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2020
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The Kerusso – May | 2020
Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
It will be a Journey to Remember The Cabinet of Superintendents met via Zoom on Tuesday morning with several pastors to talk about our last scheduled face-to-face “Journey” conference which was to be held in the early days of June at Crosslink Church in Rutherford College, NC. The unanimous conclusion of the panel was that it would be unwise for safety reasons to ask people to travel to western Carolina in just four weeks. Restrictions about gatherings are beginning to change, but are still vague and vary state-to-state, and so it is very hard to plan for an onsite meeting. In addition to health considerations, we Superintendents are wary of asking churches and pastors to expend money on a trip that could and should be conserved for local ministry. As you already knew, the Superintendents felt led to make the decision to cancel the first three Journey meetings for 2020 in the interest of health and safety, and to respect the social distancing directives given by state and local officials. This coronavirus pandemic has caused us all to have to pivot in significant ways over the past two months. For some of us, it has been more than a set of inconveniences. Folks like our own Butch Hayes in Indiana (EMC’s Stewardship Department Head), and Ana Quiroz (wife of Pastor Mark Quiroz) in Glendora, California have spent weeks battling COVID-19, but praise the Lord, they have been granted healing and recovery. We continue to pray for them and others that have been deeply impacted. The rest of us have experienced difficulties of a different kind, as we have worked to keep our flocks connected and cared for. Based on the best information we have available at this time, we have decided to cancel the North Carolina Journey as well, and instead work to plan and host an electronically connected nation-wide Journey sometime this summer. We don’t yet know the exact dates, but will have those to you soon, so that you can all plan to be a part of Journey 2020 no matter where you live, or whether you had travel money available or not. We will be live-streaming the sessions, and will have featured participants from around the nation. It may not be what we’ve been used to, but one thing is certain … it should be memorable! All the information you will need to connect with us electronically will be in next month’s Kerusso, as well as a church-wide email that we’ll send using our database software, CCB, so watch for those details. As General Superintendent, I have felt led to focus on one word this year - FAMILY. No matter where we may be around the world, the EMC is one big faith FAMILY. We are one in mind and spirit, and we have ONE great God and King, and He will guide us through all of these changes and challenges. We appreciate each member, each leader, each pastor, and each church across the EMC; not only in the USA, but across the globe. And we are praying for you to be blessed, encouraged, and covered by God’s sheltering wings.
The Kerusso – May | 2020
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Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Time to Step Off the Porch The earliest days of Christianity were exciting ones. During the first seven weeks after the resurrection, the apostles and followers of Jesus were visited by Him on several occasions. Eventually, they settled into gathering regularly in Jerusalem. Jesus told them to wait in the city for the “promise of the Father,” and that subsequently they would be witnesses to the gospel around the world. Jesus said, “… You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 nkjv Then came the ascension, followed by many devout Jews gathering back in Jerusalem again, just as they had 50 days before, during Passover. The Holy Spirit came upon the believers gathered in the “upper room,” and Peter’s Pentecost sermon moved thousands to affirm Jesus as Messiah and Savior. Every day, the numbers were swelling. Things were good. People were responding, financial giving was strong, and needy people were being cared for. And right in the shadow of the temple, in the place commonly referred to as “Solomon’s Porch,” amazing things were taking place over and again. “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch” Acts 5:12 nkjv But as Luke records well, trouble was brewing. Church leaders were threatened, imprisoned, and beaten. The tension grew to the point that Stephen was brutally killed (Acts 7). Because of his death, “… a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria …” Acts 8:1 nkjv The persecution that the church was experiencing became the catalyst for the regional and global expansion of the Gospel, just as Jesus predicted. Does that mean the persecution was a good thing? … that it was God’s work? … that God was the author of those evil things? NO! But God is the consummate genius at bringing good things out of bad things. In God’s amazing wisdom, he used these difficult circumstances to kick the church into a new gear. To turn a phrase, He used these events to encourage the church to “step off the porch.”
Get off the porch
So here’s the thing … this current global coronavirus pandemic is NOT a good thing. All of us have been affected in some ways, large or small; many folks have suffered, some intensely; some have lost friends or loved ones; and still others have lost their own lives. There is nothing good about any of that.
But that does not mean for a minute that God does not have a plan to use these events to propel the church into new opportunities. Over the last many weeks the Superintendents have heard many accounts of amazing things taking place. We know of one situation where a pastor’s neighbor is helping make the church’s livestream possible, and he is not a believer, but God is working in and through him, drawing him into the church family. We have heard accounts of large donations being given, and church incomes ABOVE average. We know of people that have given their governmental stimulus checks to other church members who were in more desperate circumstances. And all around the conference, congregations are realizing that we don’t have to be “large-meeting / on-site” oriented to be the church! The church is “stepping off the porch” by becoming more organic, returning to the early church model of ministry, meeting from house to house, with families worshipping together like never before, and people who have not previously been directly involved in ministry are stepping up. The lines between the pastor and the pew are blurring in a most positive way, which is a long-overdue change. The church does not, or at least should not, revolve exclusively around the pastor. He or she is one person on the team, and maybe not even the most important one: “In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.” 1 Corinthians 12:22 nlt So don’t be discouraged. Life will eventually return to a kind of “normal.” Let’s just hope that the church DOES NOT. Some of what we are learning should forever change how we do things, and where our main energies lie. As our folks down at Refuge Ministries in Texas have put on their newly printed T-shirts … “The church has left the building.”
