Exponential Growth In Hungry Angelenos

If you want to get an idea for just how expansive food insecurity has become for many in Los Angeles, look no further than Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Koreatown. Since the beginning of LA’s “Safer At Home” public health order, the number of families fed by the church’s food pantry has increased by more than 1000%. Yes, you read that right. Pre-COVID-19, they were serving approximately 120 families each week. Now they are serving more than 1,500 families per week. The numbers are staggering.

We spoke with Andy Schwiebert, Immanuel’s Transitional Pastor, to learn how they are getting creative to meet some very real needs in their community.

TogetherLA: Where do you get the food for weekly distribution?

Andy: We used to get most of our food from the LA Regional Food Bank with support from our local network of congregations (HopeNet) as well as some more from donations from neighbors, congregants and neighboring churches But when COVID hit that was not sufficient. The first week of Safer at Home we saw the regular weekly average of 120 households jump to 180, then it rapidly grew. We increased our ordering capacity with the LAR Food Bank by 500%, but still were not meeting the demand. We started reaching out to nearby restaurants and other churches. One community center has been donating great produce each week and sometimes can even make deliveries.  

TogetherLA: Have you been able to keep up with your current demand?

Andy: By the grace of God, we have managed to have enough food to give out every day we have been open. Some days we have to close our doors when we hit the daily limit (e.g. 225 households on Saturdays), but we can usually direct people to come back within 2 days to get the food they need.

TogetherLA: How have you been staffing your food pantry in lieu of volunteers?

Andy: We have a small group of regular volunteers. We cannot have too many volunteers so as to limit the total number of people in the room at any given time to 10 people, according to county public health directives. There has been a core group of 3 amazing volunteers who have been present 6 days a week for 3-6 hours per day. We now have a partnership with Cedars-Sinai to provide additional support from their community health staff. And several church staff have shifted to working on food pantry related items.

TogetherLA: Are you allowing community members to "shop" or are you providing them pre-packed bags or boxes with set items?

Andy: Normally we would allow that, but due to public health official directives we are forced to pre-pack bags and do our best to offer a mixture of items that contributed to balanced meals.

TogetherLA: You and your team are operating under a new “normal” right now, which brings new stressors, as well as unexpected blessings. Can you speak to what you’ve encountered due to COVID-19?

Andy: A blessing in operating our food pantry during the pandemic has been the new community partnerships and relationships that have been built. We are more deeply connected to our neighbors and community partners than ever before. Our church is meeting a real need and our staff, volunteers and partners know and can feel that.  Two of the stressors are sometimes not being sure we will have enough food to meet the demand (we always do, miraculously) and exposure to the virus (even though we operate with an abundance of caution and follow public health directives around social distancing).

TogetherLA: Can you tell us about your partnerships with other community organizations?

Andy: We are part of HopeNet-- that network of nearby congregations mentioned earlier. We work with them on joint fundraising efforts and on ordering and delivering food with the LA Regional Food Bank. We also partner with the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (for donations and volunteers) and the Dream Center--a partnership of Angelus Temple-- in sourcing additional food.

The pros to partnering together are access to additional food and monetary and volunteer resources and knowing we are not alone in these efforts. I can't think of any cons.

TogetherLA: Who is currently accessing the food pantry? 

Andy: Those currently accessing the food pantry mostly live in the neighborhood and were referred though the LA Food Bank and 211 (the public services hotline). We think most live in a 5 mile radius but some drive in. They are low-income and working class and lower middle class. They are immigrants and more.

TogetherLA: How is the food pantry funded?

Andy: The church budget funds much of the regular food pantry operations but recently we have received a few additional larger donations and been awarded some COVID-related grants through our Presbyterian networks to support the increase in our operations. 

TogetherLA: Unemployment is at an all-time high, leaving people in dire straits. How have you seen God provide through this ministry? 

Andy: Several times when we were nearly out of food and were wondering what we were going to say at the door when dozens of hungry neighbors show up, just then we get a call from one of our partners that food is ready to be picked up or is coming over any minute.

A few weeks ago we invited food recipients to let us know if we could pray for them. One woman named Alba asked us to pray for her brother who was in the hospital in Guatemala with COVID. Last week I saw her again and recognized her name. I asked her how she was doing. She said the food we provided was just what she needed that day for her family to get by and she was happy to report that her brother had made a recovery and was back at home. We were so glad we could be there.

In the first few weeks of the pandemic we told our partners we were willing to ramp up our efforts but needed help getting refrigerator and freezer space for the cold items. One church donated a large industrial freezer and another one lent us an extra commercial refrigerator. A city council member connected us with the nearby YMCA who offered additional freezer space. Each time we put out a need in our community we see a miraculous response. We have come to expect God will somehow meet every need.

Fuller’s De Pree Center for Leadership Mark Roberts on LA, Leadership and COVID-19

Last week we caught up with Mark Roberts, the Executive Director of Fuller Theological Seminary’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership. His pastoral experience and years working at Laity Lodge formed his heart to see Christians develop an understanding of whole-life discipleship, and for the past five years he has brought that conviction to his work in Pasadena. This week we jump back into our conversation with Mark to gain insight on how the De Pree Center is serving LA, speaking into the antiquated notion of retirement, and how leaders are wrestling with the disruption of COVID-19.

TogetherLA: Mark, last week you helped us understand the traditional separation of the spiritual and the ordinary in the history of the Church. As more organizations are beginning to speak to this faith/work integration, what sets the De Pree Center apart?

Mark Roberts: We are a part of Fuller Seminary so you would expect that we would offer a kind of a theological seriousness and depth, and we try to do that. There are other organizations that do a great job addressing the more practical aspects, like providing ways you can live out your faith in your workplace today, and that's a great thing. That isn’t exactly our thing. Our thing would be providing devotions that are biblically and theologically grounded that then have ways you can practically live this out in your daily work. We are certainly about the practical living. But you might say we want to do that in a way that is theologically and biblically solid and deep. In that way we are very similar, say, to the Theology of Work project.

We have also been asking where can we really make a difference; where are we needed? Here's a good example. There are a number of good books out there, like Tom Nelson's book, which is awesome. In my opinion, we don’t need to write one of those. We can just refer people to them. 

So where are we needed? We work very hard to have our community and the voices we feature be diverse - racially, ethnically and in terms of gender. Historically, the faith/work conversation has happened among basically upper middle-class and upper class white men. And that’s not a critique. It had to start somewhere. But we work to have diverse voices teaching one another, listening to one another, learning together. And in particular and especially in terms of women, we've had some real traction. We've focused to a degree on women in the workplace and Christian women in leadership, as that's been an underserved population. 

Another niche is helping Christians, the Church and other organizations deal with the changing world of work. We are no longer working for the corporation for 40 years and then retire. So we have done some cohorts we call The Road Ahead to basically pull people together and help them discover again what God is saying to them in terms of their calling and how to live that out.

My colleague Michaela O'Donnell Long is coming out with a book next year from Zondervan called New Rules for Work. Helping Christians work through what you might call vocational clarification and transitions is going to be a big piece of our work. 

And then the final thing I would mention is we are just beginning a new initiative called Flourishing in the Third Third of Life. I kept hearing from people more or less my age that would say, “One of these days I'm probably going to retire. But I really don't feel like I'm done making a difference. And I don't even know how to think about retirement. And really, my church isn't helping me. It would be really great if you guys would do something about that.”

TogetherLA: Can you talk about the idea of retirement within the context of this changing world of work? Is retirement really even a thing anymore?

Mark Roberts: You might say the cultural narrative still holds up retirement as the thing. But increasingly, for all kinds of reasons, people are not living into that narrative. But there hasn't really been a replacement narrative. I think of the church - the command to be fruitful and multiply didn't stop when you hit 65. But it might look different. 

We want to help people understand that there isn't one dominant narrative, except that God's call continues in your life and God will have ways to use you and bless you. But if it's just grandparents and golf, that may not be enough. And I would say biblically there is generally more to what God has for us. 

TogetherLA: Let’s talk about L.A. How is the De Pree Center engaging in its own backyard?

