What the Church must do in the wake of COVID19

It's here and it's caught up with us, whether conspiracy theories, facts or fiction, the church is trapped in it all.

It's about time churches swiftly act and think of church beyond brick and mortar. The traditional Church gatherings is gradually disintegrating; people are meeting up more virtually. Does that sound like an alarm to Churches?

Let's face it, if the worse is to happen and cities are locked down, gatherings forbidden, how will a traditional church operate, if they've frowned on technology and Internet advancements. Will the congregation miss out on the word and presence of God?

Fellowship goes beyond buildings and the presence of God can be manifested anywhere. When church folks are encouraged to study the word of God and seek Him in their homes and personal lives and not compelled to be physically present at church functions, souls would be liberated and would encounter God in diverse ways in their lives.

Assume this goes on for even 3 to 6months, many churches would loss forever. Some of their congregation would find ways to be fed the word - online or personal studies. When those half fed encounter deep teachings from other ministries online, I bet they would stay and may never go back. Other souls will fall out of the sheepfold completely because they would not have fellowship with God because of their overly dependence of church gatherings.

If churches don't start liberating it members, teaching the gospel and making use of technology, the worse may happen and wipe them out.

Is your church or ministry online? How have you been engaging them? Beyond your Sunday Facebook live services, what else do you do? Are they being thought virtually?

A paradigm shift for churches, pastors and ministries is happening.

Firstly, I encourage churches to be proactive in helping prevent and the spread of the virus.

Here are a number of things to do:

- Educate members about the virus

- Sharing with members best practices in prevention and spread

- Provide supports, sharing items needed.

- Get church premises kept clean regularly, sanitizers etc. Made available

- Encourage members not to be sacred

- Praying with members

- Get on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat Etc.

- Use Podcasts and Audio Streaming Services

- Engage members actively online

These mediums would help keep members in check, fed the word and constantly in fellowship. It will also provide an avenue to reach to the millions of souls out there.

TD Jakes has cancelled his church gatherings.

KICC Ghana in a recent release shared measures they've instituted in church to prevent the spread also advised members of an alternative to watch live online Secondly, I encourage churches to embrace new media - internet, digital evangelism.

When these measures are well implemented churches and ministries, would even grow, impacting more lives and wining more souls for Christ. Stay woke!

Bernard Kelvin Clive, Brand Evangelist, host of Church Branding Masterclass www.bkc.name