The Kerusso – May | 2020
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Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Updates From Our Global Conferences Bill Walker, our EMC Board of World Missions Chairman has gathered the following updates from our Superintendents around the world in our global conferences. The board is welcoming contributions that will be sent on to our partners around the world to assist them. Bill writes, “I want to update you and share some of the needs and prayer concerns from our EMC conferences around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic is significantly affecting us here in the U.S., but as you might guess, we have suffered much less than our fellow EMC’ers around the world.”
Covid-19 Disaster Relief Please send anything you can to EMC Headquarters for “disaster relief,” PO Box 17070 Indianapolis, IN 46217. You may also give online at www.emchurch.org. In the online giving portal, there is a category for “disaster relief ”. Please use that for this special giving. Above all keep praying that God will empower and work through His Church. We can be sure of this: the Church is not a building… the Church is made up of people who have been commissioned as ambassadors for Christ in all circumstances and in all locations. Thank you for reading. Keep praying. God bless you.
EMC Asia Pacific Conference | General Superintendent Rev. Dr. Jun Mateo: Quarantine in the Philippines has been extended through the end of May. Some pastors are doing Facebook live, but not all because internet costs extra money and members do not have the devices that are needed like phones, computers, or tablets. The economy is shut down. Lockdown is fully enforced through Martial Law. You get arrested or cited if you go out. Once a week, one family member is given a pass to walk to get whatever is needed at home. The government provides canned sardines, instant noodles, and a few pounds of rice to local residents. One time the government has issued and distributed (approximately $100) money for extra groceries and medications for families since no one is working. Our local pastors that have been able to establish local residency have benefited from government sustenance but the church planters are the ones struggling because they cannot get what the government provides in money and food because they have not yet been able to establish residency. Churches are not capable of online giving so there is no income. Contributors from supporters in California have suspended their giving due to their own economic situations. We had a Zoom meeting last Saturday and 16 participated. Their spirits are still high, and we are all leaning hard on God. We may have to close some new church plants due to funding. We will build up momentum again once a new normal comes into effect. Thank you for thinking and praying for us.
The Kerusso – May | 2020
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Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
EMC CFAN Conference (Christ for all Nations) | Assistant General Superintendent Rev. Dr. Patrick Mubobo: Like here in the United States, people are in different levels of confinement. Canada: Our Canadian pastors are attempting to use social media. Canada’s lockdown is stricter than ours. Financially they are struggling to pay their rent because the offering is not coming in as normal. Europe: Our Paris church is really struggling trying to maintain momentum but it is very difficult. They need prayers, encouragement, and financial support. Africa: African governments have not supplied any stimulus monies. Change the Nations Church of Greensboro, NC has sent a little, but it is like a drop in the ocean and is better than nothing. Thierry and Ketor (two pastors from Togo) are with me here in the U.S. and cannot return at present because the Togo airport is closed. We don't know when they will return. The school in Togo is closed for the moment, but we must continue to pay teachers which is hard to do. Overall, the situation is not good economically but our people are very strong spiritually, praying as never before. We do not presently have evangelism statistics but it seems like we will see a great harvest after this COVID 19 pandemic. Keep praying, and thank you. Mexico Evangelistic Mission Conference | General Superintendent Rev. Isaias Flores Cardenas: By the Grace of the Lord we are well, all the Pastors are modifying their ways to maintain contact with their congregations, of course with some difficulties. Everyone claims to be fine. These sudden changes are further proof of the need to stand firm, watch and pray at all times ... I am organizing a virtual meeting with all the Pastors to find out what they are experiencing. We are trying to proactively plan together, NOT just react to the situation. We can NOT forget now to continue preaching the Word of God to the lost.
Myanmar Conference | General Superintendent Rev. Dr. Lal Duhawma: It is great to have prayer partners in our EMC families around the globe. My own family is doing well along with other EMC ministers and members in Myanmar. The churches in Myanmar EMC and other denominations are closed to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 disease. Online preaching and written encouragement from the word of God through Facebook are the means we are using to lift our people’s spirits. However, this way of communication reaches only about 20% of our church members. As travel restrictions are in place in most parts of the country, there are many transportation and marketing problems. We are hoping for a reopening on May 15, 2020. There is a great deal of fear about the Covid-19 disease; fortunately, no EMC members are suffering from it at present. However, stay at home orders have created problems of unemployment especially with those living hand to mouth. We are working with those victims’ families, helping to provide their primary needs. Refugees in our Paletwa mission field are among our greatest burdens in EMC Myanmar. The internal military conflict in Myanmar continues. Our mission field headquarters in Paletwa is crowded with refugees. Our ministers there are very busy taking care of those refugees. We are collecting relief funds as much as we can. Thank you for the opportunity to share our burdens with you.