Mark Roberts: We serve and partner with people from everywhere, but we tend to have more opportunities locally to embody things here. An example - I mentioned that I used to work at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. I still attend there. I’m not officially a member of the staff, but I preach there and I teach there and we are engaged there. By virtue of being in L.A. we are able to form strong partnerships with people, and places like the Center for Faith and Work of Los Angeles. Also, because of Fuller, we have influence here as well.

TogetherLA: Do you see hurdles specific to L.A.?

Mark Roberts: You know, the urban sprawl here is just mind blowing. It is a very distinctive and hard challenge. It is really hard to get people from L.A. together because even on a Saturday morning, the traffic is prohibitive. The Christian presence here feels very dispersed. For example, I’m in Pasadena but I go to church in Hollywood. We would almost never go to anything during the week simply because it would take forever to get there and it isn’t feasible. 

However, we may have now discovered some of the power of a virtual world, due to the pandemic.

TogetherLA: How can some of the bigger churches come alongside less resourced churches in LA, especially in the age of the coronavirus?

Mark Roberts: I was actually just thinking about this because I have a friend who pastors a small church that doesn'treally have the resources to put anything decent up online. I was thinking to myself, why couldn't they just use what the other church up the street has? Literally use their equipment and space to create content for their own church. It is a different mode of thinking for churches to think about how we can come together.

Wouldn't it be great if we could do more of that kind of thing? Think about what resources we all have, what needs we have and how we can work together. 

TogetherLA: You provide a daily devotional through the De Pree Center. Can you tell us about that and how you have used that to address the unique disruptions of COVID-19?

Mark Roberts: We produce a daily devotional called Life for Leaders. We've done that for five years now, which is now over 1,800 devotionals. It is about bringing scripture together with work, daily life and leadership in a prayerful way. It is helping people to grow in wholeness, in their lives and in whole-life discipleship.

So way back in early March, I got this email from one of the leaders who's connected to us. He mentioned the coronavirus and said “We don't know how to think about it, and we wonder how our faith matters for this situation. Have you thought about doing some of your devotions about this crisis?”

So I did a pretty sharp pivot and for the last two months, almost all of my devotions have been directly related in one way or another to the challenges leaders are facing because of the pandemic.

We've been doing a lot of content in response to the needs. This pandemic is going to disrupt things economically and socially in so many ways and it's not going to just go away. I don’t think we’ll be “back to normal.” This is partly because some churches aren't going to make it and other churches are going to discover new ways of reaching people. Even now, quite a few churches are having larger attendance numbers online. 

I think that with all the challenges we faced, some things have been really bad and really hard and have caused a lot of damage. At the same time, there has been a lot of learning and new opportunities. Going forward, I think the challenge for leaders is that we are going to have to be way more entrepreneurial, if you want to put it that way. 

TogetherLA: We know some churches may not make it out of this crisis. Some may need to consider closing their doors or merging with another organization. From a leadership perspective, how would you advise leaders look at the hardest decisions they may ever have to face?

Mark Roberts: I know it sounds like a Christian poster but we really need to be reminded that God is sovereign and gracious and can work all things together for good. Now, that may not be the way I anticipate good. So, for example, there may very well be churches who are not going to survive due to finances. But if some of those churches came together, they could make it.

But it requires both extraordinary wisdom and maturity and selflessness on behalf of leaders. I think those things are possible, but it requires really trusting that God is able to work in all things for good.

Also, are you familiar with the book Canoeing the Mountains? That book was written five years ago, but it is more relevant now than ever because the basic thesis of that book is that we are leading in uncharted territory. The sort of technical leadership that many of us developed and even became very good at isn't enough right now and we really have to think in terms of adaptive changes. That is to say that the world has changed so dramatically and we need to lead in very different ways. Ways that are uncomfortable, that are stretching because all of the sudden I have to lead in ways in which I don't have expertise. I can be very unsettling. 

De Pree Center - Part 1

Mark Roberts, the Man at the Helm of Fuller Theological Seminary’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership - On Faith, Work and Calling

In this job I am privileged to talk with people in all walks of life. As I have interviewed people - pastors, social influencers, marketplace leaders - for TogetherLA, I have met some of the most gracious, kind and wise people, and Mark Roberts is no exception. He is an author, theologian and pastor and has been at the helm of Fuller Seminary’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership as the Executive Director since 2017. 

He grew up in the LA area and spent much of his career as a pastor in Southern California, first at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood and then at Irvine Presbyterian Church. He then followed God’s call to serve as Senior Director of Laity Lodge in Texas, which is a retreat center and renewal ministry, before coming to Pasadena.

TogetherLA: What brought you to Fuller and the De Pree Center?

Mark Roberts: I loved being a pastor and then God sort of surprised me along the way with a call to go to Laity Lodge in Texas, which is a retreat center and a renewal ministry, but with a very strong emphasis on what we would now call the ministry of all God's people. Faith and work integration was a big deal. 

Through my experience in Texas, I really did grow a lot in my understanding in a deeper way that all of God's people, whatever they are doing, are called to serve God in every part of life. And I came to the conviction that we, and the Church, need to do a better job helping our folks understand that.

This thought [the integration of faith in all of life] would be a corrective to my freshman theology that said, if you serve God, you can't be a lawyer. Now the idea would be - sure you could serve God as a lawyer. The question is, what does that mean and how do you do that? 

I had a great seven years in Texas. And then once again, God sort of surprised me by opening up the possibility of coming to Fuller. The De Pree Center has always been focused on leadership and my predecessor began raising up the whole issue of work and integrating faith and work. 

TogetherLA: What has your focus been since you’ve been at the De Pree Center?

Mark Roberts: So in my first months here, I met with a bunch of business leaders basically saying, “Hey, we're from the De Pree Center at Fuller and we can help you.” Nobody was saying to me they needed help in their leadership. Everybody was saying to me, “What I really need is to finally know how my faith and my work connect. 

And so in the providence of God, this stuff that I've been working on as a pastor and in Texas all of a sudden became central to my work. The work of the De Pree Center is largely about helping Christians, some of whom are working in churches but mostly folks working out there, discover what it means to do that work with God being present and for God's glory and purposes. And that really has been very central to my life the last five years.

TogetherLA: There seems to be more focus in the Church now on the integration of faith and work than in past years. Why has this not been taught throughout church history?

Mark Roberts: Well, that's a great question. A lot depends on where you've connected to the church historically. For example, in the black church, work has been more central for a longer period of time. I think in many ways the black church has a more holistic, basic approach to Christian life and community. Perhaps the needs were such that those needed to be addressed. Historically in the black church, many of the pastors were bivocational so they were bringing that perspective. And again, this is a generalization. But in many Anglo churches, especially ones that are middle and upper-middle class, there really has been this historic separation between sort of “spiritual” stuff and “worldly” stuff.

And, if you want to go all the way back where that comes from you can look to the Old Testament. The Hebrew world view is a very integrated one. The prophets talk about your prayer life and they talk about treating your workers justly. So there wasn't that distinction. But the Greek mindset tended to separate the spiritual from the physical.

Along the way, there have been Christian leaders and thinkers who've really pressed against that, Martin Luther being one of the strongest. Because Martin Luther would say that there are different ways to live out our calling. And if you're a baker, you can serve God by baking good bread. That's a way of loving your neighbor and that is part of your calling. 

But still, for the most part, especially in the American church, there was a tendency to not think of ordinary work as somehow essential to faith. So growing up in the church, a faithful Christian would think, “Well, if I'm going to serve God, I need to be a pastor because I can't be a lawyer. Right?”

There have been some leaders in the Church and in the U.S., especially since the 50s, who have been chipping away at that. One of those was a man, Howard Butt, who is the founder of Laity Lodge, where I worked prior to the De Pree Center. And he, from the 50s, was working away on that. There were some people who were saying, “No, wait a minute. Discipleship is about all of life, right?” There were pockets of enthusiasm for that. And yet you wouldn't find it very wide spread. 

Yet, in the last 15 years, or maybe even just the last 10 years, Christians are realizing that our faith is more than just our personal piety or our family lives. Now it is not uncommon for evangelical Christians to talk about justice. But growing up, you didn't hear that because it supposedly was more about social action than about evangelism. Now, there is a spirit of integration that is also wanting people to say, “Wait a minute. Why is my work not a part of my discipleship?” And so partly it's a move of the Spirit in the Church and that is very encouraging.

