Very likely your congregation is being affected by restrictions for the size of gatherings, including Bible classes and worship services. What can your congregation do to creatively help your members, your families, and your community to not lose their priority for worshiping God?
The Church needs to continue edifying the members and evangelizing the lost. The following list of ideas and resources use the free online video library (almost 1,200 videos) from WVBS. Here are several suggestions and resources to help various needs:
Continue to Edify Your Members
- Stay on the Same Page – To keep members studying together, whether you are meeting at multiple times, in smaller groups, or remotely, you may consider choosing a curriculum schedule that will encourage synchronized study.
- Here are several suggestions:
- 1-week plan – Starting this Sunday play the video Evil, Pain and Suffering. This is a single, 32-minute lesson by Kyle Butt that would be a very timely topic for people to consider.
- 4-week plans – If you want to cover all 4 Sundays and 4 Wednesday’s over the next month, then here are 2 suggested programs with 8 lessons each.
- The Truth About Worship (8 lessons by Don Blackwell and Neal Pollard)
- Christianity 101 (8 lessons by Mike Vestal)
- 2-month plans – If you want to cover a more extended timeframe from the very beginning, you could choose to listen to powerful preaching from the past to give you encouragement
- Gospel Preachers Living History Series has 28 different preachers giving their favorite sermons.
- Here are several suggestions:
Don’t Forget, You Can Evangelize Online
- The Lost Are Still Accessible Online – The church cannot stop evangelizing the lost, but with gathering restrictions and health recommendations limiting contact, the church needs to put even more emphasis in reaching out ONLINE.
- Here are 3 online means to reach out:
- Social Media: Share an encouraging video on the congregation’s FB page
- Embed a video on the congregation’s website and tell your community it is available.
- Run geographically focused video ads using WVBS videos through Google Ads, and target a 20 mile radius around your congregation’s location.
- Recommended Evangelism programs:
Due to the Coronavirus, our daily schedules have likely been drastically altered. Schools have been closed for weeks, or at least moved online. Work schedules may include remote access or telecommuting. Social times are now restricted to encourage safe “social distancing” practices.
Will God also have a place in your new schedule?
How can you use this time of reorienting priorities to elevate your Bible study?
Families with School Age Children
While Public Schools are Closed – Now is your opportunity to place Bible as a subject right along with language arts, history, math, and science.
Schooling at Home? – Many families are taking this opportunity to begin home schooling. You can now include Bible as a regular part of your child’s curriculum. Here are some video resources to incorporate:
- Elementary
- Middle School
- High School
Couples without Children
Make the Most of Your Time Together – With adjusted schedules, the two of you may now be working remotely from home, or at least not able to go out as much. Why not take this time to better build your spiritual lives together? Here are some resources for Bible devotions:
Young Professionals and College Age
On Your Own – Being on your own can be challenging. What do you believe? Why do you believe it? Many times the challenges can come directly from others, professors, colleagues, and classmates. Here are some resources that can help you form your own responses to these challenges:
