“Two weeks to flatten the curve.”

If that infamous line from 2020 still makes you grit your teeth, you’re not the only one. But here’s the real issue that we as church leaders should be focused on: How have our churches and ministries handled the last two years’ worth of unprecedented opportunities?

Yes, granted, these years have also been fraught with peril, and none of us had ever “passed this way before” (Josh. 3:4). We might even well be shown grace for mistakes made or decisions that we regret from two years ago at this time. If we are still in the same holding pattern 24 months later, however, there may be a serious problem. In fact, I would submit that our focus ought to be on the next crisis, not the last one. From my humble view of the world, it is not a matter of if such a thing is going to happen again, but when it is going to happen.

I don’t know what form that crisis will take and, granted, it may be of such a nature that will be outside or beyond any preparations we endeavor to make. However, all of us should be using this time to allow for iron to sharpen iron (Prov. 27:17). We should want to be in the best position possible to minister to hurting and confused people—and even to address the substance of any forthcoming crises head-on.

I left off last time by sharing a few things of which I am firmly convinced. Here is another one: I am firmly convinced that over the last two years, the nature of ministry has changed a great deal—likely forever.

Now, don’t get me wrong. The fundamental Biblical requirements for the church have not and will never change. But some of the means by which we may effectively reach our communities with the eternal truths of Scripture have changed and probably never will return to the way things used to be. So, the question is, how are we adapting to these changes?

Many of us have made real changes—sometimes drastic changes—to our ministries in response to the pandemic. But have we taken the time to evaluate the results of these changes—or have they simply become a new rut which now catches all available energy? Have we asked ourselves if the things we attempted in response to COVID-19 are still needed, or if they were ever even effective at all? Even more importantly, do they have us poised to meet the challenge of future crises?

I mentioned last time that, in our own service with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, we used the initial phase of the pandemic, when we could not be in churches for several weeks, to strengthen our ministry in the areas of communications and technology. This, in essence, gave us the opportunity—born out of necessity—to do things we really should have been doing all along anyway.

I don’t think that our experience was uncommon in this regard. Technology is the area where I have noticed the biggest difference in the churches in which we minister. Pre-pandemic, probably most churches recorded my messages on audio. A handful recorded them on video, and quite a few did no recording at all.

These days, I have to assume that I will be recorded on video almost every time I speak—and very often, it is by live stream.

Now, that has an impact upon my preaching and teaching because every word that I say, and every multi-media slide that I show, is immediately and forever released in public and can never be edited or retrieved.

I wonder, however, if I may ask a few questions about this practice. First of all, is this really wise? Is it effective? For some, the answer is surely yes. In fact, they were doing this long before the shutdowns of 2020. Others, however, may want to reevaluate their situations.

I want to ask this gently but clearly: Is a grainy phone video of a church service, with muffled sound recorded off the loudspeaker, a really good testimony for the gospel? Do we really want these productions bouncing around cyberspace until kingdom come? Are popular social media sites really the best place on which to post them?

When I had the opportunity to teach online several years ago, it forced me to develop a philosophy for my use of technology. These principles govern what I do now, for instance, on my page at SermonAudio.com/pscharf:

– Good written communications are better than poor-quality audio.

– Good-quality audio is better than poor-quality video.

– A good audio slideshow is better than a poor-quality preaching video.

– Finally, good-quality audio is better than a good-quality video—with bad audio.

This simple paradigm gives me hope that I can be effective in my use of media— at virtually no cost—in today’s world. Maybe I will never be the next Dr. D. James Kennedy, and do not have access to a professional recording studio, but I certainly can write columns!

Fundamentalists have argued for years that the means by which we communicate truth is of utmost importance. We need to apply these standards now to the methods we are using—in the wake of the pandemic and in preparation for future contingencies. If your ministry is still stuck in March of 2020, it’s time for some reevaluation. The goal should be to minister creatively, with excellence, especially in times of crisis.

If you need help, you may want to look around—in your church or even outside of it—for a talented young person with an interest in technology, perhaps even as a career. You may be amazed at who you find!

I hope that this column will serve to encourage, not discourage, those who need it most. Next time, we will continue along the lines of examining our communications since the last crisis began.

———

Paul J. Scharf (M.A., M.Div., Faith Baptist Theological Seminary) is a church ministries representative for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, based in Columbus, WI, and serving in the Midwest. For more information on his ministry, visit sermonaudio.com/pscharf or foi.org/scharf, or email pscharf@foi.org.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version.

John 19:1-18, Luke 23:21-23,1 Corinthians 1:18,1 Corinthians 1:23-24,1 Corinthians 2:14

Summary: Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), the assassination of President Kennedy (November 22, 1963), and the terrorist act upon America (September 11, 2001) are all considered “infamous” days. The true “day of infamy” was 2,000 years ago when we attempted to kill God Incarnate.

The central theme of the Gospel is that the Lord Jesus was placed upon the cross for the redemption of our sins. It was an act of mercy, love, grace, and salvation that we did not deserve (Romans 5:6-11). It was also the day that rebellious humanity shook its fist at God Almighty, and the creature, in an act of futility, tried to kill its Creator. It was the day when the devil and his demons shouted with joy over the fact that their enemy was about to be put to death, and the curse that God had inflicted upon Satan (Genesis 3:15) would not come to pass. It was the day when the mortal enemies of Christ, disguised in robes of religious piety and ceremony, looked upon the King of Kings with contempt and mockery and a sense of vindication for the woes He decreed upon them for their acts of hypocrisy and pettiness a few days earlier (Matthew 23:1-36; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47).

