There is no doubt that things will never remain the same as they were before the outbreak of the Coronavirus. The Church is one of the most affected. At a time, it became a test of sorts for the believers who wondered if this was a plague of sorts. Now, the Church is tossed into survival mode, and all hands must be on deck to ensure that every believer comes out safe at the end of the Coronavirus pandemic.

In this article, we will walk you through some of the important steps the Church leaders need to take to keep the worship places open while keeping their members away from the ravaging Coronavirus.

1.    Do Not be Afraid to Discuss Death

Well, if there is any time that the faith of believers will be shaken, it is now. While we attend Church and listen to ministrations about the afterlife, only a few of us are prepared for the journey. With thousands of people (including believers) killed worldwide thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, it wouldn’t be out of place to discuss death. While everyone is destined to die, the outbreak of this pandemic shows that time is fleeting. As a Church leader, it is in your place to continually remind the flock in your care that death is imminent at any point.

Besides, you want to share in their grief and engage them in meaningful conversations to underscore the importance of preparing for the last days.

2.    Follow Health Guidelines

We have seen a couple of situations where some believers contracted the Coronavirus by their ignorance because they were working with the notion that the virus wouldn’t affect them. It is time you start monitoring and following the laid-down health guidelines from both the government and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). You also want to inform your flock of the importance of following those guidelines so they can be free from the virus. As you know, the Church is one of the largest congregating places and serves as one of the breeding grounds for faster virus spreads. So, do well to keep your flock abreast of the latest news and introduce preventive measures like mandatory wearing of face masks, washing of hands, and use of hand sanitizers.

3.    Be a Good Shepherd

The Church needs its leaders now more than ever before. As it stands now, most believers are already becoming weak in the spirit and wonder if this pandemic will ever go away. This is one of the best moments to reignite their hope in Christ by sharing messages of hope to calm their souls. You also want to take turns with other Church leaders to pray for the congregation and asking if you can pray for them.

Considering the virus’s spread, you want to do most of this care and love-spreading works online networks, such as Facebook, YouTube Live, and Zoom.

4.    Practice Compassionate Listening

As you already know, your congregation is already scared and wouldn’t mind letting out some of their fears and doubts. As a Church leader, do well to listen to their battles and overwhelming situations with compassion. That will go a long way to reassure them and further proves that Christ’s love is still present even in a pandemic.

5.    Help Your Congregation to See the Big Picture

The Coronavirus is not the end of the world. As much as your congregation is scared, it is in your place as a Church leader to help your congregation to take the long view to understand that God is always present to help his people, especially in the time of need.

Final Word

The Church has a lot of roles to play in the further prevention of Coronavirus spread and once more to ignite hope in many believers’ lives. We hope you picked out some helpful strategies you can use to keep your congregation in order while anticipating solutions to end this pandemic for good.

What efforts are you making to provide pastoral care during this pandemic?