{"id":1944,"date":"2020-07-16T02:55:57","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T06:55:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/?p=1944"},"modified":"2020-08-06T07:49:00","modified_gmt":"2020-08-06T11:49:00","slug":"gospel-coalition-ministering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/2020\/07\/16\/gospel-coalition-ministering\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gospel Coalition: Ministering to Wounded and Straying Sheep in a Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

As COVID-19 has caused many churches to temporarily worship virtually, our gauges for the spiritual health of congregants have become muddled. Recent data<\/a> also shows a decrease in online church attendance.<\/p>\n

How can church leaders\u2014pastors, deacons, and Bible study leaders\u2014wisely minister to straying and wounded believers in these socially distanced times?<\/p>\n

Fresh and Reopened Wounds<\/h3>\n

The loss of jobs<\/a>, childcare, and loved ones<\/a> would seem enough to leave our congregations reeling. But a myriad of other emotional and spiritual wounds\u2014mixed with the spiritual danger of isolation (Gen. 2:18<\/a>; Prov. 18:1<\/a>)\u2014have made us more susceptible to sin, disillusionment, and despair in this season.<\/p>\n

The elderly may have difficulty connecting online. Those battling addiction to pornography<\/a> or mental illnesses<\/a> are suddenly alone and surrounded by screens. Singles find it difficult to connect, and domestic abuse<\/a> victims are left unseen. Many Asian Americans face anti-Asian sentiment<\/a> and assaults, while black and brown communities are disproportionately affected<\/a> by the pandemic. We also see the unjust deaths of black brothers and sisters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As a lost fa\u00e7ade of control sets in, something as objective as a virus has become subject to partisan views, anecdotal takes, and conspiracy theories<\/a>. Reopening plans and face-mask policies<\/a> have become a point of contention. As parishioners find themselves sitting before a constant stream of news and social media, the world\u2019s ideologies all too easily shape their hearts.<\/p>\n

Despite our double-time efforts to offer Sunday and midweek checkpoints online, many are wandering away. How do we \u201cbring back the strayed\u201d and \u201cbind up the injured\u201d (Ezek. 34:16<\/a>) in this ongoing pandemic?<\/b><\/p>\n

1. Pray<\/h3>\n

You\u2019re likely feeling the near-crushing weight of ministry. It\u2019s an impossible task! But isn\u2019t that kind of the point (2 Cor. 3:4\u20136<\/a>)? Aren\u2019t limitations and limps opportunities to place our powerlessness into the hands of the all-powerful Savior (Gen. 32:24\u201332<\/a>; 2 Cor. 12:7\u201310<\/a>)?<\/p>\n

That digital fatigue, your inability to hug a grieving friend, and even the biting accusations of wounded and straying sheep are all designed to bring you to your knees.<\/p>\n

That digital fatigue, your inability to hug a grieving friend, and even the biting accusations of wounded and straying sheep are all designed to bring you to your knees.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus made a habit of withdrawing to pray (Luke 5:16<\/a>). Are you prioritizing the spiritual disciplines so you can be Spirit-led in this confusing time? Are you establishing boundaries to cultivate sustainable rhythms of work and rest\u2014including sabbaticals\u2014so you\u2019re not ministering out of your own insufficient wisdom and strength?<\/p>\n

Will this pandemic prompt us to bombard the throne of grace (Isa. 62:6\u20137<\/a>)? If so, perhaps our ministries will grow more dependent on the Spirit and less fueled by our own personalities. <\/b><\/p>\n

2. Pursue Them, But Not All by Yourself<\/h3>\n

Daily exhorting each other so that \u201cnone of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin\u201d (Heb. 3:13<\/a>) isn\u2019t strictly the work of church leaders. How are you tapping into the priesthood of all believers (1 Pet. 2:5\u20139<\/a>)?<\/p>\n

