June 26, 2020 | Charlestown, Nevis | Pastor Delroy K. Josiah
Many of you are well aware that 2019 did not end well for Wuhan, China. However, what no one anticipated was that the fate of China would be shared worldwide in the form of a global pandemic. The coronavirus (COVID-19), in a matter of weeks, spread from China to other nations, and in a few months the whole world is faced with a pandemic. Many lives have been taken by this dreadful virus and it is still claiming lives. As a result, governments around the world, partnering with health professionals, have instituted varying degrees of curfews and mandated social distancing protocols. Invariably, schools were closed, places of business were also closed and yes, even churches were closed.
But how can ministry continue when the place of worship is closed and the membership is confined to their homes? The reality may not be as grim as we think. The gospel of Jesus, subsequent to His death, burial and resurrection, blazed the trail of the then known world. With unprecedented speed, the good news of Salvation spread like wildfire. Historian Lionel Casson says that travel at the time of the early church was conducive for the spreading of the gospel. As such Paul could have made “his way from the shores of the Euphrates to the border between England and Scotland without crossing a foreign frontier… He could sail through any waters without fear of pirates, thanks to the emperor’s patrol squadrons. A planned network of good roads gave him access to all major centres, and the routes were policed well enough for him to ride them with relatively little fear of bandits.” (On the Road with Paul - E.M. Yamauchi)
Today we are blessed by the presence and proliferation of technology and technological devices, particularly the internet and communication devices. Many churches have become adept in the use of Zoom, Facebook Live, YouTube streams and virtual church. Before COVID-19 many churches only streamed special occasions, but now every service is streamed. Could this be the new norm? I rather think so! In Nevis, while the idea of internet evangelism is not new, it certainly is becoming a niche area for the church. Having been closed from since April of this year we have utilized the various virtual platforms to keep ministry going.
The reality is, now that church is virtual, and services are stored online and can be accessed either live or on demand, countless individuals now have access to the gospel. We have seen viewers from across the Caribbean, Mexico, New York and England as well as other places. What does this tell us? The gospel, now, more than ever, is being proclaimed in exponentially greater and still greater volumes. I see a parallel between the book of Acts and our current context. They used the tools and systems of the then world to their advantage and we are doing the very same today.
Let’s be faithful as we minister. We may never know the full extent of our labours for the Lord. What sweet satisfaction that will be when we meet at Jesus’ feet in glory and see the multitudes of those redeemed by God through Jesus Christ as a result of our efforts! For now, regardless of the circumstance, let us work while it is day. The apostles smiled at the opportunity to minister. Let us also smile at the opportunity that this pandemic has brought us.