Shift

We perhaps think of Romans 8 as that chapter in God's Word that tells us that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord.  In the leadup to that climactic verse, the apostle Paul writes
this:
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

God created a world that was perfect, but because of sin, that perfection faced corruption.  We encounter sicknesses - viruses - as the result of the fallen nature of this world around us. Yet, God has placed us in this world and given us a Redeemer who enables us one day to transcend this world in anticipation of a new heaven and a new earth.  Fact is, we can become discouraged here on earth, but we have the hope of heaven and a Savior who walks with us daily to bring us His hope, His perspective, and His power.

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In 1st Peter 4, we find some words of encouragement when we face adversity, recognizing that
suffering is part of life, but our Savior who suffered gives us strength in those times. We can read:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

One of the interesting aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic is how the "look" of the media has changed.  By the way, not necessarily the content and the approach, because you still have the media - and social media - that are, at the least, spinning narratives, and, at most, making up stories to fit a particular point of view.  So, as you might say, the mainstream media is going to media.

But, you also have commentators and reporters that are at outposts that are not their customary studios - many filing reports online via social media communication platforms.  You have those in the media who have spent time working out of their homes and some who have not been working at all.

A Faithwire story focuses in on the life and faith of one of the hosts of the morning show on the Fox News network, Ainsley Earhardt of Fox and Friends.   The story recounts how Ainsley has been leaving her home before three in the morning to go to a makeshift studio where she "remotely" co-hosts the program.

The story says that Earhardt "talked about the importance of looking for the good stuff happening around the world because 'there’s only so much negativity you can take.'” She added, "Just like I’m drawn to the good news of the Bible, I’m drawn — and everyone is, whether you’re a Christian or where your faith might be — we’re all drawn to … bringing out the positive in a really tough situation..."

Regarding the current crisis, the Fox News host says, "I just hold onto the hope and the fact that He sees the future,” adding, “I don’t understand why so many are affected by this, but I trust Him and I know that He sees the future and there is a reason.”  The article also notes:

Ultimately, even against the backdrop of such sorrow, Earhardt said it’s her faith that has carried her thus far, referencing one of her favorite verses, John 16:33, when Jesus told his disciples, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

She’s certain God is “gonna get us through this.”

I want to consider together some of the high points of this story.  The first thing is that we can look for the good. There is quite an availability of bad news during this pandemic; and exposure day after day to discouraging news can weigh us down and oppress our minds and spirits.  We can seek to balance out our intake of negative information by absorbing good news - there are many wonderful stories of courage and recovery during this time, and ultimately, we can look for God's hand, because it is certainly there.

Ainsley Earhardt says that God "sees the future and there is a reason."  Jesus promised there would be adversity and He has promised to walk with us when we face it; He instructs us to "be of good cheer."  We can't see the panoramic view of what He wants to accomplish through this crisis, but we can trust the Father of good gifts to accomplish His purposes.

Fact is, we all face changes in our lives.  Change can be inconvenient and challenging - we can rely on Him to show us how to respond to what occurs and rely on the good intent of our loving Heavenly Father.

National Day of Prayer - Coronavirus Edition

On this National Day of Prayer, as on any day, actually, we are called to seek the Lord - to bring our requests before Him, to intercede for our nation, and to cry out for His Spirit to move in our midst.
Isaiah 55 states:
6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.

We are invited to come into God's presence, before what the book of Hebrews calls "the throne of grace."  Jesus tells us to "seek first" the Kingdom of God.  We have been brought into a relationship with Him and are partners who are empowered by the Spirit of God to fulfill His mission.  In prayer, we gain a greater understanding of what He wants to do and how He will use His people to do it. When we are in right relationship with Him, we can be prepared to hear and heed what He has to say to us and live it out.

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We can gain a sense of what the Lord wants to do in our lives from Hosea chapter 6, where we can
read:
1 Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.
3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

This National Day of Prayer is certainly not what you would consider to be the norm, and certainly people have stepped up to participate in alternative prayer efforts instead of the in-person gatherings that have marked this day.  Faith Radio has been presenting prayers from a variety of church and ministry leaders, and that will continue on The Meeting House.

We continue to pray concerning the Coronavirus, and desire to see God's will accomplished through this crisis.  Obviously, we pray for an end to the harmful effects of the virus and pray it would be eradicated.  And, we continue to remember those who are ill, as well as those who have lost their lives.