There is this sort of groundswell of awareness that says, on the one hand, my faith needs to be lived out in my work. But also, my work is the place where my faith gets shaped.

I would say that it is still not a dominant view in the church. There is still a tendency for many churches and Christians to separate faith and work. But more and more people are seeing that kind of integration, even as we're seeing that there needs to be the integration of evangelism with a commitment to God's justice in the world.

TogetherLA: What long-lasting fruit do you think this shift to understanding whole-life discipleship will produce?

Mark Roberts: So, those of us who are biblically oriented have begun to read scripture more attentively and we realize, “Oh, wait a minute. This is actually all over scripture.” This isn't just some trendy thing. God cares about your work and that is exciting! And 10 years from now, we aren’t going to forget that this is deeply embedded in scripture. 

There are organizations like the Theology of Work project that have done a phenomenal job studying what scripture has to say about work and making that available and applicable to people's lives. So, again, there's a growth in understanding that this isn't some kind of cool thing that you can take or leave. Rather, this is really essential to who God has made us to be and what we are to be doing as a church right now.

TogetherLA: What is your hope for the De Pree Center and those you serve?

Mark Roberts: That is a great question. We have talked about our work in the De Pree Center in some different ways. We can talk about it in terms of faith-work integration. Our hope would be that we would be able to help God's people integrate their faith and work. You can talk about it in terms of whole-life discipleship or what it is to be a disciple of Jesus in all of life.

 We want to be partners with churches and other organizations to help. If the people of God could really see that all of life belongs to God, and discipleship is about everything they do, that would be extraordinary. Right now we talk a lot in terms of the language of calling or callings. Our hope for you is that you respond faithfully to God's callings in all seasons of your life and leadership. The idea is that whoever you are, whether you're a mom or a dad or a school teacher or you own a giant corporation or whatever it is, that God has callings in your life.

 

The primary calling is, of course, to know Christ and to follow him. But then there are a variety of callings that you express in a variety of ways in different seasons of life. So what does it mean for you to respond to God's call right now in the places that God has you?  

A Common-Sense Approach to Food Insecurity and Food Waste, Interview with Food Forward’s Celia Cody-Carrese

The COVID-19 crisis has claimed nearly 1.5 million jobs in Los Angeles county since 2020 began. With a high number of people already living paycheck to paycheck, food insecurity has become a very real worry for many of our friends and neighbors. 

Thousands of agencies in Southern California are serving the rapidly growing group of Angelenos wondering how they will feed their families, and one major player meeting the need is Food Forward. 

Based in North Hollywood, Food Forward recovers surplus produce in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and donates those fruits and vegetables to 8 counties across Southern California. Their mission is to fight hunger and prevent food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce and connect that abundance with people in need. Since their inception they have rescued more than 93 million pounds of produce, which translates into more than 340 million servings of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Food Forward’s Celia Cody-Carrese took a moment to tell us how their organization and its volunteers are simultaneously whittling down California’s mountain of food waste and putting food on the plates of thousands of food insecure.

TogetherLA: Where does Food Forward get their produce from, and who pays for it?

Food Forward: Food Forward collects fruits and vegetables from backyard fruit trees, farmers markets, and the Wholesale Produce Market in Downtown LA, and donates 100%, free of charge, to over 1,800 hunger relief agencies. Food Forward began in 2009 as a grassroots group of volunteers picking neighborhood fruit trees, and we are now a regional nonprofit with 35 staff members. We are still volunteer-powered, and last year over 4,000 volunteers recovered produce with us from fruit trees and farmers markets. Our funding comes from foundations, individuals supporters, corporations, special events, and other partnerships.

TogetherLA: Has the demand for your services increased due to COVID-19? 

Food Forward: Since the COVID-19 outbreak and related economic downturn, we have seen a significant increase in demand for fresh produce from our agency partners. Many of the hunger relief agencies we work with have reported seeing up to three times their normal volume of clients. At the same time, a lot of food pantries aren’t receiving normal donations of dry goods from grocery stores because they are selling out of food. Fruits and vegetables recovered by Food Forward help to cover this dip in donations and feed the influx of people experiencing food insecurity.

We’ve adapted in a few ways to meet this need— our Wholesale Recovery Program has experienced surges in donated produce, which has helped us to better meet the needs of the agencies we serve. We’ve also set up several Rapid Response Hubs that serve a group of hunger relief agencies in a region. We bring a truckload of different varieties of produce, and are able to distribute about 15,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables to a collective of local agencies. 

TogetherLA: Since you are volunteer driven, how are you coordinating services in light of  shelter-in-place orders? 

Food Forward: Food Forward’s community volunteer events are paused for the time being. However, some of our trained Pick Leaders and Glean Team Leaders, who normally lead teams of volunteers at Backyard Harvest and Farmers Market Gleaning events, are still volunteering with modifications. Pick Leaders can harvest fruit trees by themselves or with friends and family they cohabitate with. Glean Team Leaders are volunteering in pairs along with staff. In both cases all volunteers and staff are staying home if they feel sick, keeping 6 feet of physical distance, wearing masks at all times, handwashing frequently, and disinfecting equipment after the glean. 

TogetherLA: Where does Food Forward distribute all the produce it rescues?

Food Forward: There are several gleaning organizations in Southern California, including Food Finders in Long Beach, Produce Good in San Diego, and Backyard Bounty in Santa Barbara. We donate all of our produce, free of charge, directly to receiving agencies because they have established relationships in the community, and the infrastructure to accept and distribute food. Our Produce Pick-Up program does directly distribute to community members in collaboration with community-based organizations. We’ve found this is a really great model to get produce to communities where there aren’t as many food pantries. 

TogetherLA: Is the coronavirus crisis causing disruptions in your supply chain?

Food Forward: So far, the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in more donations from our produce donors at the Wholesale Produce Market. As a result of restaurants, stadiums, schools, and more businesses shutting or scaling down their operations, many sellers do not have buyers for their produce and are choosing to donate it. We’ve seen reports of more fruits and vegetables (as well as other food products) going to waste on farms across the country. The key word here is more—pre-COVID-19, up to 40% of the food we produce was going to waste in the US. Food is wasted on the farm, in processing and transport, and at grocery stores—but most food waste happens at the consumer level. As individual purchasers and consumers of food, we have a lot of power to reduce food waste. Some easy tips are to plan meals and make a grocery list, start a compost bin, and rethink “scraps” (for example, carrot top greens make a delicious pesto!). 

TogetherLA: Are you still able to rescue excess produce from farmers markets during this time?

Food Forward: In general, farmers markets are open—each farmers market must have a COVID-19 operational plan approved by the City of LA. Farmers Markets are considered essential businesses, and many farmers are still able to sell their fruits and vegetables. Some farmers are adapting by offering CSA-style boxes, so customers can receive a delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables. Food Forward is currently gleaning several markets in Los Angeles with our new safety procedures. 

TogetherLA: If people want to get involved, how can they do so?

Food Forward: There are still lots of ways for folks to get involved! We encourage people to sign up for our newsletter at foodforward.org/freshjuice. It’s a great way to stay updated about any opportunities to engage with our work. If you have fruit trees that produce more than you can eat, we encourage you to do a “DIY” pick and harvest your own fruit. You can give it to friends and neighbors, or contact Food Forward to donate your fruit atfoodforward.org/fruittrees. If you are able to make a financial donation, that’s another great way to support our work and make sure that more fruits and vegetables are going to folks who can use them, instead of going to waste.

COVID - 19 Stories from the Church

The vast majority of people in the United States have been ordered to stay at home as the novel Coronavirus threatens to cripple our healthcare system and take thousands of lives. Throughout this crisis TogetherLA will be bringing you stories of how God is moving in the midst of so much uncertainty.

Rudy Rubio, Pastor
Reformed Church of Los Angeles, Lynwood, CA

*Rudy pastors a church plant with a small budget and a predominantly lower socioeconomic, ethnic minority congregation. The size of his staff and budget have posed some unique concerns that some churches of larger size and budget are not directly encountering.

TogetherLA: What is your congregation dealing with in this COVID-19 crisis? 

 Rudy Rubio: Lack of "in-person fellowship” is a big concern. We've got tons of Zoom calls, but it just isn’t the same. We've become a very tight knit group. We've also lost approximately $35,000 of funding which is huge, because we're already in an under-resourced area.

