Liberty Church (Auburn Hills, MI) leads Facebook Live worship in an empty auditorium
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
By Dr. Franklin R. Dumond, Director of Congregational Ministries Pastor Craig Moore summed it up so well when he said, “On March 15, in an amazing service, we baptized four individuals, and then the very next Sunday the shutdown began.” This kind of story repeated itself hundreds of times in mid-March as the threat of Covid-19 gripped the nation. Originally it appeared that a few weeks of social distance might stop the virus in its tracks. Doors were propped open. Bulletins were no longer handed out. Pew Bibles and hymnals disappeared. Even offering plates were quarantined to central locations so no one could accidentally touch a surface touched by someone else. A few days later, churches abruptly stopped in-person meetings out of concern for public safety. Some churches were “shuttered” while others were “scattered.” A few chose to just say “closed,” but the net result was the same. For several weeks churches did not offer in-person worship. Pastors and church leaders rose to the occasion. Most local pastors became televangelists by way of Facebook and YouTube. Just a few weeks into the shut down the back porches of many churches became platforms for drive-in, parking lot services. Some of these parking lot services featured portable sound systems positioned to broadcast across the “crowd” of parked cars. Others used special FM equipment to broadcast live services that could be tuned in on car radios. One dedicated volunteer reported, “Our church is doing drive-in worship but our pastor will not allow my husband to assist with set up because of his medical conditions. Since we can’t help we show up early and watch everyone get ready. They’re doing a great job!” A church treasurer, concerned about receiving the offering at their drive-in worship found a simple solution. She posted on the church Facebook page, “I’ll have a bucket on the porch to use for an offering plate.” Then she added, “Please approach one at a time to drop in your offerings.” Pastor Steve Tippen at Mt. Gilead Church, Bloomfield, Missouri, found another creative way to receive the offering at their drive-in worship. With no mail service on Sundays the parking lot
10 | General Baptist Messenger Winter 2020