When will things be "back to normal?"  Or, will we experience a "new normal?"  A Gallup survey indicates that the views of Americans are somewhat scattered regarding a move toward normalcy.  About a fifth of those surveyed recently said that they, according to the summary on the Gallup website "are ready to return to normal right now."  But, around a third are willing to wait, saying that "they would return to their activities once the number of new cases of coronavirus in their state declines significantly."

That leaves just over four-in-ten that are really willing to wait - the summary says:

...31% say they would return to normal life once there are no new cases in their state; and 12% say they will return to their day-to-day activities once a vaccine has been developed.

The analysis states:

Two-thirds of Americans fall into the two camps that gauge their return to normalcy based on their state's progress in decreasing new cases to some degree -- but each of these camps has shrunk since Gallup's early April measure. Meanwhile, each of the two absolutist camps has expanded over the course of the month. The percentage of Americans who say they are ready to get back to normal routines right now is now up eight percentage points since early April. The percentage of those who won't return until a vaccine is developed is up five points.

The Gallup summary further notes that:

...Americans' varied ideas about the timing of a return to normalcy illustrate the competing narratives emerging of caution versus immediacy, and the murkiness of which approach leaders and Americans themselves should emphasize.

Most see their state's reports of new cases as the true barometer, but there isn't an agreed-upon measure of how much progress a state would need to show before things can go back to normal. Meanwhile, growing factions of Americans are not basing their readiness on their state's progress in reducing new infections, but are opting either for a "right now" approach or a wait for a vaccine that still may be a long way off.

These are uncertain times, yet we can turn to the Lord, who is our rock and refuge, the One who is in control when we recognize that we are not.  On this National Day of Prayer, we can ask the Lord to turn hearts toward Himself - I believe the sensitivity to the message of the gospel is currently enhanced, and we are seeing incredible responses to the online outreach of churches and ministries.

A Christian Post article reported on how one particular ministry is seeing great response.  David Jeremiah, who is heard on Turning Point weekday mornings at 6:00 on Faith Radio, is quoted as saying: “The church is alive and well and maybe more responsive now that I can ever remember except for the possible exception of 9/11,” adding, “What we've learned from all of this is God doesn't need a building for there to be a church.”  Dr. Jeremiah said that 90,000 people viewed his church's worship service online on Easter Sunday, with 600 people receiving Christ.

The pastor said, “I'm preaching right now to more people than I have ever preached to my life," and indicated that a recent video on COVID-19 and Bible prophecy yielded over a million views.  The article goes on to say:

“We've never had anything on YouTube get that kind of traction,’” he said. “When everything in which we have trusted is taken away and we are left with ourselves, we have to ask the hard questions. ‘If this is it, what happens to me now?’ There’s a renewed interest in the Gospel and a desire to know what the Bible has to say.”

“Is this the beginning of a revival? This may not be a revival in the truest sense of the Great Awakening, but I believe we are seeing an online revival.”

We can recognize that the future is uncertain.  Some are ready to return to normal, others are willing to wait, according to Gallup - until cases of Coronavirus significantly decline or new cases disappear, or until a vaccine is developed.  That, of course, could take some time.  But, we can concentrate on what God wants to do right now, today.  We know that He is moving, and He is calling His people to seek Him, to call to Him - and to grow in Him. We don't have to wait to seek His face; we can do that today, on the National Day of Prayer, anticipating His answers and direction for us.

Happy Mother's Day, Karen

If we're not careful, we can become angry and overly critical, especially when our life's circumstances become unstable.  Ecclesiastes 5 warns us against allowing our fleshly impulses to
supersede our spiritual capacity:
1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
2 Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.

These verses caution us against speaking in an impulsive manner.  We can become angry and disgruntled and take out our frustration on others.  We can allow critical thoughts to invade our minds rather than dwell on the contentment that Christ wants to bring us.  Circumstances that we feel are beyond our control should ideally point us to the One who is in control, who is calling us to walk in His peace as we allow Him to renew our minds.

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There is a Casting Crowns song that speaks of a "plank eyed saint."  The Lord desires that we rise above a critical spirit and look in the mirror before we try to fix somebody else.  Jesus teaches in
Matthew 7:
3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Don't be a "Karen."