TogetherLA: How are you doing church differently right now?

 Rudy Rubio: We have a lot of Zoom calls, texts, phone calls, social media interaction, and drive-by encounters. Our congregation care has exponentially increased to remind our folks they are not alone, that they matter, and that we've not forgotten them. We've had church family drive to our house, we sit down in our yard and they stay in their car and we hang out while maintaining social distancing.

 TogetherLA: Do you foresee carrying any of your current virtual church activity into your post-COVID-19 church behavior?

Rudy Rubio: No, we've adjusted and adapted only temporarily. For a church plant this is a killer. We need to gather. We need a lot of physical interaction. All we've done and are doing by force is just to get by but definitely not longer than needed.

TogetherLA: Has your church applied for federal stimulus funding? 

Rudy Rubio: Yes, we’ve applied for Disaster Relief and the Paycheck Protection Program but neither one has come through nor acknowledged as being in process. 

TogetherLA: How are you seeing your church body rise up and love Jesus well in this season through their actions?

Rudy Rubio: One prime example of how our team has stepped it up in caring for each other. On Good Friday my wife received a note from the Women's Ministry. They sent a pair of hands cut out of construction paper with a piece of ribbon connecting them. The instructions said, “Place one hand on each shoulder and receive this hug from your sisters.” The following morning on Saturday, in what seemed a game of "ding dong ditch" 2 bags of goodies were dropped off for my teenage kids as gifts from their youth leaders. And on Easter Sunday, after service, our Kids Ministry leader and her team had scheduled parents to drive through to pick up Easter baskets as their Sunday school teachers waved at them and held large colorful signs expressing how much they're loved and missed. 

Another example is that our church was a catalyst in helping bring together another church, city government, school district, and community advocates to help feed hundreds of families who don't qualify for stimulus checks, unemployment, or other government benefits due to their legal status. More and more people continue to partner with us by donating money, food, clothes, and gifts cards. 

TogetherLA: Do you see any parts of this season as a blessing? 

Rudy Rubio: YES! There is a big silver lining. Families, including mine, have been able to get back to family worship. And leaders, like those mentioned above, have taken more ownership of church and various responsibilities on their own. 

TogetherLA: How is this crisis changing you as a pastor?

Rudy Rubio:  It is tiring; super tiring. As a church planter we don't have a staff or a big budget. We have to raise 60% of our budget outside of the church and it is pretty exhausting. We've had to learn very quickly how to get better at using social media, live stream, and video editing tools. 

TogetherLA: What lesson should the Church capture from this crisis for a post-Coronavirus world?

Rudy Rubio: To preach the Word... faithfully. Don't focus on bells and whistles. Don't focus on Sunday concerts. Preach the Gospel faithfully. Don't forget the basics. People don't need self-help speeches, they need the Gospel. That is the only thing that gives us hope. 

TogetherLA: What scripture has been near to you lately?

Rudy Rubio: Lamentations 3:22-23, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Conversations on Race

At Together LA, our goal is to love our city well. To listen to and then amplify all the diverse voices in our gospel communities. Protests against police brutality and racial inequality are taking place all across our city and as students of this great city, we want to do our part to learn and actively engage. The following are two events you can join this week and are excited to continue sharing more resources on racial inequity and reconciliation. 

This afternoon, Propaganda (poet and political activist) will join the Urban Youth Workers Institute in a very important conversation on “Protest as Discipleship.” Please join this free discussion by clicking the link below.

TOPIC: Protest as Discipleship: A Conversation with Propaganda 

• Thursday, June 4, 2020, 4:00 PM PST 

• Register for the video call (CLICK HERE)  

Propaganda (poet and political activist

Tomorrow, please join Andre Henry, musical artist, activist, and Director of Racial Justice Institute for Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA), for a free webinar Friday, June 5 on “Breaking the Cycle of Racism.” 

TOPIC: Breaking the Cycle of Racism: A Webinar with Andre Henry

• Friday, June 4, 2020, 11:00am PST

• Register for the webinar (CLICK HERE)

Andre Henry

Together LA staff and partners are excited to join in these discussions, and we look forward to bringing more important conversation to you this summer.

You can learn more about the important work of Propaganda and Andre Henry by visiting their websites and following them on social media. 

IG: @prophiphop @theandrehenry
Twitter: @prophipop @andrehenry 

How Should Churches Plan for a Post-COVID World? - Part 2

“Too many of us are waiting for the solution to come from somewhere else.” - Michael Ramsden, President of RZIM

Part 2: Planning for a “New Normal”

If you didn’t catch Part 1: A Lesson from the Marketplace, go back and read it. We’ve included a synopsis of the Boston Consulting Group’s findings after working with businesses navigating the changing COVID-19 landscape. While churches and ministries have some unique circumstances, much of what they have discovered is directly applicable to any organization.

There are 3 phases of this crisis and LA, along with most of the country, is attempting to safely enter the “Fight” phase. Given what the Boston Consulting Group has found, how should churches and ministries be planning for the future? 

1. Consider which questions still need to be asked

• Who needs to be lending a voice to these decisions?

• How do smaller churches gain equal access to strategic thinkers and policy-makers?

• What responsibility do larger and more resourced churches have to providing smaller churches a seat with strategic thinkers?

• Who should we be partnering with in this new environment?

• What changes should we anticipate in coming weeks, months and years and how can we create contingency plans for the situations that may arise?

• Do we need to consider a major change to our organization, including the possibility of combining with another church or ministry?

• How much time are we spending in prayer over these decisions?

• To be the best stewards of our resources, do we need to change where we were headed and reallocate staff and resources to new endeavors?

• Do we need to reconsider what is doing via paid staff and what is accomplished via volunteers?

2. Generate trust

• The volatility and uncertainty during the “Fight” phase will undoubtedly bring with it a lot of fear. Create a clear and consistent communication plan for your staff, congregation, neighborhood and partners.

• Be transparent about your process and planning.

 3. Plan to restart safely and strategically

• Safeguard your workers, staff, volunteers, congregation and visitors.

• Update internal policies, equipment and processes 

4. Access tools for the long “fight” ahead

• Determine how to understand national and local laws and policies

• Establish emergency funding, and explore innovative ways to generate new funds

• Ask questions to understanding both the needs of the church organization and its members

• Create community with other like-minded churches or organizations to avoid isolation moving forward

• Consider long-term changes for the “Future” phase, like virtual access, at-home attendance, new ways of doing small groups, outreach, etc. 

Some organizations have already had these difficult conversations. They’ve asked the hard questions. They have shaped a number of scenarios. And they feel ready for what may come next. But if you haven’t done so, get your team together and use this as a basic roadmap.

We can’t predict the future, but we can proactively prepare for what may come. There is no time like the present to reach across aisles and industries to learn what others are doing, and ask God what He may have you enfold into your plan. And while you’re at it, there’s no better time to grow new partnerships, listen to new voices and consider what new opportunities may be before you.

View the full report from the Boston Consulting Group here: https://www.bcg.com/en-us/publications/2020/covid-scenario-planning-winning-the-future-series.aspx

How Should Churches Plan for a Post-COVID World? - Part 1

“I’m not responsible for COVID-19 coming into this world, but I am responsible for how I decide to respond to a world that has it.” - Michael Ramsden, President of RZIM

Part 1: A Lesson from the Marketplace

 The country is showing signs of reopening, but honestly, it feels a lot like the blind leading the blind. No one knows exactly what they are doing. Church and ministry leaders are cautiously making plans for how we will gather when we are once again allowed to. 

As we seek God’s guidance for how to love our congregations and communities well in a post-”Safer At Home” world, we need to learn from those who have traveled further down the road we are headed.

The Boston Consulting Group, a leader in business strategy and management consulting, has worked with a number of well-known global businesses in recent months as they are trying to navigate the changing social and economic landscape. Through their work, they have seen a number of common themes emerge. While their focus is on business and enterprise, what they have found is incredibly applicable to churches and ministries alike. 

Let’s take a look at what they have found, and how pastors and ministry leaders can use their information to inform a rough road map for a post-COVID-19 terrain.

First, a synopsis of their report

(Stick with us because the application will be worth it.)

