“Open for business, the church is not closed” As the COVID-19 Pandemic hits communities and nations, we find ourselves in places that we have never experienced.

Who would have thought in this nation that we would see an Easter with worshippers unable to attend church buildings. An order from our Government to close buildings to worshippers. Some pastors are feeling fearful that they will lose their congregations, their tithes – others wondering how will our sheep be feed, how can we baptise people or share the Lords supper."

It’s a wakeup call to the church in the west, that those in persecuted nations have already discovered. Believers need to be equipped to be the priesthood of all believers – we can all do those things. They need to be interdependent, fully functioning body, not just spectators. Pastors/teachers need to be trainers, equippers, and mobilisers – and let go of models of church that train people to be passive.

Imagine a sports coach who week after week trains his team on how to play the game. Week after week they come but they never get sent out on the field to play. A good coach sends out the team to play and when they come back they share and brainstorm ways on how they can do better next time. They strategize, set goals and go again. There was loving accountability as Jesus coached and sent out his followers. He first sent out the 12 disciples and then he sent out the 72 disciples. They had watched him and he had coached them and then they came back and shared what had happened. It was an apprenticeship model – not just a lecture model.

This is an exciting opportunity for those of us who have already discovered the power of simple/house church. Let’s seize the moment and share with believers around us, some of the great things we have discovered by being a part of the global house church movement.

There are some great gems you can share. If you need some fresh ideas, why not Subscribe your friends to the latest OIKOS Magazine.

The ‘How To’ version could be put into the hands of every pastor and Christian. It is so practical and helps people with some great ideas of being church outside buildings – Let them discover not a new but an ancient paradigm, or forward this link to the Oikos website with heaps of practical tools.

We love to hear how you are 'being church' during this time. Please drop us an email and share your stories and pictures