That seems to be a simple message that proceeds from a meme that was created to denigrate what is perceived to be a grumpy class of adult women.  And, apparently, the legacy of Karen is running rampant on social media and at times, attitudes toward this typecast person skew toward the vulgar.  A Financial Times article describes how teens are taking to social media in droves to denigrate this characterization.

 One of the general descriptions of the "Karen" mom is that she has that attitude of always wanting to "speak to the manager."

At The Federalist, writer Taylor Lewis contends that:

Coronavirus is bringing out the “Karen” in all of us. For the uninitiated: Karen the meme of a middle-aged, tan-blemished, peremptory woman with a bottle-blonde pixie cut who is a bogey to fast-food workers everywhere.

Lewis adds, "The novel coronavirus, which has prompted shelter-in-place orders from most states, is giving the Karens in our midst an excuse to unabashedly fly their busybody flag. Woe unto them who learned as children to mind their own business."

She highlights stories of three Brooklyn residents who violated the 6-foot social distancing radius, apparently turned in by some sort of "informant."  Of course, Mayor De Blasio has been encouraging citizens to actually tattle on their fellow New Yorkers.

The Federalist article goes on to say:

A humorous write-up in Slate documents the extent to which social isolation is turning once-amiable neighbors into throng narcs. This overeagerness to police proprioception is occasioning 911 calls.

The report, leavened with quotes from community platforms like Nextdoor and Facebook, reads like a backward comedy of manners, with Karen-esque snoops threatening to request the neighborhood manager, e.g. the police. “For all you people waking (sic) and riding bikes!! $500 tickets or arrests good luck! (sic) Stay home please,” reads one example of the homespun notices.

Lewis adds:

The coronavirus has laid bare the civically corrosive tendency to pull a Karen and demand swift penalization for any violation of the statutory code. Vaccinologists may soon develop an inoculation to ward off COVID-19, leading to a societal re-opening. The chances of a cure for Karenitis? Not high, especially with our overreliance on officious government.

On one hand, the busybody, complaining Karen is someone we do not want to emulate. The Bible speaks to this personality; you know, those who want to get the speck out of someone else's eye before they get the log out of their own.  And, those logs can certainly blind you - to your own faults, including a crusading anger that bubbles under the surface. We have to be careful that the altered lifestyle doesn't drive us to engage in cynicism and criticism - perhaps an altar-ed life can help; that is, to bring our lives to the altar and let Christ's power transform us.

And, in this week of Mother's Day, I think it's a good word for moms - and dads - to be less angry and judgmental and not allow the pressures of life to dominate us.

But, on another hand, the characterization of Karen might just be an errant generalization, in some ways. For instance, shouldn't we be glad for moms that would go to bat for us?  Perhaps that has happened to you.  Maybe your mother has exhibited the characteristics of a "mama bear," who is concerned with defending her kids, and perhaps, yes, will even "go to the manager" to make sure that we are treated rightly?  That's a positive characteristic, and parents can do that without being overprotective.

When we are feeling anxious or angry, prone to be critical or cynical, we can "speak to the manager." The ultimate "manager," our Heavenly Father, who will help us to manage our emotions and responses.

Not Broken

In John chapter 9, Jesus encountered a blind man.  While those around Him tried to figure out why
the man was blind, Jesus decided to do something about it. We can read these verses:
3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

He then told the man to wash in the pool of Siloam, and he was healed.

In this case, we recognize that Jesus did not regard a disability as something to be ashamed of - through that blindness, the Lord declared that He would be glorified.  To show He was the light of the world, He healed the blind man.  Paul had some sort of condition, a thorn in the flesh, that God did not heal, but He told the apostle that His grace was sufficient.  The fact is, God has created us a certain way, and He intends to use us for His glory: there is glory in healing and there is glory in the imperfections.

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In Luke 14, we can see that there is a place in the Kingdom of God for those who are regarded as less than perfect - and essentially, that's what we all are.  We see that a master had prepared a feast and
issued invitations, which were rejected:
21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'
22 And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'
23 Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Small businesses are breathing a sigh of relief, in some instances, and are hopefully in a state of building back to where they were before perhaps their businesses were closed as a result of the Coronavirus.  We remember the multiple thousands around the world, including tens of thousands in the U.S., who have lost their lives over the past two months.  And, we can also concentrate on rebuilding from the economic toil, which has resulted in the loss of jobs and even emotional despair.

