23

Don’t think you should use hand tools just because you have tools. I have a hole in my thumb proving this truth.

Don’t think you should use electric hair clippers just because you have electric hair clippers. I have a bare spot on my head proving this truth.

Don’t worry about being polite to inanimate objects. This week after asking Siri for a phone number, she responded, “Is that the one you want?” I replied, “Yes. Thank You.” I said, “Thank you” to my phone. MY PHONE!! I’m worried I’m turning into Tom Hanks in Castaway.

Don’t play Racko with me. I have beaten Karla so many times in Racko during the quarantine, she’s developing a complex. If when you see me next I have Racko card stuck in my ear, you’ll know we should have started to play Yahtzee.

Don’t give the Salvation Army a puzzle of CoAmerica Park, that is your husband’s puzzle that he never had time to put it together, but now he does have the time to put it together, and when he looked and looked and looked for the puzzle in the basement but couldn’t find it, only to learn that his wife gave it away to Salvation Army and he was very sad to learn this news. (I know that was a long run-on sentence, not having a puzzle to put together during a quarantine time will cause you to lose your writing skills. Trust me.

Do count your blessings. It’s easy in quarantine to count all the things you can’t do. Count the things you can do!

Do phone a lonely senior citizen or a needy friend. They need to hear a voice. Even if it’s over the phone. They need to know someone is thinking of them and praying for them.

Do grow in the Lord. Use this time wisely. Read your Bible (there is only so much Netflex a person can watch). Pray for everyone you know.

Do remember Genesis 15:1. God’s word to Abraham and us: “Do not be afraid…. I am your shield, your very great reward.” I will be preaching from this passage on Sunday morning.

Do join in our live broadcast worship. Don’t forget to Worship each week. Hey, that reminds me of one last “Do”…

Do “share” the livestream feed with your friends on Facebook. Not all your Facebook friends are Christians, invite them to join in worship.

No one will argue that the current Covid-19 crisis is a storm. The real question is how long will this storm last and (in our case) how will it affect the Church?

Here are three scenarios:

It’s a storm and nothing more. Like when a bad storm blows through the area, the power may go out; the roads are impassable, but you hunker down. Wait it out. Soon the sun is shining again, and the storm is over. Life goes back to the way it was. Is the coronavirus only a storm?

It’s an entire winter season. Is coronavirus like an entire Alaskan winter type of winter season? An entire Alaskan winter season means a lot change happens for a longer period of time. There are things you can’t do. Places you can’t go. But after months and months of darkness, the sun finally comes out and things get back to normal. Is the coronavirus here for an Alaskan winter season?

It’s the ice age. Like the ice age, everything changes. When the crisis is over, there’s a new normal. Somethings go extinct. Only the most prepared survive. What’s left looks nothing like it did before the ice age. This is the most serious (obviously) scenario, but we need to be asking: Are we in a coronavirus ice age? Have we only experienced the tip of the iceberg?

A storm, winter season or an ice age—those seem to be our choices?

We are flying blind. We don’t have all the facts. Still, I think only the most optimistic among us (and usually that’s me) says it’s only a storm. I hope and pray it’s only a season. But this might be an ice age. If it is, we had better prepare for it. What if things never go back to the way they were?

For the local church, how does that look in our worship gatherings? What does that do for our evangelism efforts? How does this change our on-line presence and how do we make it better? What happens with child care in the post-pandemic world? Do youth group gatherings still occur? What about retreats, summer camps and concerts in a post-pandemic world? How does that effect our church staffing on all levels? What does an ice age mean financially?

For the global church, how does it affect the travel of missionaries and global leaders? What does this mean for things like work and witness and the World Evangelism Fund? Can Nazarene Compassion Ministries meet the coming wave of needs and requests for aid? Are short-term mission trips over? What about gatherings like General Assembly and getting delegates into the country if there are still travel restrictions?

These are the questions we should be asking. How will we respond if this isn’t just a passing storm or even a long winter season, but it’s an ice age?

