I WILL NEVER FORGET walking out of Andy’s Diner in Hawthorne, New Jersey, one cloudless September morning. An enormous column of smoke churned upward over New York City, just over 10 miles from where I stood. It was September 11, 2001.

The rest of the day was a blur – staring at CNN news with Rena, checking on our kids at school, calming a distraught dad determined to take his child out of school, praying with a frightened father whose daughter worked in Tower One, seeing police cars encircling the Jewish temple close to our house, waiting with a young wife whose husband worked on the 94th floor, praying with people at our church until after midnight.

Right away we saw God at work. Neighbors helped one another. Traffic flowed courteously. Families filled our church. Christians gathered to pray and read Scripture together. Some changed jobs – even careers – to give priority to what matters most in life. Men and women gave their lives to Christ.

Jonathan Edwards scoured news sources of his day (mid-1700s), looking for ways God was advancing the gospel around the world. He often found them in difficulties that demonstrated how vulnerable our prosperity is and how fragile our lives are on this earth. We can too.

WE WILL NEVER FORGET COVID-19. It’s hard not to focus on the increasing cases and deaths, dwindling medical supplies, and our slumping economy. Instead, look for ways God is advancing the gospel in your family, neighborhood, church and community. Pray for and get on board with what He is doing for eternity in these uncertain days. We all are more open to the hope of Jesus when we face the reality of how vulnerable our prosperity is and how fragile our lives are on this earth.

Now imagine living every day all your life with that kind of vulnerability and fragility. That’s normal life for people in Haiti and many other countries in the world. That’s why Christians there are eager to grow spiritually and why many non-Christians are open to the good news of Jesus.

That’s why training and resourcing church leaders in poor countries is eternally important! That’s why Partnership of Pastors is actively involved in making that happen! Continue to pray for us as we develop this ministry to indigenous church leaders. Consider partnering monthly with us to make this training available to more pastors living and leading churches in vulnerable, fragile areas. Get more info HERE.

What is your church doing in light of the spread of COVID-19? I’ve heard a number of options this week. 

Most churches have suspended all gatherings until April 6, possibly longer. Wow! (Michigan’s Governor Whitmer mandated indoor meetings of no more than 50 people from March 17 through April 5.)

Churches with the technological capability have moved online – posting sermons, praise team music, and other encouragement. Virtual and largely individual – but that may be what’s needed right now. What do you think?

Mark Devers of 9Marks said in a recent podcast that his church will not meet for several Sundays with no online sermons or other worship service elements  provided to the congregation. Devers said, “A video of a sermon is not a substitute for a covenanted congregation assembling together.” He believes this “period of abstinence” is healthier spiritually for his congregation than a “substitute” worship service. Food for thought.

After meeting with our board on Tuesday afternoon, I wrote and videotaped a message to the church of which I am currently interim pastor. We’re planning to gather as usual this Sunday and discern best steps from there. Our church averages around 50 people and a few of our folks are staying home, so we’ll be in compliance with Gov Whitmer’s mandate of 50 people or less.

Depending on our governor’s guidance next week, we’re considering gathering in “house churches” of 8-10 people. We have D Groups (Discussion Groups) in place that we will re-purpose and ramp up as home groups. If we need to move to these smaller gatherings, we’ll provide each group with a weekly video of the sermon, songs, pastoral prayer, and discussion questions. We are also giving our people practical suggestions and support in caring for one another, neighbors and coworkers.

Many churches around the world meet in this way. At its best, this is a good step closer to New Testament church practice – holistic, missional home groups, led by growing “lay” believers who are being equipped by pastor-elders.

Whatever our churches decide, we need to be careful not to define “church” as our Sunday morning service, offered at a certain sacred location, led by the professionals and supported by “lay people.” Only in America! God help us to understand – and give us the courage to live out – Jesus’ intentions for His church. These uncertain times highlight our definitions of Jesus’ ekklesia.