Recently, there was a moving scene at the White House, as President Trump invited small businesses who had received loans from the Paycheck Protection Program told their stories.  WMBF Television reported that:

The founder and CEO of Bitty & Beau’s Coffee and one of the company’s workers had the opportunity to speak to the president directly on Tuesday.

CEO Amy Wright and employee Michael Heup both spoke to President Donald Trump and his daughter, Ivanka Trump at an event held for small businesses. They highlighted the paycheck protection program and also spoke about the importance of hiring people who live with diverse abilities.

The coffee shop had to close temporarily, but was able to get up and running through the PPP and partnership with a local bank.

Heup shared with Mr. Trump: "I love my job and i’m [sic] excited about going about to work. At Bitty and Beau’s we like to use the phrase ‘not broken,’ that means me and all my amazing coworkers are not broken and have lots to offer. I know the great country of the United States is not broken either..."

So, what's the significance of that phrase, "not broken?"  Well, Amy Wright and her husband, Ben, who settled in Wilmington, North Carolina, after a career on Broadway.  And, they later had two children with Down Syndrome.  They established the coffee shop, according to the God Reports website, to "employ people like their children, workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)."  Their children's names are Beau, their son, and Bitty, their daughter.  The article says:

“There was just an enormous amount of grief — it was like I was grieving the son I thought I was going to have,” Amy told Baptist News about the turmoil of disappointment before Beau’s birth. “When we learned about Beau’s diagnosis I felt so sad and overwhelmed.

“We are so embarrassed about that now,” she added to the Wilmington Star News. “But if we had had more exposure to people with Down Syndrome back then maybe we would have felt differently.”

Amy Wright eventually became a CNN "Hero of the Year."  Amy told the news outlet, according to God Reports: “When you become a parent of a child with special needs, you are instantly thrust into becoming an advocate,” adding, “Trying to make people see the beauty in their lives that we see. My children are not broken.”

The article notes that: "Amy and Ben decided they would do something to help other people with IDD, 70 percent of which are unemployed." The Wilmington shop opened in 2016 and they hired 40 people with a variety of disabilities, "ranging from autism to cerebral palsy."

When Amy opened the coffee house and launched a non-profit organization advocating for the disabled, she said, "I feel that was the moment I was drawn closer to God..." She added, “Given the right support, these individuals are fantastic employees — very loyal, very dependable and certainly very capable...People with disabilities have been in the shadows for too long.”

Heup is a former Special Olympian with special needs whom the President said "stole the show" that day at the White House, with the Daily Mail reporting that the moment was retweeted over a thousand times within a few hours following the event.  The article quotes from Michael:

'You guys are our family,' he added, before giving them a heartfelt thumbs-up.

Trump led a round of applause for the coffee shop worker, saying he had 'stolen the show' and telling him he would 'vote' for him.

'I think we found a couple of stars in this room today... This guy right here is the biggest star in the room,' Trump said.

'We'll all agree... I vote for you, okay. What a great job you've done. And I really appreciate it, I appreciate you being here. Couldn't have done better.'

Michael invited the President and his daughter to visit the shop's Annapolis, Maryland location.

We have to remember that each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, crafted by the hands of a loving Creator - that certainly applies to those with special needs, who, rather than being regarded as "broken," as Amy and Michael point out, can be regarded as truly special in the eyes of God.

We can also remember the ministries which are established to help those with special needs and their families.  Not only can we think about national ministries like Joni and Friends, that reflects the heart of its founder, Joni Eareckson Tada, but also other ministries that have been establish to reach out in that way, such as Montgomery's Rooftop Friends and others.  Churches can be sensitive to families that possess the gift of having special needs families.

Finally, we recognize that work is a gift. I think that many have realized that during this pandemic, when so many have lost their employment.  The Wrights, because they had two special needs children, realized the plight of those with disabilities and set out to rectify the situation in their corner of the world.  We can realize that we don't have to change the whole world, but we can do what we can do.  Amy and Ben Wright recognized that, and now that their business is spreading and that they have been recognized, they are finding that indeed experiencing the phenomenon that their faithfulness in little has become faithfulness in much.