 Many leaders in the marketplace are asking the same set of questions, like how they should forecast their revenues, when will this all be over, and when will things return to normal. But the reality is that it is not yet time to ask those questions. Why?

There is still too much uncertainty. No one knows yet what life will look like a year from now, so efforts are better spent shaping various scenarios and using those scenarios to create a plan of action (or several plans). Now that we are several months into the pandemic crisis, we are starting to see patterns from across the world. Those patterns suggest the pandemic will play out over three phases:

Flatten → Fight → Future

First comes the “Flatten” phase, where countries or regions shut down in order to flatten the growing spread of the virus. Next comes the “Fight” phase where the local population attempts to restart their life and economy while still keeping the curve flat. This phase carries with it the possibility that a region may need to return to the first phase should cases begin to rise again. And finally, the “Future” phase, which only comes into play once a vaccine or effective treatment has proven successful.

Most of the U.S. is just now attempting to enter the “Fight” phase so what should we know about the 2nd phase?

• The 2nd phase will likely last 12-36 months, which is much longer than most realize

• It will be expensive

• This phase will be volatile due to shaken consumer and worker confidence

• The characteristics of this phase will vary by geography

• The future trajectory of how long this phase lasts will depend on social and economic policy being enacted now

• There will be a lot of fear of future shutdowns

• It will be a long period of time before there is full public confidence in gatherings, work places, retail, travel and public spaces including schools and churches

• A sizeable portion of the economy will still be restricted

• Unemployment will likely continue to increase

• There will be a sharp contraction in spending

• We won’t enter the “Future” phase til economic activity has been full restored

Okay, great. There is direct and clear application for businesses from this information as they think through rebuilding production, staffing, and so on. But what does this have to do with churches? And maybe a better question is how can churches and ministries use this information to plan for various scenarios? How can they use this data to provide trustworthy leadership to our communities through this uncharted territory?

In our next post, we’ll consider together how this information can help us anticipate the experiences, needs, hurts, and triumphs of our congregations. We’ll ask how we might need to be proactive in changing how we’ve always done things to live on mission in a “new normal.”

Innovative Churches, Exhausted Pastors, Anxious Churchgoers

The Barna Group Uncovers Current Sentiments and Provides Tools to Address Needs

This week, Barna Group hosted a resource-filled webcast for pastors and leaders on Caring for Souls in a New Reality. A part of their new State of the Church series, the group has conducted new research on church and public sentiment, physical and mental well-being in the wake of the pandemic crisis. Their hope is the content presented would encourage and equip pastors with the right information at the right time to serve their people well.

Dave Kinnamen, Barna’s president, told us they have “brand new data from interviews with people about how this disruption is affecting people's lives” and their hope is they can help prepare pastors to be as effective as possible in caring for souls in this new world.

There are a lot of virtual meetings and webinars as of late, but this webcast does not fall into the “just another meeting” category. It was incredibly well-done. They broke the webcast into several categories (Reset, Refocus, Restore) and within each category they provided relevant research answered by panel discussions, helpful resources, moments to pause through music and guided prayer. What could have felt very mundane instead was refreshing, life giving and hopeful in the midst of so much uncertainty. 

Following the webcast, they provided several breakout sessions for those wanting more guidance on reopening church, leading through a crisis, engaging the next generation and using Barna’s ChurchPulse assessment toolkit. All of this can be accessed at their website.

For anyone who is wondering if their pulse on their church and society at large is on the mark, this is a must-watch. Even if you don’t engage further with Barna’s tools, of which there is a lot of really great content at no charge, the information presented in the webcast was extremely helpful in gaining a snapshot of how the Church across the U.S. is fairing.

“We’ve been tracking rising anxiety already, especially among younger generations. The COVID crisis seems to be accelerating that disruption,” said Kinnamen. “When it comes to relational well-being, people are feeling lonely and isolated and COVID has only deepened that.” 

With each infographic that was shown, the heightened level of anxiety, loneliness, and longing for personal connection became more clear. It begs the question, “How should churches consider reshaping their focus to meet this expressed need?” 

Kinnamen spoke to the great courage and innovation among pastors he is seeing as their team conducts research during this crisis. But he also noted that as they have been checking in on pastors since mid-March, they are seeing “how much the crisis is taking a toll on pastors psychologically, emotionally, mentally.”

While their polling found that pastors held a mixed bag of gratefulness, frustration and determination, the most common response was exhaustion. 

“All of that is set against the backdrop of pastors feeling worn out and having to produce worship services, community and staff meetings, and all the things that pastors do, in the digital context,” said Kinnamen. “It is certainly taking a toll.”

But still, even among the exhaustion and disruption, Kinnamen showed data that suggests the Church is thriving in many respects. He acknowledged that while difficulties experienced from COVID-19 are different than those experienced by the early church, the encouragement from Paul still rings true.

“Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering.” - 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

COVID - 19 Stories from the Church - Dustin Lang

Dustin Lang
Founder and Vision Caster, Revival LA
College, Young Adult, Online Pastor, NewStory LA

TogetherLA: What is your congregation dealing with in this COVID-19 crisis? 

 Dustin Lang: There really are so many to share. People are struggling emotionally, financially, and physically. For those who have larger adult populations, there is definitely a strong financial impact. People are losing their jobs and anxious about the future. The college organizations have students who are now off campus and going through their own unique struggles. We are hearing of COVID-19 affecting the family members of our local NewStory community, though we haven't heard of any cases amongst our actual members yet.

TogetherLA: How are you doing church differently right now? 

Dustin Lang: Church is now Church Online. The great thing is that it reminds us that church is not a building or even a service. The Church is the people of God. Revival LA is adjusting by gathering online for our events. Our next prayer night will be on Instagram Live instead of in person. NewStory is doing live services online on Sundays as well as several other online ministries during the week. Lunch with a Pastor happens on FB Live and is a way to engage with a pastor over a meal while being led in a devotional. There is also NewStory Praise & Prayer on Wednesdays at 8pm as well as kids, youth, college, and young adult events weekly.

TogetherLA: Do you anticipate incorporating more virtual options into your weekly gathering options once stay-at-home orders are lifted?

Dustin Lang: Definitely. People are people, even if they are online. We will likely continue to stream events and provide opportunities for people to join us online if they cannot meet in person.

TogetherLA: How are you seeing your church body rise up and love Jesus well in this season through their actions?

Dustin Lang: At NewStory, we are cooking around 200 meals each week to deliver to those in our community. We also pack care packages filled with essential items to deliver to those in our community as well. We have also set up a benevolence fund on our website to care for those who have needs and allow our church members to give help to those who need it. https://www.newstorychurch.com/help

TogetherLA: Do you see any parts of this season as a blessing? 

Dustin Lang: Yes. In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him. This doesn't mean that God makes life easier. In fact, He sometimes allows life to be harder so that we could experience Him in greater ways. We are seeing our families worship together. We are seeing Christians living out their convictions. We are seeing collaboration amongst different ministries. It is also a strong reminder that the things we once thought were certain really aren't. But salvation through Jesus is one certainty that will never change.

TogetherLA: How is this crisis changing you as a pastor? 

Dustin Lang: This has shown me the importance of bringing unity in the body of Christ (Revival LA). It has also taught me that crisis is something to lead through not just to react to.

TogetherLA: What should the church pay attention to from this season and capture for a post-COVID-19 world? 

Dustin Lang: The church needs to realize that we are called to action. There is never in history a moment where the church can be inactive. But always, we need to meet the needs of our world and in so doing be the hands and feet of Christ.

TogetherLA: What scripture has been near to you lately?

Dustin Lang: Esther 4:14. It is for such a time as this that God has raised up His leaders and placed His children in the city of Los Angeles.

Quarantined Together: Acts of Kindness in LA

Shopping Helpers LA

The COVID-19 news cycle hasn’t always shined the best light on younger generations. We’ve seen college students living it up on the beach during Spring break and getting together for big parties despite stay at home orders. Many young adults, however, have been making a tremendous positive impact on their communities. Sisters Kayla Newman and Leeat Hatzav, college students residing in LA, saw immediate needs arise at the start of quarantine restrictions and quickly organized their peers into action.

