Mid term assessment of the impact of coronavirus on the church

The world continued to count the losses to the Coronavirus pandemic at the last count. Many governments across the globe have been shut by the unpredictable outcomes that the Covid-19 is showing us. Several sectors of the society have all been affected. Others have been wiped out completely affecting quality lives.

One of the devastating effect of Coronavirus is on the economy. Economies such as that of Ghana is also largely influenced by the activities of the church either directly or indirectly. The church and the mosque and likes are the spiritual components of the society. They are noted for taking on the spiritual burden of the State and for man to survive it is the spiritual well being that determines the survival of the emotional and physical aspects.

Many losses have been counted by the church because of the Coronavirus situation and more especially the continual restrictions on the activities of the church.

The Bible says we should not forsake the assembling of the brethren. The church has been closed down all this while and so the benefits derived from assembling as brethren has eluded us. That fellowship by the believers to help us face the challenges of our time has been broken by presidential restrictions as a result of the Coronavirus.

Discussions with some ministers of the church and members of the church show that during this lockdown period many marriages are broken, homes destroyed both spiritually and physically, many of the church members scattered and so its going to be a start over all again to look for the lost sheep.

The idea of running online services is only sustainable in cities and towns and even that comes with huge cost to the church in terms of data and other cost by Church administrations. The Church is an important agent of change in the society. Take the church away and you have no country. The Church is a living organism whose activities touches and influences almost all activities of the State. To many, it is the voice of conscience of the society. Ghana, you cannot survive without the Church. The Church should be seen as providing essential services. The President should see it as such. The resuscitation of this Coronavirus economy cannot be done without the Church.

The continual maintenance of restrictions on the church is seen as delaying the quick revival of the economy. The mighty America has realized its mistakes and corrected the injustices done to the church by including the church as offering essential services.

The church is a more disciplined organisation that can easily be

managed and monitored to observe the social protocols.

Visit to markets

As part of observing the behaviour of people at our markets during the pandemic, visits to some selected markets and lorry stations in Agbobloshie, Madina and Lapaz show that protocols on social distancing is non existent. So if the people at the markets and lorry stations can be tolerated by presidential restrictions how much more the church whose activities are well structured?

The Church plays an indomitable role in the state. It is also a major employer in the country. Many of the youth are employed in the various departments of the church. Thus, the continued maintenance of restrictions on the church is a ban on employment of so many individuals in Ghana.

Ghana government must review restrictions imposed on the church and rather sit down with the leadership of the church and see how best the two can work together to relax the restrictions. Just as the state deploys security agencies to churches on normal times, same should be done to ensure that the protocols are followed during church services.

As Christians we missed our church, as Shepherds we missed our congregations and as members we missed the brethren.