Coronavirus: Should We Cancel Church This Sunday?
Several churches are discussing the recent flood of cancellations, suspensions, and closings due to the Coronavirus and asking themselves, “should we consider canceling services this Sunday?”
This is a good question to ask, and worthy of discussion among your churches leadership.
I have read several articles and listened to some podcasts on the issue, and here are some thoughts to consider as you weigh your options:
- The United States is at the early stages of the virus spreading, and it is likely to get worse before it gets better. Consider the spread of the virus as a bell curve—the US is on the left side of the bell curve, and cases of influenza will likely grow exponentially before the spread begins to decline.
- When weighing your decision whether or not to cancel services, think through the ramifications of point one. If you cancel this weekend, it is impossible to gauge when you can resume services. Again, with the expectation that things will get worse before they get better, once you suspend services, it may be weeks before you can offer worship services again. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you will cancel this weekend or next weekend and then resume services. While the virus is spreading, you will be just as much at risk this weekend as you will be in four weeks or six weeks or until the virus is no longer a threat.
- Children are considered super-conductors for the spread of a virus for obvious reasons. Children’s ministry areas can be some of the most challenging areas to control a virus. You can take extra precautions, but when considering areas of ministry to suspend first, your children’s ministry should be at the top of the list.
- Public bathrooms are next on the list of places where viruses thrive and spread. Experts warn against using public restrooms unless absolutely necessary, and to be extra cautious about washing your hands after using a public restroom.
- Reconsider parts of your service that require individual interaction. This could include the customary “shake your neighbor’s hand” at the start of the service, but also things like communion. If you are compelled to offer communion during this season, consider using individually sealed servings of bread and juice.
- Currently, most cancellations and suspensions are voluntary, but if the virus spreads as predicted, likely, government authorities will either strongly recommend the suspension of any public gathering or, in the worst case, ban public meetings. In California right now, the governor is urging the cancellation of any event with more than 250 in attendance, and many California counties are warning people to avoid any indoor gathering with more than 50 people.
- The CDC is advising seniors 60-years and older to avoid crowds and indoor gatherings.
There is a public frenzy of cancellations right now as organizations large and small wrestle with how to handle Coronavirus. Here is perhaps the best advice I have heard: don’t assume you can cancel services this weekend and then resume a regular schedule next week. Once you cancel, you need to prepare to shut down all public gatherings of your church (not just Sunday services) until the government gives the all-clear. This could be weeks.
Also, it is important to remember that “a little bit of precaution” does little to prevent the spread of the disease. Experts warn that there will be a rush of precautions in the next week, but quickly people will tire of all the extra steps needed to slow the spread of the virus and resume their regular habits.
There is a good chance that if the virus spreads as anticipated, churches will have no choice but to suspend public gatherings until the all-clear is given. As a leadership team, you need to have contingency plans in place if your church is forced to suspend public gatherings for an extended period of time. What will force your hand? When someone in your church becomes a confirmed case or if the virus spreads to the point local authorities strongly recommend or even ban the cancellation of public gatherings.
Where can I get more information or stay informed?
The most reliable source of credible information is the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov). Here is the specific web page with information on Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
At the state level, the Iowa Department of Public Health is providing up-to-date information on the spread of the virus within Iowa. You will find this information here: https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus
For churches specifically, LifeWay has created a training resource to help churches with many of the questions and concerns unique to local church ministry. The resource is available free of charge via LifeWay’s MinistryGrid application available here: https://ministrygrid.com/coronavirus
Look for ministry opportunities
A church is much more than its public gatherings. There are opportunities for the church to minister to the community in a multitude of ways. This is a good time as a church to look for areas of obvious need within your community and see how you can help people who are struggling either with the illness or because of the suspension and cancellation of services.
SBC Executive Committee Endorses Vision 2025
The Executive Committee voted unanimously to endorse Vision 2025, which is comprised of five seminal goals to channel our cooperative energy over the next five years. Vision 2025 has emerged from Dr. Ronnie Floyd's leadership (as the new President of the Executive Committee) and is built around focusing energy on growth in five key areas.Vision 2025 calls on Southern Baptists to increase the number of full-time IMB missionaries by 500 (to 4,200 total), add 6,000 new churches in the United States (surpassing 50,000 total), strongly emphasize "calling out the called" to ministry leadership, reverse the decline in baptisms among 12-17 year olds, and increase total Cooperative Program giving to $500 million.
