Obedience to God and Love of Neighbour in the Face of a Coronavirus: A Christian’s Mandate
“Just this week, I spoke with a national reporter for a major newspaper who asked me why people, in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, are almost universally asking some of the most urgent and important questions any human being could ask.
I answered that God made all humanity in his image – and as image bearers, there are certain questions we cannot avoid. …
A crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic tends to jerk humanity into the most fundamental theological questions. …
the Christian worldview actually speaks to the crisis we now face and the issues of shelter in place and quarantine.”
– Albert Mohler finds clear help from the Bible in thinking through how Christians should act in this time.
Dr Richard Condie, Bishop of Tasmania, preaches on Psalm 91
Here’s the service of Morning Prayer from St. David’s Cathedral in Hobart, 22nd March 2019.
Bishop Richard Condie spoke on Psalm 91.
All Saints Cathedral Bathurst Morning Prayer for 29th March
Bishop Mark Calder, and the team at All Saints Cathedral in Bathurst, have produced this recording of Morning Prayer for Sunday 29 March 2020. Mark preaches on John 11. Share widely.
Archbishop Glenn Davies speaks about the COVID-19 crisis at The Pastor’s Heart
Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies joined Dominic Steele to answer questions on how we can lead our churches through the COVID-19 crisis – at The Pastor’s Heart.
33 minutes, well worth watching.
Culture shock: Why everyone’s feeling it, and how to cope, with Margie and Simon Gillham
“Culture shock is what happens when you move from one culture to another, and all your ways of dealing with the world become compromised by the changes you’re going through… That’s complicated and it’s exhausting. And that’s what everyone is going through right now. We have new ways of greeting people, we have new languages, new modes of communication…”
Simon and Margie Gillham are former missionaries with the Church Missionary Society. Simon is now the head of the Department of Mission at Moore College, and Margie is a Mission Development Facilitator for the Church Missionary Society. They have a great deal of experience in helping missionaries adjust to culture shock. They shared with me their thoughts and experiences, with many practical tips for how to adjust to the “new normal” that has been brought about by measures to contain the Covid-19 virus.
– Yet another very helpful resource from Lionel Windsor at Moore College.
Emotional wellbeing in crazy times, with Paul Grimmond @ Moore College
“We’re living in crazy, tumultuous times. Covid-19 is forcing us to make radical changes in our lives, changes which inevitably take an emotional toll on us.
I had a chat to Paul Grimmond, Dean of Students at Moore College, about what he has been doing over the last few weeks here at Moore to help students & staff identify and process our feelings in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the reality of our ever-changing situation. Paul has a great depth of pastoral wisdom; the insights he shares here are valuable for all of us.”
– Another very helpful resource from Lionel Windsor.
My Coronavirus Meltdown Moment
“The virus is called a coronavirus because of the crown-like spikes on the surface of the cell. It’s wearing a crown. This virus is a wannabe king. It has the power to make people fear it, to have it rule over their lives.”
– A profound insight from Jocelyn Loane at The Australian Church Record.
Tips on living in lockdown from Christians in Italy
Tim Challies writes, “I’ll begin with some general tips I compiled from common themes. The first and biggest is this: Don’t panic and don’t be anxious. The Bible reminds us that God is in control, not the virus! God has a perfect plan even in this dramatic situation. We can rest in his sovereignty.”
– Read it all.
What is church when we can’t gather? Thinking theologically with Dr Chase Kuhn
From Lionel Windsor at Moore College:
“Recent measures to curb Covid-19 have had a deep impact on our churches. What is church when we can’t gather? This is a time when we need to pray, think deeply and theologically about biblical principles, and seek to apply those principles creatively and sacrificially in our radically new context.
This is a 45-minute discussion between me and my colleague Dr Chase Kuhn completed his doctorate in the doctrine of the church and is the Director of Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living, which aims to help Christians bring biblical ethics to everyday issues.”
Related:
On When the Church Can’t Gather – Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman.
Psalm 23:1-6. When fear goes viral, the gospel and COVID-19
A very helpful sermon from William Taylor at the Tuesday lunchtime service St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London.
Great to pass on the link to others.
Dr. Charlotte Hespe — What you must know about COVID-19
See this video, one from the Archbishop, and additional helpful information at the Sydney Diocese webpage on COVID-19.
Sydney Diocese launches COVID-19 webpage
The Diocese of Sydney has just launched a dedicated web-page for resources about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Initially, there’s this encouraging message from Archbishop Glenn Davies, and a very informative video from Dr. Charlotte Hespe.
There are Frequently Asked Questions and links to helpful resources.
Bookmark it and see what’s there.
Isolation and Christian Love – with Dan Wu
Lionel Windsor spoke with his colleague at Moore College, Dan Wu, thinking about how Christians might display love towards others in an age of necessary isolation.
When available, Dan’s sermon would be on this page.
The ‘Join the Windsor Family for dinner” video is here.
‘Living with Uncertainty…’
“With concerns over the rapid spread of the coronavirus, the panic-buying of toilet paper that seems to have started in Australia, has now gone global. Apparently this panic buying signifies a human desire to be in control.
The reality of course, is that no one, for the present at least, seems to be truly able to control the spread of this virus. It is infectious and potentially deadly – especially for the older generation.
The reality is that it points us to something that we generally don’t want to discuss – the transient nature and fragility of life. …”
– At The Anglican Connection, John Mason reflects on Colossians 3:1.
Leading your church through the COVID-19 crisis – with the pastor, doctor & bishop
On today’s interview from The Pastor’s Heart:
Leading your church in the corona era with Pastor Eugene Hor, Bishop Gary Koo and Dr Irmgard Pascoe –
- How to give spiritual leadership in a highly anxious season?
- How to lead from the word of God?
- What does calm leadership look like?
- How can we lead when other church leaders around us are making different calls?
- Why do different contexts lead to different decisions?
- How to see this season as a blessing from God – that might lead to missional benefits?
- How to act not in selfishness, but in love and care for our neighbours?
- Navigating the finances of the church?
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…