Up to the Mountain

The Lord is calling us to a place of submission to Him, where we lay down our lives so that we can experience His life, desiring to see His life changes lives. Isaiah 57 says:
13 When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, And shall inherit My holy mountain."
14 And one shall say, "Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people."
15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

We hear about revivals throughout history: the Great Awakenings and regional outpourings of God's Spirit as people come together and seek His face.  We can place ourselves into a position to receive what God wants to demonstrate in us and in His Church.  If we desire to experience a move of God, we have to move to a place in which He can use us...that's not necessarily physical, but it can be; but our hearts have to move toward God and we can express our desire in prayer to see Him do His work.

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Jesus taught us about the power that comes from agreeing with one another.  In Matthew 18, after laying out principles of Biblical reconciliation and restoration of relationships, He stresses the
importance of agreement; it's more than just a "strength in numbers" thing, it's an invitation to experience an expression of profound spiritual power.
18 Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Greg Mathis is the Senior Pastor of a church in Hendersonville, North Carolina called Mud Creek Baptist Church.  Before COVID-19 hit, he was scheduled to attend a mountaintop prayer retreat with other pastors on property owned by a 95-year-old man named Fred Lunsford.  On the church's website, there is an article that he wrote that details the meeting that a number of ministers had with Rev. Lunsford earlier this year.  According to the article, they discovered that "he was one of the brave soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in 1944."

But, there is something that Lunsford is very passionate about.  The pastor relates:

While Rev. Lunsford is a very patriotic American, it is his burden as a soldier of the cross for a spiritual awakening that really captured our attention. He told us that he spends every day longing for it, praying for it, and truly believing in it. He invited us to travel with him the two-mile track to his special prayer place to join him in prayer for a spiritual awakening.

After they prayed together, Lunsford challenged the ministers to increase their numbers and bring 100 preachers to his prayer garden. The group actually recruited 200 to come together on May 5 to pray for revival. Then the Coronavirus hit; it became apparent that the preachers could not physically gather at Lunsford's mountain.  But, Lunsford was not deterred:

He said, “through prayer God has shown me that the promotion of the Praying on The Mountain event was simply God’s way of getting the attention of 200 preachers who realized the urgent need to come together and pray.” Fred went on to say that God revealed to him, “now that I have their attention, I want them to help organize an army of prayer warriors who will fast and pray on May 5th for a spiritual awakening. Fred said, “I should have seen this coming because God kept giving me hints of this when so many laymen kept asking me if they could be a part of the Praying on The Mountain event for a spiritual awakening. There was a growing interest, but logistically I wasn’t sure how we were all going to physically gather everyone together into one place to pray on that mountain on May 5th.”

Mathis writes: "Fred is asking God to impress on the hearts of at least 10,000 Christians who will join him from their special place of prayer as he prays on the mountain on May 5th for a spiritual awakening in America."

The former head of the National Day of Prayer Task Force has said, "yes!"  Tomorrow afternoon at 2:00pm Central Time, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President and CEO Ronnie Floyd, according to Baptist Press, "will host an online call at sbc.net/pray with the pastors and leaders who initiated the prayer movement."

Lunsford, Mathis, and Fruitland Baptist Bible College President David Horton will join Dr. Floyd and others on the call.  The article relates:

Floyd said after learning of the prayer movement, he watched a sermon message in which Mathis announced the May 5 gathering and called Christians to pray. He said he is eager to partner with the pastors in a unique, focused, prayer mission.

"As soon as I watched the message on America by Dr. Greg Mathis as well as his compelling interview with 95-year old Pastor Fred Lunsford, I joined the team to pray on May 5th for spiritual awakening in America," Floyd said.

The Mud Creek Baptist Church's website has announced that well over 100,000 Christians have committed to pray, in fact, the number has exceeded 175,000.  And, Lunsford "...realizes the National Day of Prayer is later that week, but God has impressed on him to lead thousands of Christians to fast and pray on May 5th. Fred states, 'We can’t pray too much. There is an urgency for Christians to pray now! God is not waiting on Hollywood, the media, or even politicians to give a revival. God is waiting on the church!'”

And, prayer is one of the tenets of an evangelistic movement this entire month called GO2020.  You will be able to hear U.S. Director Dave Gibson on the Monday edition of The Meeting House program.

So, let's consider these concepts together:

First, the COVID-19 crisis has perhaps given us some extra time - that time can be used to pray; and it certainly seems as if God is communicating a strong call to revival and spiritual awakening during this season, with several movements occurring here during the month.  With the time God has given to us, we can seek to be efficient in prayer.

