A challenging article ‘for these times’ written by Pastor Austen Ukachi – Co-ordinator of IPC West Africa and member of IPC’s Exec Team

It is obvious that COVID-19 will permanently alter the way we live, travel and do business and ministry. The economic downturn, the remote working lifestyle, the glaring social and economic needs have raised the stakes for changes in the way people live, travel and work. COVID-19 has ignited spiritual and physical hunger. Spiritual hunger borne out of the desire for God’s help to live; and physical hunger borne out of the dislocation of the global economic system. People’s needs have become much more pronounced due to the threat on our lives, the level of unemployment and the collapse of businesses. As the Guardian Editorial wrote, “Though coronavirus leaves no part of the world untouched, its impact will be harshest in places that were already suffering. Yet the problems it brings with it may prove more deadly than Covid-19 itself. Even in the richest countries, coronavirus has left families in hunger; for the poorest, it could mean starvation." Against this backdrop, the words of Proverbs 22:3 is very timely.

“A prudent person with insight foresees danger coming and prepares himself for it. But the senseless rush blindly forward and suffer the consequences.” (TPT).

COVID-19 caught many leaders and nations unprepared, but certainly not our God. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows how he would achieve the end-time harvest. When danger, misery, and suffering comes knocking; when the high and mighty face the spectre of an unseen virus, people tend to listen and respond to the gospel. When people see all they have worked for and amassed fall apart, their disposition towards the gospel inevitably changes. Because COVID-19 will introduce a level of suffering many have not seen before in the world, especially in Third World countries, we must begin now to think and prepare for post COVID-19 era and all the human challenges it would pose.

What preparations do we have to make as individuals and as a Church to position ourselves to the changes which COVID-19 will inevitably throw up? Our response must be practical and cover such areas as healthcare, food, water, housing, security, counselling for the emotionally traumatized, training on strategies for survival and adapting to changing trends and opportunities. The degree to which these strategies will be applied will vary from region to region and country to country. In Matthew 9:36-39, when Jesus looked at the multitude, he saw them as “confused”, “helpless” and ripe for the harvest, but laborers were lacking. His advice then was, “pray to the Lord of the harvest to send labourers.” We must pray for the people who are traumatized by COVID-19 and for laborers with compassion to minister to them.

The post COVID-era will impose on us the need to care for one another, care for the poor, the unemployed and care for the weak and elderly. The Church, in order to maximize the end-time harvest, must preach a wholistic gospel that addresses the need of the total man. “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” (Matthew 25:33-40 NKJV).

The Church must proactively think of healthcare related ministries, ways of addressing the healthcare needs of the people, especially in the developing world. The poor, the helpless, the destitute, women and children must be on our agenda. Meeting the felt needs of people will require the attention of counsellors, pastors and social workers. As we think about these, we must pray for the first responders who are the frontier workers and for resources to minister to the felt needs of the people. We must pray for the women and children who are the most vulnerable at such times.

Mission leaders must begin to think through how to do the work of missions with all the innovations and limitations which COVID-19 may introduce. The rise in unemployment will create the challenge of supporting the work of missions. Travel restrictions will affect movement of mission workers.

Like Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon and Solomon in Israel, Christian leaders, more than ever, need the wisdom of God to be able to navigate their followers through the murky waters of the post COVID-19 era. This is the time to heed to Paul’s timely words, “So be very careful how you live, not being like those with no understanding, but live honorably with true wisdom, for we are living in evil times. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes. And don’t live foolishly for then you will have discernment to fully understand God’s will” (Ephesians 5:15-17 TPT). 

We must pray for wisdom and a discerning heart to know how to bring the gospel in these times. Like the men of Issachar, we must ask God to give us an understanding of the times so that we shall know what the Church ought to do at this hour (1 Chro.12:32). COVID-19 imposes on us the necessitate for unceasing prayers not only for ourselves, but for the fulfilment of the work of the kingdom. Our Lord Jesus captures what our attitude should be at such a time as this when he said, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”” (Luke 21:36 NKJV).

Pastor Austen Ukachi
IPC West Africa | IPC Leadership Team
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