Jesus had declared Himself to be the true Temple of God when He drove out the money changers and others who were using the House of God as a marketplace and a “den of thieves” (Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-22). These actions infuriated the Pharisees and Sadducees, who saw their “business” torn apart by the preacher of Galilee.

In all of their collective eyes and thoughts, the sight of this troublemaker, wrongly accused and illegally tried, was getting the punishment He deserved, and they thought it would be a means of eradicating His memory for all time. If the world, the flesh, and the devil had their way, the name and work of Jesus of Nazareth would be wiped away into the dustbin of historical oblivion.

Even today, there are people walking around and making noises who say that Jesus never existed or was a “cult” thought up by a bunch of fanatics, or a story conceived by those who had followed Him to keep His ideas alive, and a seemingly never-ending host of fanciful tales told to gullible and ignorant masses who don’t bother to check the facts for themselves. Instead, they allow others to do their thinking for them. The enemies of Jesus Christ, in hoping that He would die and rot in the grave, were and still are today harboring the greatest case of wishful thinking ever conceived.

On that infamous day long ago, it certainly looked as if their wishes were about to come true, and all the apostles could do at that time was to watch in horror and fear, bearing the seeds of disillusionment and sorrow, or remain in hiding, afraid that they would be the next in line for crucifixion as well.

John 19:2-3 tells of the scourging, mocking, and humiliation placed upon the Lord Jesus, shoving on His sacred head the crown of thorns, which only added to the pain He was enduring. The religious men (19:4-7,15) had tried and then sentenced the LORD to death, later mocking Him as He slowly died the agonizing death of a criminal by a means so brutal that no Roman citizen was to be put to death in such a manner. The governing powers of Pilate and Herod (19:6-15) both had the authority to stop the entire procedure. They had both judged that Jesus had done no wrong, yet cowardly gave in to the bloodthirstiness of the Pharisees, who were guilty of blasphemy when they declared to have no king but Caesar (19:14-15).

When Jesus was nailed to the cross and hoisted between two thieves, who had been sentenced to die that day, they also took turns blaspheming and mocking Him (Luke 23:39). However, the thief on His right saw the error of his ways, rebuked the other thief, and asked Jesus simply to remember Him (Luke 23:42). Jesus graciously told this dying criminal that he would be with Him in Paradise (v.43). This man’s simple request was graciously answered.

Alister Begg, a preacher from Scotland, presented the scene as a drama where this thief found himself in the portals of heaven. The angels asked him how he had gotten there. He had not been baptized, nor confirmed, nor had been instructed in the confessions of the faith, or anything of that matter. This man who was at the edge of hell just moments before told them that “the Man on the cross said I could come in.” Is that not the true essence of following Jesus?

If God asked you at the end of your life, “By what right do you have to enter My heaven?” the answer does not rely upon degrees in theology, or complicated diagrams of biblical interpretation, or a knowledge of Greek or Hebrew, nor ordination, nor licensure, or anything we accumulate in the name of religion or how we define faith. It all boils down to telling God, “At one time, I was a sinner. I trusted Jesus to save me, and He said I could come in.”

The promise of eternal life, victory over death, peace with God, freedom from the bondage of sin, and the final judgment of evil was accomplished by what Jesus did on the cross that day. The powers of evil, both the demons and the deviant individuals who had believed that their malevolent deed succeeded, did not know that this infamous day had been planned and put into place by God Almighty before the foundations of creation (1 Corinthians 2:7-9; Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8). Nothing and no one can ever catch the Sovereign LORD by surprise or unawares.

Because of the physical, emotional, and spiritual agony Jesus suffered on the cross on what we call “Good Friday,” the glorious event of the Resurrection became a reality and confirmation that the work of Christ was complete, never to be repeated, and sufficient to redeem us from our sins. If Jesus Christ were still in a tomb, then any talk of redemption, salvation, or the promises of God would be of no merit or use, and we would still be dead in our sins without hope (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).

For those of you reading this message and are uncertain of where you stand before Christ and the fact of death and judgment (Luke 12:13-21; John 5:28-29; Hebrews 9:27), this promise of salvation and peace is for you as well. The path to your redemption is not complicated. It is as simple as admitting you’re a sinner, just like everyone else, believe that Jesus Christ is LORD, that God has raised Him from the dead, and call on Him to save you (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23, 6:23,10:9-10). The work has already been done by Jesus on your behalf. All you need to do is ask Him if you can come home. It worked for the thief and countless others throughout history. You’re no exception.

donaldwhitchard@gmail.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

My book The Scope of Biblical Prophecy is now available at: www.parsonsporch.com. It is a general look at the role and importance of Bible prophecy, the importance of correct interpretation of the Scriptures, the varied ways of how the last days events are to occur, and that in the end, Jesus wins.

—–

Donald was born and reared in the authentic “Cajun Country” of southern Louisiana. He is a graduate of Louisiana College (B.A. in History Education/ Biblical Studies, 1984), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. In Christian Education, 1994), and Andersonville Baptist Seminary (Doctor of Ministry, Biblical Exposition, 2000). He has been in the Gospel ministry since 1986, serving as an evangelist, interim and supply pastor, hospital and rescue mission chaplain, high school and college teacher, and pastor in churches in Louisiana and Oklahoma.

In 2018, he began to devote his time to the rich field of internet and social media evangelism and outreach. In 2021 he became a member of the Oklahoma Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, using his skills as a writer to contribute articles and sermons to websites such as Rapture Ready, Sermon Central, and Inspirational Christian Blogs. He also writes Bible studies and curricula for churches in southeast and central Asia and Africa, the locations of which are anonymous. He can be contacted at: donaldwhitchard@gmail.com for inquiries, information, and speaking/preaching engagements. A copy of his resume is also available upon request.