Fred Lunsford has a piece of property on a mountain - originally, he had invited pastors to join him there; due to the Coronavirus, he now invites people to go to their own special prayer places.  So, we can ask ourselves, what is your special place of prayer?   In Matthew 6, Jesus referred to a "closet," or "inner room."  It's a designated prayer area where we can spend focused time before the throne of God. Now, we are also invited to pray on the go, wherever we are, to "pray without ceasing."  But, we can also make sure we have a place where we can engage in passionate, concentrated prayer, without the distractions that life can bring.

Finally, regarding Praying on the Mountain, the effort began with a few ministers, and the intent was to expand it to 100, then it became 200 - with the virus, the effort became viral and went to 100,000 and is well on its way to 200,000.  The idea has taken hold and it has spread rapidly.  This sets the stage for a profound prayer effort, recognizing that there is power in agreement.   Jesus is in the midst of two or three, he taught in Matthew 18 - imagine what He can do with hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions.  

Sisters' Story

There's an old song that perhaps you sang in church youth group - it started out, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going..."  That song was entitled, Pass It On.  That concept is addressed in 2nd Timothy chapter 2:
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Paul is communicating how love of Christ and His truth are passed on.  I think of the passage in Judges 2 regarding how God's principles were not passed on and an awareness of righteousness was lost within the course of a generation.  We are commissioned to keep that fire of the Lord going, living the life, applying His principles, proclaiming His presence through the way we act and speak. It takes determination and a commitment to discipleship, and it's critical in the perpetuation of the gospel.

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Our faith journey, essentially, doesn't stop with us - we have the chance to impact those who will
outlive us with our expression of Christ's love. Psalm 145 states:
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works.
6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, And I will declare Your greatness.

It was what you might call a ratings smash or a perfect storm, in a positive sense - a biopic on a family of gospel singers shown during the Easter season, with some star power involved in the project.  The Christian Post reports that:

Lifetime’s original movie “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel” brought in a record breaking 2.7 million viewers on Saturday.

The viewership count collected by Nielsen Media Research revealed that the film, based on the lives of the legendary singing siblings, is now Lifetime's highest-rated movie since 2016. It also became the most-watched original movie in all of broadcast and cable television so far this year across key demographics.

The article quotes from the film's synopsis:

The film recounts the story of the highest-selling female gospel group in history and their trailblazing mother, Mattie Moss Clark (Aunjanue Ellis). Credited with bringing gospel music to the mainstream, the five Clark sisters overcame humble beginnings in Detroit, Michigan, enduring abuse, loss, rejection, betrayal, and sibling rivalries to achieve international fame as icons of the Gospel music industry,” the film’s synopsis says.

One of the executive producers is pop singer Mary J. Blige, who said, "I've learned so much from them. They just have the anointing..." She added: “Seeing their story was like seeing what do our angels go through? They've been my Earth angels. So we all want to see what their life was like. What did they sacrifice? What did they give up to save our lives? That's why we're telling the story,” she said.

Another executive producer, Holly Carter, is quoted in the article:

“I think it’s all about how you tell the story,” Carter said, according to Deadline. She called the film, “A little aspiration, a little inspiration, a little Jesus.” Claiming the challenge was “connecting them to a story that could touch the masses. You do that by telling stories than connect to every man … it has not been easy. But it has been possible.”

A short bio appeared on the Hollywood Life website about this dynamic family gospel group:

The Clark Sisters initially consisted of 5 sisters. The group started out with Jacky Clark Chisholm, Denise Clark Bradford, Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark-Terrell, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. The Clark Sisters rose to fame in the 1980s and are known for helping bring gospel music to the mainstream. Their first album, Jesus Has a Lot to Give, was released in 1973. Their most popular songs include “Is My Living in Vain”, “Hallelujah”, “He Gave Me Nothing to Lose”, “Endow Me”, “Jesus Is A Love Song”, and more. The group has won Grammy Awards, including Best Gospel Performance and Best Traditional Gospel Album. They are the highest-selling female gospel group in history.

Interestingly enough, Kierra Sheard played the role of her mother, Karen Clark Sheard.  Kierra, or "Kiki," who is a gospel music artist, said, according to the Detroit Free-Press: “It was a super honor and a blessing,” adding, “It was a dream for me to be able to show the world that this is what my mom, my aunts, my grandmother, my family have gone through, have done for artists that are singing gospel music today. They are history makers.”