Here is our great hope whatever the case: The church will endure! Jesus is on the throne. Proverbs 3:5-6 is an appropriate reminder: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

1. Life can change in a flash. For all of our advances in sciences and medicines, a little bug named Covid-19 has smacked us. In January, practically every pastor in America, not-so-originally (present writer included) preached on our future and having 20/20 vision in 2020. We thought we were so clever, but none of us foresaw what was lying just ahead. It’s a good lesson that we can (and should) plan for the future, but our plans don’t have the final say. Solomon figured that out 3000 years ago: Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)

2. Patience. We’ve all heard some version of this advice, “Don’t pray for patience or the Lord will send something troubling your way to teach it.” Well, somewhere in this old world, someone must have prayed extra hard for patience, because we are learning it—like it or not. My personality wasn’t built for pandemics. I need to be on the go and doing something, always doing something. Maybe the Lord is teaching me, “Not so fast. Slow down. Take a breath. Relax.”

3. Loneliness. One of the worst byproducts of a stay-at-home mandate is loneliness. God forbid, a loved one gets sick and needs hospitalization—when they need the comfort, strength and assurance from their loved ones the most—they can’t be around. We are wired to be connected with one another. Humans need face to face interaction. God in the garden said it best, “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18).

4. Heroes. I am not sure if I will look at health care workers, grocery shelf stockers, garbage men, and all the other essential workers the same. I hope not.

5. God’s people find ways to serve. I love that our women’s ministries set up meal trains for healthcare workers and first responders. I love that our seniors are making masks that are hand delivered for free. I love that folks are checking up on our most vulnerable congregants and offering to grocery shop, run errands or do a few chores. Our pastors are knocking it out of the park in their service to the Lord– connecting with children, students and adults. God’s people will serve—pandemic or no pandemic. When folks live out Ephesians 6:7 (Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people), it’s a beautiful thing. But speaking of “hitting it out of the park” …

6. The shocking truth about sports. I’ve realized how much of my time was occupied by watching games and talking about sports. Sports are a black hole. The time spent occupied and consumed by sports cannot be regained. Now c’mon, let me be honest and realistic (who’s kidding who?) when sports resume I will still be interested, but I hope to be more time conscious than I was pre-pandemic. No one will be asked upon entry into heaven about the Wolverines and Buckeye rivalry (Can a Buckeye go to heaven? Sorry I couldn’t resist. It was a low hanging fruit). Sports are fun, but they also suck precious time from the more important things of life.

7. Mute All Button. I wish every social media platform had Zoom’s “Mute All” or at least a “Mute Some” button. Someone talking to much political blather. Mute. Someone attacking, bragging, grumbling or gossiping. Mute. Mute. Mute. Mute.

8. Let the experts be the experts. During a World-Wide Pandemic, I want to hear from level headed, realistic medical experts and scientists on when is the right time to reopen life again. I don’t want to hear from red or blue politicians or various media outlets, who (I know this is “breaking news” to us all) have a hidden (and sometimes not-so-hidden) agenda.

9. Trust in the Lord. Most of us knew this before the pandemic, but maybe the pandemic has made us relearn it or learn it more and better and deeper. God hasn’t left us—there is not a chance of that. So, let’s just trust Him to see us through these crazy days!

*I am certain I will learn more as the pandemic is prolonged. Ask me in a month and my list probably will have grown.

Covid-19 is not our biggest threat during these quarantine days. Most of us will not be infected by coronavirus and even if we are, most of us will survive. But there is another great danger lurking.

Let me explain it this way:

When in Panama last month, we saw two sloths on the roadside. In all my trips there, I had never seen a sloth and this time I saw two. Now home in this quarantined time, I am worried about sloths. Not the cute animals in Panama, but those who succumb to the deadly sin of sloth. Like the slow-moving creature, slothfulness is the slow fade away from Jesus. Unlike Covid-19, everyone quarantined is in the “high risk category.”

The words “sloth” and “boredom” are not in scripture, instead the Bible writers use words like “Idle” and “lazy.” Obviously, these days, those out of work are not “lazy.” It’s more of a forced idleness—that has been thrust upon us. Still the outcomes of idleness whether forced upon or through our own choice or circumstance are the same. Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” It’s true.

In both letters to the church at Thessalonica—Paul warns of those who are “idle and disruptive.” Idleness and disruption go hand in hand. He wrote this in his second letter to the church: We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down. (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12)

I’ve seen other destructive outcomes of idleness and boredom. In nearly every counselling session with a man battling a pornography addiction, boredom was at the top of the list that led to their habit. In nearly every counselling session with a woman caught in an affair, boredom was one item listed for her wandering ways. Alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide and most every other destructive behavior can often (not always) trace its beginnings to boredom.