They recognized the large number of elderly and immunocompromised people in need of shopping assistance, and reached out to their networks to find people willing to help. Seeing that so many were willing to lend a hand, they shared a flyer offering shopping assistance on social media and with local religious and community leaders. That same day, people began calling in seeking assistance. Kayla and Leeat were suddenly taking multitudes of requests by phone and connecting those in need to volunteers through WhatsApp. They quickly put together a website, Shopping Helpers LA, enabling at-risk individuals to fill out an online form for grocery assistance.

Shopping Helpers LA is rapidly spreading. They are already serving in 10 areas from San Fernando Valley to Orange County. Kayla and Leeat are eager to organize help in other cities and even other states. They’re ready to expand into any area where people are ready to volunteer. If you’re able to serve your community in this way, you can sign up here. 

Teachers Staying Connected with Students

Educators all across LA have been finding ways to show love and support to their students during this time.  Some are able to stay in touch with their classes through online video teaching platforms, some have hand-written notes to their students, while some have gone a step even further. Lisa Muthiah, an elementary school teacher, wanted to do something extra special to connect with and encourage her class during this time. 

Armed with a colorful sign, she personally drove by each of her students’ homes to let them know they are missed and in her thoughts right now. She had given families a heads up of her stopping by, and many of her students were ready with signs of their own, or had her stop to chat or take a photo in front of her in her car. It was a meaningful day for Mrs. Muthiah and for all of the families she touched with her actions.

Delivering School Meals to Students’ Doorsteps

Stars is a phenomenal nonprofit organization that has been dedicated to affirming and equipping youth in the Pasadena area for almost two decades. They have a range of programs they offer families throughout the year, but when the Safer at Home act went into place, they stepped up to fill a huge gap in the community. 

The school district began offering drive thru meal pickups each morning within a limited time frame, but Eric Johnson, Stars’ Director of Partnerships and Collaborations, knew that a lot of families wouldn’t be able to make these pickups, whether from a lack of transportation, work, or being sick. He joined heads with partner organizations, including Yoland Travino at PACTL and Geoff Albert at Collaborate PASadena to see how they could help make sure all families in need receive food. Thanks to Stars’ great existing relationship with the district, they were able to start delivering meals, starting with two on their first day, up to a hundred by the end of the week, and are currently distributing up to 900 meals a day thanks to a network of volunteers. 

These meal deliveries are making a profound difference in the daily lives of hundreds of families during quarantine, and speak to the incredible collaboration between the city, nonprofits and churches in Pasadena. There isn’t an immediate need for more drivers at this time, but you can join their email newsletter list to stay informed here. Stars would like to include a special thank you New Abby Church, Knox Presbyterian Church, and Young Life in Pasadena for their tremendous support in rallying volunteers for deliveries.

Masks for the Masses

So many hardworking people have come together to increase the supply of masks during this time. We wish we could recognize all of those who have helped get masks into the hands of healthcare providers, essential workers, and the general public. One person who has made it her mission to help make masks during this time is LA-area resident, Margie Cameron. 

Margie had a supply of fabric built up from years of quilting, and quickly shifted directions to let mask-making take over her living room and fabric supply. Since LA began requiring masks for all residents, she wanted to help with the supply of masks for her community. While she is limited in her supplies and in working with tendinitis, she has been dedicating a majority of her time to make as many masks as she can. Instead of accepting any payment for masks from community members, she has asked recipients to make a donation to two non-profits she volunteers for, Full Circle Thrift and Ten Thousand Villages, who like many others have been negatively affected during this time. With so many in need of masks, she’s backed up on requests, but doing what she can to do her part in this pandemic. 

Christian Innovation in Uncharted Territory

“In times of change, learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped for a world that no longer exists.” - Eric Hoffer

The whole word is having to reinvent itself right now, including churches and nonprofits. Who is going to survive what could be the next great depression, and how? And maybe more importantly, which organizations should survive this season?

Fuller Theological Seminary’s De Pree Center for Leadership put on a timely webinar on Christian Innovation in Uncharted Territory. Hosted by the De Pree Center’s Michaela O’Donnell Long, she spoke with Tod Bolsinger, the VP and Chief of Leadership Formation at Fuller as he shared insights from his years of leadership development and innovation experience.

While only an hour long, Bolsinger packed the webinar with a lot of helpful principles and warnings for Christians, whether pastors, non-profit leaders or business professionals, leading in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The question posed was “how do we lean into the massive changes that have happened in the past few months in innovative ways? What should survive and what should we leave behind?”

Bolsinger, who is set to publish a book soon on how leaders are formed in the crucible of change, shared a number of insights from his 2015 book Canoeing the Mountains, Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory.

While the entire webinar is well worth the hour’s time, one big takeaway for every leader is to ask, “Who are the voices you are listening to?” Do you have voices from the future at the table with you, voices that have been where you’ve yet to go and can speak to terrain you haven’t experienced before?

He gives the example of Lewis and Clark, charged with finding a waterway west to the Pacific Ocean. Halfway through their journey, about to climb to the top of the Lemhi Pass, the pair thought they would surely find the great water route that would lead them to the sea. Instead, they found “immense ranges of high mountains still to the West.” Their guides, their voices from the future, had told them there would be mountains but they were in denial. It was only upon encountering the mountains instead of valleys that they had to drop their canoes and find horses.

The practical applications for this lesson from history are myriad. What questions should you be asking? Whose voices should you be listening to? Are there people, or organizations, on the margins of society that may have a word the Spirit wants you to hear before you move forward in a post-quarantine world? Do you need to humble yourself to become a learner, and maybe then, from the most unlikely of teachers? Who are the diverse, talented voices that need a seat at your table? And, how do you maintain trustworthiness when you are forging unfamiliar terrain?

In addition, there was much discussion about how to determine which services and programming should remain and which ones will be deemed unnecessary or unworthy of donning a mask and social distancing. For financial reasons, safety concerns and more, decisions will need to be made about what really matters. And all of these are questions every leader and team should wrestle with as communities begin to reopen.

You can click here for access to the full webinar:  https://youtu.be/NHmujc4UBHw

Hollywood Prayer Network’s National Day of Prayer 2020 Event

The first Thursday in May has marked the National Day of Prayer in the United States since the Reagan era, and even the Coronavirus couldn’t keep it at bay this year. This year’s National Day of Prayer was marked differently than in years past. There were no sit-down breakfasts, no gatherings around the flagpole. But people still gathered, albeit by Zoom and Facetime and Facebook Live.

This year, the Hollywood Prayer Network (HPN), originally founded by Karen Covell in 2001, hosted a virtual prayer gathering that had nearly 200 attendees from across LA and around the world. As with everything these days, it was weird and different. But it was also so uplifting to see people joining from their living rooms, cars, even walking. 

The event was organized by opening remarks, of reading of Psalm 91, and then times of guided prayer interspersed with corporate singing. Merlinda Balmas, co-lead of the Hollywood chapter of HPN, coordinated the focused prayer for The Culture, The Creatives, The Calling, The Commission, and of course, COVID-19. 

So many of us are Zoomed out after sheltering in place for more than 8 weeks, and we’re even beginning to fatigue of online church. But this event was so cathartic because we were able to see everyone praying and singing together. Rather than just staring at a screen while someone preaches or sings, everyone was participating together. To be able to see faces while everyone cries out to God was so human. It felt like a bit of true community, even among strangers.

During the entire event, participants were chiming in via the chat feature on Zoom. Some were agreeing in prayer with the main speaker. Others were posting their own prayer requests. In addition to prayers for global and national concerns like COVID-19 and justice for Ahmaud Arbery, many lifted up praise for God’s goodness and petitions that He would be made famous in Hollywood and throughout the entertainment world.

Perhaps one of the most poignant prayers posted: “God raise up people to be witnesses to your glory in Hollywood and all cities across the globe.”

A number of ministry and prayer leaders participated in the May 7th event, including:

HOPE IN THE HILLS - a church in Beverly Hills 

9t5 - A bible study at Warner Bros Studios

MASTERMEDIA - hosts events and prayers for the entertainment industry

IKON - Reality LA’s acting and writing small groups

GREENHOUSE ARTS - hosts informational classes and groups for filmmakers in Los Angeles 

If you would like to find more information about getting involved with Hollywood Prayer Network, including their weekly prayer meetings, you can find them here: https://hollywoodprayernetwork.org/

COVID - 19 Stories from the Church - Ken Korver, Lead Pastor

The vast majority of people in the United States have been ordered to stay at home as the novel Coronavirus threatens to cripple our healthcare system and take thousands of lives. Throughout this crisis TogetherLA will be bringing you stories of how God is moving in the midst of so much uncertainty.

