Zoomin’ On!!

Singing In Christ Alone, The Solid Rock,  Nothing Ever Can Nothing Ever Will, Be Still My Soul, He Will Hold Me Fast, the reading of Galatians 5:16-26; preaching from Romans 8:5-11, Sunday School & Adult Bible Fellowships, hearing of gospel ministry in Brazil to the deaf, and corporate prayer, these were some of the components of the last time we met in March as a corporate body in our church building.  I’ve intentionally kept the hard copy of the Sunday Gathering Order in the flyleaf of my Bible.  Good memories!

Yes, we have missed the many ingredients of a Sunday at BCBC as well as other gatherings. Nevertheless, God in His grace and mercy has been so very good to us!

In this midst of this quarantine, what have we enjoyed?  What blessings have been graced upon us?

  • Zoom Services.  Thank the Lord for technology that has kept us connected.  With all the push toward social distancing, the Lord has enabled us as a congregation to stay close.  Through Zoom, we see/hear each other, chat with one another, share blessings, fellowship with our missionaries (Asia and Europe), rejoice over the salvation of a precious soul, evangelize those who would not attend a gathering in person, and . . . wave at each other when we “leave the meeting.” 🙂
  • Zoom Prayer Meetings.  What a blessing to hear adults, young people, and children pray for the salvation of lost souls, spiritual awakening in the world, America, and the Tri-Cities, and revival for BCBC!
  • Zoom Small Groups.  Each week when groups have chosen to meet, they have experienced the presence of the Lord as they pray, discuss the Romans passage from the previous Sunday’s message, share burdens, simply chat, and encourage one another. Once again, the grace provisions have been rich!
  • Zoom Sunday School. The upper grade school class has been meeting after the morning service. Last Sunday, they were able to have a “visitor” from Germany participate in their class as they even did an outdoor activity. How cool is that?!?!
  • Zoom Teen Meetings. Pastor Andrew has been able to continue teen ministry through meetings at various times through the week, even reading through Mere Christianity with some guys. So good to see a passion to continue to disciple.
  • Zoom Apples of Gold. My wife loves to disciple ladies through this ministry. The past three Sunday afternoons, she has given a cooking lesson (jam, donuts, biscuits and sausage gravy) for the purpose of creating hospitality and gospel conversation times going forward. There has been teaching and questions from the participants, laughter, encouragement, and even the fulfillment of given opportunities to be a blessing to others during week.

Indeed, there are many other grace blessings that I am not aware of because our God is bigger than the coronavirus and social distancing, and He is fulfilling the promise of Matthew 16:18 around the world! I am certainly looking forward to meeting again in a corporate setting at our building to sing, pray, fellowship and hear God’s Word proclaimed, but in the meantime, we rejoice in how God accomplishes His will and work no matter the circumstances.

Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
(Psalm 106:1-2)

For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God. (Luke 18:27)

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7)

Sunday Zoomers

My wife and I had “been to church,” read, eaten dinner, played two rounds of croquet, and it was still the early part of the afternoon! Such is a COVID-19 Sunday!

Yesterday marked the third Sunday for our online services. How cool to see all the faces of our church family as they connected one-by-one to Zoom. To read the Word, to sing praises, to watch an object lesson for the kids, deal with a glitch on my part, and to share praises and answers to prayer; how thankful I am for this blessed online connection!

When I finished teaching through Romans 8:26-27, everyone had a time of prayer in their home or car. We then stayed online for 10-15 minutes for some “fellowship.” We wished one of our ladies a “Happy Birthday” in song, heard about one of our precious girls learning to ride her bike without training wheels, rejoiced in the peace of God overwhelming the souls of one of our families who are on the medical frontlines, listened to someone give a testimony of the power of God’s Word in their life, and recognized all the children!

Indeed, this is difficult, challenging, and very different, but praise the Lord for our church family who are united in working through this trial to praise the Lord and encourage one another! As we have been reminded, the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is waiting for us (Romans 8:18).

So while we wait for our gathering in person here and our eternal gathering in Glory (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), we will continue to Zoom and have a literal day of rest.

“How about another game of croquet, Hon?”