I told our church this week that God has kingdom purpose in what is  happening right now. This is not time for Jesus’ church to shrink back and minimize, but to take wise and bold gospel steps with our congregation and in our community. We need gospel perspective and gospel courage in these days!

Enough from me. 🙂 What are your churches doing – and what do you think about it?

Ken

If you don’t have training, you cannot teach other people. . . This training gives us good tools for the advance of the Word in Haiti. (conference attender – pastor)

We are so happy for the privilege God gave us to participate in this training . . . to use the Thompson Bible. (conference attender – woman church leader) WATCH this testimony

We concluded our 16 hours of training of 103 church leaders last week with the Seremoni Fini ak Rekonesans (Final Ceremony and Recognition). These church leaders – men and women – overflowed with joy and anticipation. They had worked hard all week, learning to use the Thompson Bible to shepherd their people on the solid foundation of God’s Word. Now they would receive a certificate of completion and (at last!) their own Thompson Bible. (They had received Creole Bibles, Jesus’ Film DVDs, and gospel tracts on previous days of the conference.) They were excited!

Before receiving their certificate and Thompson Bible – the crowning moment of the Seremoni – the pastors sang (LISTEN HERE), prayed, shared thoughts about the training, and gave an offering to provide Thompson Bible training for other pastors in Haiti.

Our coordination team – Americans and Haitians – worked hard behind the scenes. We double-checked registrations, prepared nametags and Bibles, bundled thousands of gospel tracts, and sorted medicines. We prayed, welcomed church leaders, encouraged them, and aided them in their assignments. We got to know them – and a number of children who lived around the host church – enjoyed their fellowship and grew to love them. What a privilege to spend time with Haitian brothers and sisters!

THANK YOU for praying for this conference. THANK YOU for investing in Thompson Bibles, Creole Bibles, medicines, our team expenses, and all the conference materials. You have partnered with us in Jesus’ mission among the poor. Thank you! Pastor Jasmin thanks you – WATCH HERE.

On to Ouanaminthe, Haiti on July 10-17! As one pastor encouraged us last week:

The work you have done here is not finished . . . You have contributed to the Kingdom of God. I ask you to continue this work.

CLICK HERE to support our next pastors training in July.

**Would you consider becoming a MONTHLY PARTNER with PPI? CLICK HERE for more information about that.

One of you asked a great question earlier this week: What Bibles do you use to train pastors, and how much do they cost?

Thanks for asking! The Thompson Chain Reference Bible (in French) cost us just under $40 each, then close to $10 more for shipping. We buy them from a publisher in France directly or from a Christian bookstore in Montreal, Quebec. Then we have them shipped to Missionary Flights in Florida, who in turn flies them to Cap Haitien. Finally, we have them carried overland to our conference location. It’s a three-step shipping process – the most efficient we have landed on so far – to get them from our supplier to the training location!

The Thompson Chain Reference Bible in French is our main training tool for church leaders in Haiti. We use around 100 per pastors conference depending on the mix of first-time church leaders and “alumni” (who earned a Thompson Bible at a previous PPI training).

We also provide Creole Bibles because they’re so needed in the Haitian churches. We get them from an American Bible Soclety affiliate in Port-au-Prince at around $10 each depending on the currency exchange rate. We then pay a small shipping fee to have them sent to our conference location. You can give to provide Bibles for pastors HERE.

We’re planning a “Partnership of Pastors Open House” probably in late March. Members of our Cap Haitien mission team will talk about this pastors conference.  Also, as part of that evening, I’m going to offer an introduction to using the Thompson Bible (we’ll have English copies!). I think many of you would really enjoy and benefit from using the Thompson Bible. We’ll keep you posted on the date and location as we get final details ironed out.

Please pray for our pastors training this week. Our team is working hard on preparing conference materials as I write.

From Cap Haitien,

Pastor Ken MacGillivray