Ken Korver, Lead Pastor
Emmanuel Reformed Church in Paramount, CA

Ken Korver, Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Reformed Church in Paramount, California took a few minutes to update us on how church has changed for them due to COVID-19. Emmanuel Reformed Church typically sees about 1,600 people across their English, Spanish and Nepalese Sunday services. However, since stay-at-home orders took effect, they have seen upwards of 2,700 households tune in for weekend worship services. 

TogetherLA: Ken, how is Emmanuel approaching church differently in this season?

Ken Korver: We have more people in community and worshiping with us than we did two months ago, through online and Zoom. Because people don’t have anywhere to go, more people are making it to bible study than ever. I also think a number of our people feel more confident in evangelism and outreach. It is now very simple to ask a friend to watch church just by pushing a button. And I’m even watching people interact about the sermon via social media in the middle of the sermon. 

TogetherLA: Tell us about some of the stresses your church is facing.

Ken Korver: We are seeing the most basic concerns for things like food. Normally we would feed 60 families every Friday [via the church’s food pantry]. Our number of 60 has increased to 180 families, which is more than 700 people each week, so there is a need for more food.

Our church also has a deacon fund which is intended to help those in need. We are trying to help people but our budget has been cut by more than a third. We are trying to be caring while in the worst spot you can imagine with our general operating fund.

In some ways I am seeing this is the best of times and the worst of times. I spoke with one elder last night who has never felt more significant in the life of the body of Christ, because he is able to call so many people and check in on them and pray with them.

 I am seeing that people are more serious about their faith. Others are newly inquisitive about the faith. People are rising up to be leaders that I never thought would be leaders.

TogetherLA: What does your church need most right now?

Ken Korver: We need those who are believers to recognize this is the most unique opportunity they’ll have in their lifetime. I am seeing an incredible time right now for the church to be the church and for everyone to rise up and actually follow Christ. You are either being an aroma of Christ in a beautiful way, or you are missing your moment.

 This is a time to refresh your brothers and sisters in Christ and then go be the presence of Christ in your world. People are more open than they have ever been before.

TogetherLA: People are more open to the Gospel than ever before. How are you seeing your church be the hands and feet of Jesus in the midst of social isolation?

Ken Korver: I don’t have one story. I have one hundred. I have children who write ‘Jesus loves you,’ in English and Spanish all over the sidewalks. I have people looking out for their neighbors and being the spiritual base in their lives. I have people evangelizing and leading others to Christ. I have hundreds of stories from our church. On social media I see people being evangelistic to their friends like they never have before. 

In Deuteronomy 6, it talks about loving the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul and strength. It talks about impressing these commandments on your children and right now I am watching a number of people take seriously that they are the spiritual fathers and mothers. People are posting pictures sitting with their kids watching Sunday’s sermon, discussing it and asking their kids what they are going to do about it. Even kids realize this is an important time. They are all leaning in with anticipation, talking about what they are hearing and really applying it.

TogetherLA:  What should the Church prepare for in the future, in the wake of COVID-19?

Ken Korver: I believe that this should be a catalytic moment. In the future we should hear stories from across the world saying our church is not the same. How? I think we’ll hear that churches have more people reading scriptures, doing family devotions, being evangelists that weren’t evangelists before, people being disciplers that weren’t before.

I’ve been asking myself, if we now have twice the amount of people worshiping online, what are we to do in the future? There is clearly something strong about people gathering together. But I think we will probably move towards creating an online Sunday night service for those that can’t come during the day. 

We have weekly mens, womens and couples bible studies. We need to consider if we begin meeting twice a month online via Zoom and gather twice a month in person. We are seeing right now that some groups have been made stronger through Zoom and some have been made weaker. So I definitely think that in some cases we will be in a ‘higher Zoom world.’ 

I also think that after the COVID-19 crisis, people will become much more aware of laity. The idea of a large paid staff is not sustainable and we need to become more reliant on Laity.

TogetherLA: How have you addressed the needs of those who struggle with addiction and mental illness?

Ken Korver: Max Lucado has a book on anxiety and we had previously done a class based on his book that was well received. Our team has decided to host that class again, online, to address that concern in this season.

We also strongly encourage Celebrate Recovery. They used to have a policy against Zoom-type meetings due to confidentiality, but that is changing now.

And in addition to that, we used to have about 30 people doing care ministry. But we have bumped that up to about 80 people. Those people are calling attendees just to check in with them. It used to be that people were hesitant to call others because it might come across as weird. But now, no one thinks they are weird. Everyone really appreciates someone checking up on them.

 TogetherLA: What advice or encouragement would you give to the Church right now?

 Ken Korver: I think people are learning a lot from each other right now. Every church needs to recognize they are influencing both their church and people they never thought they would reach through their church. But other churches are also watching to figure out what is working. People are blessed when they watch Christians not be egocentric and right now we are learning from each other at a higher level than I’ve ever seen in my lifetime.

Don't Waste This Season

Our lives are greatly altered due to COVD-19 but that shouldn't mean that our lives are cancelled. If we are people that believe that God is in control, then we must be a people that are listening and learning during this season to what God has for us. Our heavenly Father truly only has good gifts for His children.

What is God teaching us? Maybe to slow down and rest. Maybe to prioritize our most important relationships. Maybe to depend on Him more. Maybe how to serve others in the midst of great difficulty.

During a great plague that ravaged the Roman Empire in 251 AD, one of our African Church Fathers said,

"How suitable, how necessary it is that this plague and pestilence, which seems horrible and deadly, searches out the justice of each and every one and examines the mind of the human race; whether the [healthy] care for the sick, whether relatives dutifully love kinsmen as they should . . . whether physicians do not desert the afflicted." -Cyprian (Bishop of Carthage)

Let us be people who express the Gospel through our service to others. When this is all over, what will others say about us? What will others say about the God we claim to worship?

Be sure to join us for the 2020 Legacy Virtual Conference as we seek to not waste this season. Be encouraged through four days of general sessions taught by Trip Lee, Joseph Solomon, Jackie Hill Perry and more. Be equipped through various workshops covering topics such as Entrepreneurship and the Christian, Legal Options for Immigrants and their Families, Ministry in the Crockpot, Creativity and the Gospel, Discipling Messy People, Establishing Presence in the City and more. Check out www.LegacyDisciple.org for more info. 

COVID - 19 Stories from the Church

The vast majority of people in the United States have been ordered to stay at home as the novel Coronavirus threatens to cripple our healthcare system and take thousands of lives. Throughout this crisis TogetherLA will be bringing you stories of how God is moving in the midst of so much uncertainty.

Andrew Alesso
Lead Pastor Thrive LA in Los Angeles, CA

TogetherLA: How are the government bans and calls for social distancing affecting your congregation?

Andrew Alesso: We got our lease at the elementary school suspended by the Los Angeles Unified School District...because of the coronavirus. But we were supposed to be able to trigger our annual contract renewal this month, and the letter we were sent about the coronavirus was vague about situations like ours. It seemed to imply that we may have to start from square one with trying to secure a new lease [through the LAUSD] when it’s all said and done. A process that can take a while under normal circumstances, let alone while they are processing stuff for all the schools in the district. I have tried to reach out for answers and haven’t heard anything. They might not even know yet what they will do with us, and I’m sure they are incredibly overwhelmed with the volume of renters they are dealing with. Regardless, the governor recently said he doesn’t expect schools to re-open this school year. We are preparing for 2 months of online church as our only reasonable expectation, and hopeful for what’s beyond that.

We had many different serious bugs/flus/etch... running through our church, so when the news hit there were people trying to get tested and a little nervous. Others really didn’t think it was a big deal at all at the time. More people have become affected since then because of lost work. LA is a gig economy. They can’t drive Lyft. They can’t teach dance. They can’t serve at restaurants. We also have people in our congregation who are completely paid and off work, people working from home, and people working as normal. The health care professionals in our congregation are still working, and in some cases long, intense hours. 