42.4M babies killed by abortion in 2019; here's what's ahead for US abortion laws in 2020
CE Comment: In many ways, 2019 saw positive advancements in the pro-life cause. Several states passed laws that continue to push back against the pro-death lobby in America. Moreover, the public dialog shifted as many Americans were both shocked and ashamed to hear political leaders on the left push abortion advocacy up to and even beyond the birth of the child. (See Virginia Governor Defends Letting Infants Die and New York legislature votes to legalize abortion up to birth, let non-doctors commit abortions.) Still, the reality that more than 3,000 babies are murdered every day is a scourge upon our nation. When history is ultimately written, abortion advocates will stand next to other infamous names and ideologies that have murdered millions of people.
According to Worldometers, which tabulates global statistics on abortion procedures based on the most current available figures from the World Health Organization, 40 to 50 million abortions are performed annually worldwide.In 2019, around 42.4 million pregnancies ended in abortion worldwide.The website notes that in the United States, approximately half of pregnancies are "unintended" with four in 10 ending in an abortion, amounting to over 3,000 abortions happening every day. Not including miscarriages, 22 percent of all pregnancies end in abortion. Globally, around 125,000 abortions happen every day.
Arkansas Baptist State Convention failed to report abuse allegations against pastor, lawsuit claims
CE Comment: Failure to report sexual abuse is going to become a much more costly legal problem for churches and pastors moving forward. Much of the pain and hurt connected to sexual abuse in the church in general and the SBC, in particular, is rooted in a failure to report. If there is one lesson we must apply from 2019, it is this: when in doubt, report allegations to law enforcement and let them sort out whether or not the allegation is true or false.
A Southern Baptist leader in Arkansas has been accused of violating state law by failing to report allegations that a Hot Springs pastor sexually abused a minor on church property, according to a lawsuit filed in December.The civil lawsuit filed Dec. 16 accuses Arkansas Baptist State Convention Executive Director Sonny Tucker of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse to authorities after he was contacted by the ex-wife of Millcreek Baptist Church pastor Teddy Leon Hill about concerns that Hill might've been abusing minors.Attorney’s representing an unnamed plaintiff referred to as "John Doe" claim Hill met Doe when Doe came to the church at 13 years old seeking refuge from a troubled home. The lawsuit accuses Hill of sexually molesting and abusing Doe starting in 2014."Such abuse was perpetrated by Hill in his role as guardian, mentor, counselor and Pastor to Doe and occurred on the church property of Millcreek," the lawsuit alleges. "The abuse perpetrated included multiple acts of sexual battery with Doe and involved deviate sexual activity."The lawsuit alleges that Latham contacted Tucker and ABSC in February 2018 to report her suspicion that Hill was sexually abusing Doe and possibly other minors. A few weeks later, Latham reportedly met with Tucker to discuss her accusations concerning Hill."Based on Ms. Latham’s reports to ABSC and Tucker, ABSC and Tucker had a reasonable basis to believe Hill had engaged in sexual conduct with a minor," the lawsuit claims. "Regardless, neither Defendant ABSC nor Tucker reported Hill to the Child Advocacy Hotline."
Baptist Press Top 10 SBC Stories of 2019
These 10 news stories, selected by both the editors of Baptist Press and a poll of Southern Baptist state publication editors, represent the most important stories of 2019.
- Southern Baptists take action to curb sexual abuse in the Convention
- Four new presidents elected to lead SBC entities
- LifeWay closes brick-and-mortar stores in historic shift to new online strategy
- Great Commission Giving surges throughout the Convention
- SBC votes overwhelmingly to approve significant bylaw and constitutional changes
- A flurry of pro-abortion and pro-life laws come before state legislatures nationwide after Supreme Court shifts
- Mohler announced as 2020 presidential nominee
- NAMB launches 'Who's Your One?' emphasis
- SBC president J.D. Greear appoints the most diverse committees in SBC history
- Southwestern Seminary removes stained-glass windows commemorating the Conservative Resurgence