Sheard also said:

“There were moments where I drowned myself in tears because I just didn’t know they’d gone through so much to build a legacy and blaze a trail for people in places they didn’t even see then, but that they may see now,” she says.

“There are so many things any individual can get from this story; that is strength, that is perseverance, that is faith,” Sheard says. “The seasoned saints used to say, ‘Only what you do for Christ will last’ and these ladies are still going strong, still traveling the world and singing their songs.”

I think there are several considerations here.  One is the pervasive power of Christian music - and I believe there is a special exuberance in that genre known as "gospel" music.  There is an emotional connection that is communicated and I think that may explain why you hear of popular singers who "got their start," sort of speak, in the church or at least were influenced by it, even though their current music or lifestyles might not reflect that perspective.  You could say that the seed has been planted.  We can admit that music has a unique ability to communicate truth, the truth of the Word of God.

There's also something to be said here about leaving a family legacy.  You can see the impact that I outlined from the matriarch, Mattie Moss Clark, to her daughter, Karen, then to her granddaughter, Kierra, who played her mother in the movie.  The legacy was apparently built through much trial.  We can consider what we are leaving behind, the seeds we are planting, and the principles we are modeling. What we fight for - the cause of Christ - and how we did it, will hopefully make an indelible mark in the years to come.

New Paradigms

Because we have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, we are now considered to be part of
His body, and we are the expression of the presence of the living God in the earth today. 1st Corinthians 12 states:
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

God is inviting people to come into a relationship with Christ and become part of the glorious Church, the earthly representation of our Savior.  How we proclaim His message and demonstrate His love are powerful factors that can draw people into that relationship.  We can show the world that even in trial, in unstable times, that Christ is a firm foundation, that He loves us, and that we can totally trust Him with our lives.

+++++

There is a section of Scripture in Ephesians 4 that deals with the equipping of the body of Christ, and
what follows is an outline of some of God's purposes for His people. We can read that His desire for us is that we...
(15) ...speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

We are called to encourage one another in the body of Christ, and the functionality of the body has certainly been altered over the past few weeks.  The Barna Group has a rolling survey, of sorts, called the State of the Church, and recently it has been doing sort of a "spiritual temperature check" on the condition of the Church.  The most recent survey published covered a period from March 20-April 20.

A recent article on the Barna website highlighted three areas relative to the pandemic: serving the community, online attendance, and giving.

Current statistics show that about a third of church leaders say they are "helping distribute food and supplies or reaching out to elderly, isolated and at-risk community members."  About a third say they have partnered with another organization to reach out in their local communities and 25% say they have partnered with another church.

As of April 21, 60% of pastors were reporting that online attendance had increased, up about 10 percent from the previous week.  And, fewer pastors were reporting that their online attendance was less than typical, in-person Sunday services - in the most recent survey, only about 20% of pastors said their online attendance was less than the in-person services. The summary also said, "Fifty-six percent of pastors say their church will 'definitely' continue to provide digital worship services once social distancing is over."

Plus, giving seems to be on the rise, according to this Barna weekly survey, released last week.  Now, 43% of pastors report giving to be down; that is versus 50% the previous week.  The percentage of pastors saying that giving was increasing was also going up - approaching the 25% mark.

In the article, Kenny Jahng of Big Click Syndicate is quoted; he says that rather than just looking at stats regarding digital engagement, "I think we need to shift and say, ‘Are we doing things successfully to convert [views] into actual connections or actual relationships?’ This then forces you to say that this is not a one-day thing that we’re looking at. It’s a seven-day dimensional thing that we need to look at. How are you moving the content consumption into something beyond that, such as contribution to community involvement?”

Certainly, we don't want to get so caught up in numbers to the extent that we fail to see those numbers as representing actual people with real needs.  But, as the Church, called to "go into all the world," we can certainly implement strategies that will boost response to the gospel.  So, we can make our message available and make sure that we are living out that message every day so that people who see us see the presence of Christ.  We can boast in the Lord, effectively proclaiming His truth.

But, as Jahng points out, we have to be sure that we are acting to build community.  Interpersonal relationships can be challenging in a time of isolation, and even when we're not in a pandemic, we have seen the virtual world flourish; there is concern that online friendships supersede personal interaction.  The body of Christ is a community that has Jesus at the head, and He calls us into fellowship with Himself and with one another.