When is the church going to wake up from its slumber?
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Another death; social distancing, isolation/quarantine, one more person affected by the deadly COVID-19; more businesses closing down; unemployment/redundancy – these are the recent headlines that have dominated the news in recent times.
I have watched national leaders, celebrities, world personalities come to the aid of the world and put their money where their mouth is by making substantial donations. To name a few, Liam Payne has teamed up with the Trussell Trust to provide 360,000 meals to people during the coronavirus crisis; Rihanna donated $5m to help fight the virus; Angelina Jolie donated $1m to helping starving children, Blakey Lively and Ryan Reynolds have donated $1m to assist low-income families; Roger Federer donated $1m towards vulnerable families and the list goes on.
My question is – WHAT IS THE CHURCH DOING IN THIS TIME OF CRISIS! Some of these pastors are millionaires and billionaires and are yet to dip into their pockets, set up funds to assist their church members who are going without.
Credit must be given to a few who have done the christian thing and assisted those who have been affected by this pandemic – Father Neil-Allan Walsh who has been supplying food for people in the Waltham Forest area and Pastor Enoch Adeboye who donated ICU beds to several states in Nigeria.
But for most, all that has dominated church services (including online services) is preachers and church leaders focusing in on congregation members giving their “tithes and offerings“. I do not have a problem with pastors who advise their members to make payment online but it is interesting to see the emphasise on this. What is even more shocking is mega churches insisting tithes are still paid by members who have lost their livelihood!
I have seen churches disregard the instructions and disobey the order of their government to STAY AT HOME and exercise social distancing; encouraging church members to attend service/mass and shake hands during a packed service and not to ‘fear’ the COVID-19 Virus. The parents of Jesus himself did not hang about when Herod was after his life; THEY RAN!!!! The Israelites fled when the Egyptians came after them. Elijah ran away from Ahab and Jezebel – these are but a few stories of individuals in the Bible who faced danger and did what any normal person would do – they took precautions and did not place themselves in harm’s way. To the contrary, some so called pastors have mocked church members who refused to attend service/mass for fear that they might contract the virus.
The so called preachers are not out there wearing masks laying hands on ill people or assisting the less vulnerable members in their church or even in their local community. Some churches have collected monies in the past towards a dedicated fund to help; this is the time to use those funds towards this cause. The church is yet to set up helplines for their members who have been seriously affected one way or the other by the pandemic; but alas, their interests lay elsewhere – that Corona virus or not; the members ensure that they do not forget to pay their tithes and offerings!
The leaders are clearly worried and more concerned about reduction in income/finances to fund their lavish lifestyles and pay themselves a salary; so their guilt riddled sermons is to prey on the vulnerable members to make them feel terrible if they fail to tithe or give offerings. I would actually like to see which pastor would forgo their salaries in a bid to save the funding needed by the church.
The COVD-19 pandemic is a ‘blessing in disguise’ as it has exposed some/most of the church leaders in the world; this is the time for them to trust God as the source of their wealth and not their members. It is time for our pastors, preachers and general overseers to practice what they preach on the pulpit!
The church is not a building; WE are the church and so it is not imperative that we meet in a building to ‘have church’. This issue is a matter of life and death and the health and well-being of church members should be paramount; let common sense prevail please.
Abnormal Christians in the world 
Interesting perspective on the response of church leaders to the global pandemic. Thanks for an enlightening and thought provoking piece.
This is a challenging time for everybody, and church leaders aren’t exempt. But I guess your point is that it is exactly in times of difficulty that we expect the church to be the Church and to lead in compassion.
It’s great to see examples of so many leaders within and outside of the church doing some good. But again, your point I guess is that this should be the rule and not the exception, particularly for church leaders.
Thanks for making us stop to reflect on where we stand on this moral dilemma.
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Thanks a lot for your comment Gori; as you have rightly pointed out there are leaders (both christian and non-christian) doing their part and leading from the front although not many of these are known because they are not in the media or limelight.
This is the time for the church to give back; make christianity relevant again and take advantage of this ‘opportunity’ to cause people to turn back to God and allow a revival in the land
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Interesting read. Looking at it from the church’s point of view, I suppose they need the money to keep paying the rent, staff, bills etc. However, many are all in the same boat so this is the time where sacrifices have to be made. The church is the whole body of Christ, leaders and members so everyone needs to pull together and the leaders must ‘lead’ by example; not just in words and messages but by action. The bible calls us into action so I truly hope that many within the church (leaders and members) will rise up during this time to impact and show the love of Christ within the community.
Sadly, as I forward this blog to others, I find that I cannot share it with non Christians as the church is supposed to be a beacon but this shows otherwise.
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Thank you for your contribution Jan O and it is just spot on. I totally agree that the tithes and offering we pay is used to progress the gospel and keep the church going; but I am also interested to hear ONE preacher say ‘whether or not you pay your tithes or offering, the work of the lord will still go on as he is our source’. Reason being most preachers push people to the point of guilt for failing to pay their tithes and offering even when things are hard for them and they preach that people should not look to their circumstances rather look to God…is this such a time now for these leaders to do the same?
As to your last point of not being able to share with non christians, I feel you and totally understand – the whole essence of my blog is to make it clear to not only us as christians but also to the non christians that we too are not perfect (even though this is how we have always carried on for decades) and that first we are human with flaws then christians….
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This is an interesting take on the role and responsibility of the Church. At this time – the Church ought to do more – this is the time to be charitable. Churches make millions and millions of $/£ annually – why not give from these coffers – instead of asking people to give. Its a little ridiculous. HOWEVER, you do have excellent churches who are doing just that – giving to the community at this time. I always say – WHAT WOULD JESUS DO IN THIS SITUATION? and I’m confident he would not be asking for tithes and offerings from people already in dire straits, loosing jobs and homes.
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Thanks ByBel your comments and contributions. I personally do not take issue with christians still giving tithes and offerings to the church; but I frown at the manner in which of late certain church leaders have emphasised so much on giving to the church rather than focusing on issues such as keeping the faith in such times of crisis, intensifying prayers, brotherly/communal love etc.
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Hello from the UK
I was just scanning Reader and came across your blog. Your post is from the start of the COVD-19 pandemic and I don’t know if you have gained any more insight into what has been going on with it.
But I certainly agree it expose some/most of the church leaders in the world and theri hypocrisy. It has been a testing time for us all.
Anyway, I thought I should just right and say that in 2020 the authorities rebranded the ‘flu which was why the ‘flu almost disappeared from statistics to be replaced by COVID 19. Rebranding is a standard business practice when sales are falling.
As to the virus the authorities ramped up the fear to push ridiculous measures on the masses of people. So the hypocrisy of the church leaders notwithstanding, those who said we should disobey the order of government to stay at home (in the UK this was always guidance anyway despite the rhetoric form politicians) and to “encourage church members to attend service/mass and shake hands during a packed service and not to ‘fear’ the COVID-19 Virus”, they were quite right.
Many Christians failed to obey the instruction in the scriptures to meet together to encourage one another. Hebrews 10:25
I have written extensively on this in articles should you be interested.
Kind regards
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