The Opportunity in the Pandemic



For several years now, I have been saying that we are in the midst of a generational transition, and this emerging generation of believers has an opportunity to be a more authentic expression of the church than any previous generation in America.

As they come of age, they have never known a time when the church has had a good reputation. They have watched the builder/boomer church be homophobic, jingoistic, racist and give an enthusiastic endorsement of DJT as President to the even greater detriment of the poor & marginalized, all while asserting Christianity and a love for Jesus.   This emerging generation is ripe for an authentic expression of God's grace, love & mercy.

The Opportunity in the Pandemic 
And now we have this Covid-19 pandemic, and it has presented an opportunity to demonstrate the grace, love & mercy of God to this generation.  I see this pandemic as an opportunity to teach folks how to share life in ways that demonstrate God's love for those who are the most vulnerable among us.

While our curve flattening pandemic protocols are obviously wise, a deeper analysis reveals that they make those living in poverty even more vulnerable.  And when the pandemic is over, they may not be able to recover.  I see this moment as an opportunity for us to learn how to be the church to this group of folks.

Learning to "Be the Church"

Here are (2) practices to begin now and build upon going forward:

1. Accept and embrace the inconvenience & discomfort during this pandemic, not just to appreciate God's Blessing, but to begin to liberate yourself from the addiction to material wealth & comfort...

2. Identify a few individuals or families that you know are financially more vulnerable than you are, and make a commitment to share resources (time & financial) to help them meet basic needs to survive…

Inherent in these (2) practices are a variety of challenges and learning opportunities that can produce spiritual growth and development in ways that no number of Sunday Sermons or Bible studies can.

If the practice of this type of life sharing can begin to reshape church culture over the next few years, this will not only activate believers of this emerging generation, it will be a more authentic witness to the generation they are called to reach... 

Grace & Peace


 Robert Caldwell is the Executive Director of AnswerPoverty.org and has been a practitioner and thought leader on the issues of poverty & race for more than 25 years.  Visit AnswerPoverty.org 

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