Are you delegating and dividing up tasks, including the pursuit of church members through (currently virtual) check-ins? Perhaps you can assign deacons and small-group leaders to specific members so that practical needs are met (James 2:15\u201316<\/a>) and everyone is being stirred up \u201cto love and good works\u201d (Heb. 10:24<\/a>).<\/p>\n

What about meeting virtually in smaller groups of three or four to ask more penetrating questions? Or consider a \u201c113\u201d initiative<\/a> in which parishioners \u201cin 1 day call 1 person to check up and encourage them, and pray for 3 people.\u201d Are you utilizing the tech-savviness of younger generations? What about creating a COVID task-force team?<\/p>\n

Mutual care is the ministry of the whole church. Jethro was onto something when he told Moses, \u2018You are not able to do it alone.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you\u2019re unsure how to minister to the racial woundedness of minority congregants, learn to listen<\/a> with compassion and humility (James 1:19<\/a>; Rom. 12:15<\/a>). Seek guidance from ministers who have faithfully served<\/a> marginalized communities.<\/p>\n

Mutual care is the ministry of the whole church. Jethro was onto something when he told Moses, \u201cYou are not able to do it alone\u201d (Ex. 18:13\u201323<\/a>).<\/p>\n

3. Show Us Your Wounds <\/b><\/h3>\n

Two of Satan\u2019s seductive lies are (1) you\u2019re the only one struggling this way<\/em> and (2) no one cares about you<\/em>. Stupefied, we keep our pet sins in the dark where they turn into monsters, and we grow resentful toward the church. Enter: the cycle of sin and shame that keeps us ever further from God and others.<\/p>\n

So how do we dispel that first lie for strayers? We create a culture of confession and grace, which starts with us. We create spaces\u2014perhaps during small groups or check-ins\u2014where we confess our sins and ask for prayer (James 5:16<\/a>). This helps others see that they\u2019re not the only ones struggling with sin, and that repentance is a means to true fellowship and joy (Acts 3:19\u201320<\/a>; 1 John 1:5\u201310<\/a>).<\/p>\n

What about that second lie? In his book The Wounded<\/a><\/em> Healer<\/em>,<\/a> Henri Nouwen shares how ministers\u2019 wounds\u2014when named, tended to, and shared\u2014can have a healing effect that reflects the healing wounds of Christ. Paul emulated this when he told the Corinthians, \u201cWe do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia\u201d (2 Cor. 1:8<\/a>; cf. 2 Cor. 11:23\u201329<\/a>; 2 Tim. 3:10\u201311<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Paul knew that the God who comforted him would comfort others, even if their trials were different (2 Cor. 1:3\u20134<\/a>). So he exposed both his wounds and<\/i> the grace that made his wounds transformational milestones toward deeper trust and richer joy in the \u201cGod of all comfort\u201d (2 Cor. 1:3<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Of course, discernment is needed regarding the specifics of your sharing. Still, we need a reality-admitting, grace-confirming movement that teaches us to make space for confession and lament rooted in gospel hope (Lam. 3:19\u201324<\/a>). This is something ministers can model for the straying and wounded among them.<\/p>\n

Follow His Lead<\/h3>\n

Though there\u2019s no exact formula for ministry in our particular COVID moment, our Savior paved the way by praying through the agonies of ministry (Luke 22:39\u201346<\/a>), pursuing those who strayed (Luke 15:4<\/a>), and showing us his wounds (John 19:34; 20:27<\/a>).<\/p>\n

We do well to follow his lead.<\/p>\n

by Quina Aragon<\/em><\/p>\n

[July 16, 2020]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As COVID-19 has caused many churches to temporarily worship virtually, our gauges for the spiritual health of congregants have become muddled. Recent data also shows a decrease in online church attendance. How can church leaders\u2014pastors, deacons, and Bible study leaders\u2014wisely minister to straying and wounded believers in these socially distanced times? Fresh and Reopened Wounds The loss […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10812,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[514269,32713,510450],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1944"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10812"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1944"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1944\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1965,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1944\/revisions\/1965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/coronaguidance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}