During this mandated stay-at-home quarantine, boredom is our very real enemy. Hours wasted or vegged away in front of a TV or scrolling Instagram is probably not the best use of this time. Instead, we need to remind ourselves daily to embody Paul’s words: I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14).

The deadliest danger for most of us is not Covid-19, but using our time unwisely or sinfully. It takes work to press on. It takes commitment and resolve to not succumb to boredom and its destructive and disruptive patterns. We may not have had a say in our idle circumstance, but sinfulness and drifting from Jesus is in our control. Make sure your eyes are fixed on Jesus – quarantined or not.

Fact One: The best expression of God for us is Jesus.
If you want to know what God thinks, how God works, how God responds to humankind look to Jesus. Jesus, fully God and fully man, shows us what God is like and what humans can be.

Fact two: We are living through a worldwide pandemic.

Fact three: There have been worldwide pandemics before.
The Spanish flu outbreak in 1918-1920, saw a fourth of the world population, 500 million people, infected and estimates from 17 million to 50 million people died.

Fact Four: The church has lived through such pandemics and plagues.
Historian Andy Wood wrote: that influenza killed Florida District Superintendent Homer Goodell, as reported in the Herald October 23, 1918, p.15. Kentucky District assembly was also postponed in accordance with statewide “quarantine.” Likewise, the Little Rock and Peniel assemblies were postponed per General Superintendent Goodwin. The following week the Herald of Holiness (the official publication of the Church of the Nazarene) editors reported that multiple employees at the Nazarene Publishing House were out sick, and that government mail service was “especially uncertain.” They urged correspondents to “keep patient and keep sweet.” (Information provided by Dr. Dean Blevins)

Given the facts above, how should the church respond to the current COVID-19 pandemic with its 24/7 news coverage, social distancing, unemployment, stay-at-home orders and on-line church services?

As always, follow Jesus.

Jesus was not a giver of disease, but a healer.
“Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.” (Luke 7:21). At no point does Jesus give disease. Jesus heals. Let’s keep pointing people to the Greater Healer.

Jesus was not a fear inducer, in fact just the opposite.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27). We are people of hope not fear. “Perfect love drives our fear” (See 1 John 4:18) is what John wrote in the first century. it still works in the 21st century. Our world desperately needs to see the perfect love of Christ in us.

Jesus used the circumstances of life for God’s glory.
Do you recall the story in John 9? As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed.” (John 9:1-3) After correcting the bad theology (that blindness was somehow the result of the sinfulness of the man’s parents’ or his own sin while in the womb), Jesus took this man’s terrible plight and healed him for the glory of God. Could God use this pandemic for his glory? God already is. God’s people have always met the hurting with the grace of Jesus (the unmerited love of Jesus) and the peace of Jesus (the unmistakable presence of Jesus). Let’s keep it up!

Maybe the best advice for dealing with a pandemic came from the Publish House during the Spanish Flu pandemic as it urged its patrons to “keep patient and keep sweet.”

P.S. Check out my daily Quarantined Quotes and Quips through the month of April.

Regarding Social Distancing:
Separate yourselves from this assembly—Numbers 16:21

Come out from them and be separate– 2 Corinthians 6:17

Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— Philemon 1:15

Regarding Frequent Washing of hands
Jesus said, “Be Clean.” –Luke 5:13

Those with Clean Hands will grow stronger—Job 17:9

Wash and make yourselves clean—Isaiah 1:16

They must wash their clothes and bathe themselves and they will be clean—Leviticus 14:9

Wash your hands, you sinners—James 4:8

Regarding wearing PPE
When Moses finish speaking to them, he put a veil over his face—Exodus 34:33

The king covered his face—2 Samuel 19:4

The chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths—Job 29:9

Who wants out of context Bible verses?
Here are Totally IN CONTEXT Bible Verse regarding the Coronavirus and everything else:

Regarding God’s Power
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your sins and heals all our diseases. Psalm 103:2-3

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14

Regarding Prayer
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. – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Regarding God’s Social Distancing Practices
Come near to God and he will come near to you. — also James 4:8 (see above)

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20