Whilst we’re still in the early days of this Coronavirus crisis, I think there’s a good argument to consider this time as a significant evangelistic opportunity.
There is a strong historical precedent for this. In his book, 'The Rise of Christianity', Rodney Stark describes two very damaging epidemics which hit the Roman Empire in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. A number of early church fathers argue that these epidemics were positive causes of growth for the church. Paganism struggled to provide comfort and explanation, whereas Christianity “offered a more satisfactory account of why these terrible times has fallen upon humanity, and it projected a hopeful, even enthusiastic, portrait of the future”.
At a time when peoples’ functional idols of health and wealth have been threatened, perhaps they will be more willing to reconsider the fundamental questions of life. The illusion of control has been taken away from us. Amidst the anxiety that folk are experiencing, it’s very possible that they will be more willing to consider the Christian faith and whether it provides the comfort and reassurance that we all naturally desire right now.
Already a number of churches across the UK are reporting more people joining them online than in their normal Sunday gatherings. Nicky Gumbel (Vicar of HTB church in central London) reported they’d had 300+ people sign up for their online Alpha course this week! Even yesterday, whilst I was out for a walk, after I told one of our neighbours that we’d moved online, she asked for the link to our Sunday service!
For this reason, we’re going to be taking our Salt Course online, starting on the 20th April, for six consecutive Monday evenings. We’ll livestream the talks and have small discussion groups via Zoom. This would be a great opportunity for your friends and family to explore the big questions of life with us. Each week we’ll engage with peoples’ deepest questions and present the Christian faith to them.
Here are the 6 topics we’ll be tackling:
Religion: Irrelevant or essential in a time of crisis?
Proof: Isn’t faith irrational?
Morality: Why do we even need God?
Suffering: How do I deal with reality?
Satisfaction: How can I be happy?
Hope: Is there a future for humanity?
Please do have a think about who you’d like to invite along (we’ll send out an invitation / link on WhatsApp).
More generally, this is a time to be intentional in our friendships, looking for opportunities to connect with friends and speak gospel hope to those who are open to hearing it. Let’s take the initiative to stay connected and offer support for those who are struggling. And of course, you can invite folk to our online Sunday services!
I’m absolutely convinced that Christ is the ultimate refuge that people need in these difficult times. This is a crucial moment for us to share the hope that we have with friends and colleagues.