|||  BE THE CHURCH

 
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT CHURCH LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW. YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED CHURCH AT HOME. CHURCHES IN MANY COUNTRIES ARE SUSPENDING REGULAR IN-PERSON GATHERINGS, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN CHURCH IS CANCELED. AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, WE ARE THE CHURCH. SO, HOW CAN WE STAY CONNECTED EVEN IF WE DON’T MEET IN PERSON?

DURING THESE RECENT WEEKS, WE’VE SEEN GOD WORKING IN AND THROUGH PEOPLE ATTENDING ACF ONLINE AS OUR WORLD WORKS TOGETHER TO FIGHT THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS.
 
HAVING CHURCH AT HOME

DOING CHURCH FROM HOME IS NOT A NEW THING. HERE’S SOME ENCOURAGEMENT FROM GOD’S WORD.

LET US THINK OF WAYS TO MOTIVATE ONE ANOTHER TO ACTS OF LOVE AND GOOD WORKS. AND LET US NOT NEGLECT OUR MEETING TOGETHER, AS SOME PEOPLE DO,
BUT ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE DAY OF HIS RETURN IS DRAWING NEAR.
HEBREWS 10:24-25 NLT
 
HERE ARE SOME IDEAS

ATTEND ACF LIVE SERVICE ON FACEBOOK. AS THE PHRASE SOCIAL DISTANCING BECOMES A HOUSEHOLD TERM, WE KNOW THAT WE CAN STILL BE SOCIAL AND CONNECTED EVEN IF WE’RE PHYSICALLY DISTANCED. WE CAN KEEP MEETING TOGETHER DIGITALLY. YOU ARE ALWAYS INVITED TO OUR ACF YOUTUBE PAGE OR SERMON PAGE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. BUT DON’T JUST ATTEND BY YOURSELF. YOU CAN INVITE YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, CONNECTION GROUP, OR ANYONE TO JOIN YOU.

THERE’S SOMETHING FOR KIDS AND TEENS TOO. WE HAVE TRAILBLAZER (GRADES K-5TH) CONTENT FOR KIDS IN YOUR HOME THAT IS SHARED EACH WEEK. OUR STUDENTS (GRADES 7-12) SHOULD FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM AT ACFIGNITE TO STAY CONNECTED. RYAN IS ALSO SHARING A WEEKLY LESSON FOR TEENS.
 
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO BE THE CHURCH?

WE DON’T JUST GO TO CHURCH; WE ARE THE CHURCH, AND THAT MEANS LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES WHERE WE ARE.
BUT HOW DO WE DO THAT RIGHT NOW? THE BEST WAY TO DISCOVER THE NEEDS OF NEIGHBORS IS SIMPLY TO TEXT OR CALL AND ASK HOW THEY’RE DOING.

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS FOR BEING THE CHURCH RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE:

● TEXT OR CALL PEOPLE YOU KNOW WHO ARE VULNERABLE (ELDERLY, ASTHMATIC, ORGAN-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS, THOSE LIVING WITH MS, HIV, CANCER, DIABETES, ETC.) AND ASK HOW THEY ARE FEELING. LISTEN TO THEM. SHARE PRAYERS WITH THE ACF FAMILY. ASK IF THERE’S ANYTHING THEY NEED.
 
● FACETIME OR CALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. SKIP THE TEXT. AS PEOPLE ARE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING,
SEEING YOUR FACE AND/OR HEARING YOUR VOICE WILL GO A LONG WAY FOR THEIR WELL-BEING, AS IT WILL YOURS.
TALK ABOUT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY IF IT DOESN’T HAVE TO DO WITH WORLD EVENTS.
 
● EMAIL YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR HOUSING ASSOCIATION AND OFFER TO PICK UP PRESCRIPTIONS OR GROCERIES FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T, OR SHOULDN’T.
AGAIN, ONLY DO THIS IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE WELL.
 
● CALL YOUR LOCAL FOOD BANKS AND NON-PROFITS AND ASK ABOUT WHAT WOULD BEST ASSIST THEIR EFFORTS.
 
● GIVE. GOD HAS BLESSED MANY OF US WITH MARGIN—BOTH FINANCIALLY AND WITH OUR TIME.
LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR CHURCH, AND YOUR NEIGHBORS.
 
● LOOK FOR NEEDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. PEOPLE ARE QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT THEY’RE IN NEED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
MAYBE SOMEONE NEEDS ENCOURAGEMENT, PRAYER, OR SOMEONE JUST TO BE KIND. MEET A NEED.
 
● CALL OR TEXT PARENTS YOU KNOW. WITH SCHOOL BEING POSTPONED FOR A MONTH OR MORE, THERE COULD BE SOME MOMS AND DADS STRUGGLING WITH THE NEW REALITY OF WORKING FROM HOME AND BALANCING THE NEEDS OF THEIR CHILDREN. SOMETIMES JUST TALKING WITH ANOTHER ADULT HELPS.
 
● PRAY SPECIFICALLY. PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALING.
PRAY FOR HEALING AND PROTECTION FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS ALL AROUND THE WORLD. PRAY FOR GOD TO SHOW YOU WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW TO ACT.
 
HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

SPEND TIME IN GOD’S WORD THROUGH THE YOUVERSION BIBLE APP. USE THE NEW PRAYER FEATURE TO PRAY WITH PEOPLE YOU LOVE.
DO A BIBLE PLAN TOGETHER USING PLANS WITH FRIENDS. THERE ARE LOTS OF GREAT PLANS AVAILABLE AROUND TOPICS LIKE FEAR, ANXIETY, AND HOPE.