“‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” (Isaiah 41:10, NASB95)

Dear IFCA Brothers and Sisters,

Right now, the world is responding to the threat of COVID-19 in various ways ranging from extreme panic and hoarding to scoffing and mockery. It seems that everyone has an opinion about what you should do and how you should respond. As a Fellowship of Bible Believers, I would like to give a brief response for those of you looking for some help in navigating the next few days and weeks ahead, particularly in your church.

First, as Christians, we need to proceed with faith in our Lord and prayer on our lips. We should lift up our communities and nations before the Lord in concerted prayer on behalf of those that are sick, those grieving deaths, and those who are panicked at the prospect of the unknown (1Tim 2:1-2). Our hope is in Christ in this life and the next. Let us pray that the Church of Jesus Christ will see this situation as an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ to those who have no hope and are living in extreme panic and fear.

Second, we must be wise, charitable and pastoral in our responses regarding the issue of cancellation of services and events. The effects of COVID-19 vary widely from place to place, and each situation is different, and changing. Yesterday morning the state of Michigan had only two known cases of the virus, but last night it was expanded to twelve. As the pandemic spreads, the situation will need to be evaluated locally.

I have seen some Christians on social media take cavalier attitudes about the virus and others have reacted with fear. I want to remind all of us that each situation is different. The information we have received is that the most susceptible to this virus are those that are elderly and those that have compromised immune systems. Some of our churches have many elderly members as well as those that are physically weakened by other health issues. In some areas, other sicknesses add additional complications to the local situation.

Pastors and elders need to evaluate their local situations carefully and with much prayer for wisdom. Some churches will simply need to reinforce good hygienic practices (handwashing, sanitizing surfaces, etc.), while others may see the need to cancel services to protect those who might be seriously effected by illness, including the potential for spreading the Coronavirus in areas where the disease is more widespread. We need to respond as shepherds with the best for the church.

Just as many churches cancel services for snowstorms in areas where icy road conditions threaten the safety of those driving to church, so too your area may need to consider the reality of cancelling services if needed because the actual threat is greater. We do not let fear drive us, but the facts may point to a need to respond with caution for the love and concern of our beloved saints.

Thirdly, although some may decide to cancel services, we can never cancel church. We are the Church. We have an opportunity to reach out personally in love to one another, to have family worship with those within our household, and to reach out to those who would perhaps never come into our church buildings. Your church may be able to live-stream your services to those at home, or it may not. Pastors should consider how they can equip their church members to worship if they do not have services. Perhaps the pastor can email his sermon notes so the family can read them together. If your church doesn’t offer live-streaming, maybe you could send a few links of church services that will be live-streamed that you could recommend-or a few sermons on YouTube or Sermon Audio that you could recommend. Whatever the case is, we need to continue shepherding the flock of God in our local setting. Phone calls are still an effective means for sharing love and care for one another.

I would highly recommend that you continue to monitor the developments of the Coronavirus from reputable sites to stay informed so that you can respond in a way that is responsible. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has given guidance for Community and Faith-Based Organizations that they update as new information is discovered. You should review the information on this page to be informed about the known facts surrounding COVID-19. Information can we reviewed at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/index.html

Grace and Peace,

Dr. Richard Bargas
IFCA International Executive Director