The coronavirus epidemic came home to me personally last week when a friend of mine and his wife were diagnosed with it on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. Taken to two different hospitals an hour and a half apart, his case turned out to be mild, but his wife’s infection progressed into severe double pneumonia. She seems to be doing a little better, but is still in intensive care.
Worldwide, the news about COVID-19, as the virus is now called, is bad this morning (Monday, February 24, 2020). The stock market is down 1,000 points on reports that the virus is continuing to spread, with community outbreaks in South Korea, Iran and northern Italy. WHO now says the window for avoiding a pandemic may be closing.
Prominent in this news is the role churches (South Korea) and pilgrimages (Italy and Iran) are playing in the spread of the disease. This raises the question, if COVID-19 does become a pandemic in the U.S., as seems increasingly possible, then do America’s churches know what the ramifications are and are they prepared to respond to them?
Here are some issues I can think of. (If you think of others, please include them in the comments below.)
- When is it prudent for a church to cease holding services?
- How will the spiritual needs of the congregation be met if there is an extended lock down period for the entire community?
- Are there individuals in the congregation who have no family or social network of support and how will the church support them?
- How will a cessation of services affect the church’s finances?
- Does the church have updated contact information for everyone in the congregation?
- What kind of guidance does the CDC and other appropriate agencies provide for churches?
- Is there a need for the church to help in the general community and what would that entail?
- Is there a contact person in the church who can be notified if someone contracts COVID-19 or if there is some other type of emergency?
- What will be the pastoral procedures if someone in the congregation dies from COVID-19?
- And finally, is the church prepared spiritually to endure a period of intense trial?
On this last question, I want to encourage you to read this letter from a Wuhan pastor to his congregation as they face the early stages of the epidemic in Wuhan. It stands as a testament to the hope in Christ every church can give its members in a time of severe testing and trial.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
Published: February 24, 2020.
Updated: September 1, 2026
A Simple Ministry Concept with Profound Implications
Teams of four men serving widows, single moms, fatherless children and others with long-term pressing needs in their churches and communities.