TogetherLA: What is the approximate demographic of your church?

Andrew Alesso: We have about 40-60 on a weekend, representing about 80-100 people who regularly participate in our community in one form or another. We have a diverse group of young educated working professionals and artists. A typical new visitor at our church is a couple with no kids that came because one of them is more interested in faith, but we have many singles and some young families and elderly folks. Our people live in crowded apartment buildings or with roommates. Some have significant financial struggles, others are in relatively strong financial positions. Some are watching retirement savings plummet, others are wondering how to pay rent.

TogetherLA: What unique ways are you doing church in this uncertain time?

 Andrew Alesso: We are streaming services using church online platform. My doctor wants me in total isolation because I’m high risk, so all of us on the team are uploading videos for announcements, sermons, etc. into Dropbox and having one person turn them into a pre-recorded service that we livestream at our normal gathering time. Everyone can watch it together online at ThriveLA.online.church at 10am or on our website after. Our church plant network was really helpful in pointing us to tools and resources.

But the switch to online Sundays was the easy part. We had incredible online engagement on Sunday. The biggest thing for us is that Sunday has never been the definition for us of what it means to do church. For us it’s about asking how this affects pastoral care, genuine community, leadership development, and love for our city.

I had a prayer group and a small group using Zoom this week. We’re thinking through resources for kids and parents while school is out. We have people in isolation who need food and supplies brought to them. We have people who are going to be hurting financially who need support. The homeless in our neighborhood are at extreme risk. We canceled our spring festival, but we get to ask, “what does our city really need right now?” These are the real “doing church” questions that we’re still figuring out.

TogetherLA: What common concerns are you hearing from your church?

 Andrew Alesso: The biggest concerns I hear are for others. We are young and healthy, but people are worried about older family and wide-spread implications. In biblical terms, they are concerned about justice, mercy, and loving their neighbor. Still, some are significantly worried about finances and/or personal health.

TogetherLA: What does your church need most right now?

 Andrew Alesso: We are ok for right now. My sense is that the financial hits and the loneliness will start to hit in a few weeks, and our need to “be the church” will ramp up. We’re just trying to be ready for that. We also have no idea when or if we might get back into our Sunday venue even after this passes, so I’m trying to prepare to find us a new home to meet.

TogetherLA: Tell us how you are seeing the Church be the hands and feet of Jesus in the midst of social isolation.

Andrew Alesso: I have been overwhelmed by the concern for a particular elderly woman in our church. So many people have asked if she needs food or errands run. They are taking responsibility to treat her as family.

People working from home have volunteered way more time for the church and the good of the city. This includes ministry leaders caring for their teams, everything to make digital church happen, praying for our city, checking in on neighbors, and more.

I’m really proud of all the “just checking in” texts and also how my church has taken it seriously without abandoning hope. I am proud of the gal in our church who picked up supplies for all her friends who rely on public transit. I am proud of the guy in my church who has called many of our leaders individually to pray for them. I am proud of the mom who is now running school at home for her kids. I am proud of the people who have refused to leave their home because of manageable, but concerning, symptoms.

To Doc Is In: Dr. Gorton Talks Self-Care In The Age of Social Distancing

Clinical psychologist and professor Dr. Deborah Gorton joins us to talk about what biblica self-care looks like, especially in an age of social distancing. She serves as the Gary D. Chapman Chair of Marriage and Family Ministry and Counseling at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School and is the Director of Moody’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Center. 

TLA: Self-care is often misunderstood as self-indulgence. How do we practice biblical self-care and care for others, especially when we are socially isolated?

Dr. Gorton: Research indicates that having information can improve tolerance levels and compliance with expectations and enforced practices (i.e. shelter-at-home, social distancing, handwashing). However, we also know that there is a lot of information available and what we do have access to is not always accurate. Further, too much information is not always a good thing. Proverbs reminds us that “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (18:15). However, the author also reminds us that “the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (2:6).

I would encourage people to follow the psychological, emotional, and practical wisdom of Paul. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9, ESV).

a.  Start with the Word of God. Make a commitment to open your bible before you seek any other information in the morning. Remember, the pattern of switching on your phone and scrolling through social media, news apps, or the internet can become enforced through a dopamine response, similar to an addiction cycle. If you’re intrigued, you can find more information here. This means choosing your Bible. If picking up your phone first thing has been the typical norm, this will be challenging at first.

b.  Limit your sources of information. When something becomes a media sensation, people come out of the woodwork as “experts.” We are naturally curious human beings (is it a wonder the first sin was seeking unnecessary knowledge?). However, the desire to satiate our knowledge appetite can lead to diving further down the rabbit hole of information. Pick three sources that provide information and commit to limiting your review of those sources to three times a day for a set amount of time (I recommend 30 minutes or less). Some suggestions:

i.  Center for Disease Control

ii. World Health Organization

c. Engage in spiritual disciplines

d. Serve your community. Former First Lady Michelle Obama provided some solid suggestions for staying connected to your community and providing support; thereby enhancing your sense of contribution:

i. Contact your local school and sign up to volunteer with their food distribution program or contact a teacher you know and see how you can help!

ii. Call parents you know and offer to read to their kids, share a lesson or bible story, or even play a game with them over Facetime, Zoom, or Skype.

iii. Offer to pick up groceries, medication, or other essential needs for elderly or immunocompromised neighbors. If you don’t know your neighbors, Nextdooris a great app to get connected.

iv. Call your local hospital or emergency service stations and offer to order a takeout meal for staff from a local restaurant.

v. If you’re able to, buy gift cards from local businesses to provide financial support in a way they can benefit from now and you can benefit from later.

vi. Make donations online to local food banks or other charities caring for those in need at this time. 

TLA: How do you suggest seeking counseling in an age of social distancing? Is telehealth therapy really effective?

Dr. Gorton: Telehealth therapy can be a helpful alternative during this time. While it might be a bit different than traditional in-office counseling, you’d be amazed at what technology allows for. Many counselors have made the transition to telemental health to meet the growing need for support during this time. Resources like Psychology Todayor even your local church, who might have a list of vetted counselors they refer to, can be a great starting point for finding a counselor if you don’t already have one. And, if you are uncertain about telehealth, ask the counselor if they’d be willing to do a trial run without charging you. That way you can get a feel for if this is helpful without having to stress over the financials. Also know that many insurance companies have waived previously additional fees for telemental health counseling at this time.

TLA: Based on what you've seen in your career, and what you've seen over the past week, what should we prepare for?

Dr. Gorton: I’ve never really seen anything like this in my career! However, based on other disaster and/or large crisis situations (like 9/11) I would say that we should be prepared for posttraumatic stress reactions. Right now a lot of people are feeling anxious, fearful, and helpless. This is going to continue and even grow as more cities engage in “shelter-at-home” policies and the widespread impact of the virus becomes more clear. Prioritizing mental health and well-being is essential.

TLA: Social distancing is causing everyone to reflect on how we have been living our lives and so many on social media are talking about how we can take advantage of this unique time. You are actually publishing a book soon that seems apropos to that conversation. Can we get a little teaser on what we can expect in your book? 

Dr. Gorton: Absolutely! It’s called Embracing Uncomfortable. It’s about the fact that we’re hardwired to seek comfort, but comfort usually doesn't move us in the right direction. Every day we face a thousand choices between what is best and what is easier. And most of the time, we’ll choose what’s easier, which is why we so often feel frustrated, anxious, and disconnected. But when you learn to embrace the uncomfortable as the gateway to better things, everything changes. Embracing Uncomfortable teaches you how to 

· Recognize what you need to do to find purpose and joy

· Develop the courage to radically accept your situation as it is

· Have the courage to do what it takes to move forward

You’ll learn practical skills to help you pursue and fulfill your purpose, like “practicing the pause” and “balancing your emotions.” Discover the freedom and joy that will fill your life when you begin to see discomfort as an important step toward reaching your goals.

TLA: What was the impetus for writing Embracing Uncomfortable? 

Dr. Gorton: So many of my clients, family, friends, and community (myself included) find themselves living in ways that are inconsistent with what is most important to them and who they want to be. The outcome is discontent, anxiety, depression, loss, broken relationships and so much more because the default decision is what is comfortable (aka familiar). When we identify our core values and greater purpose, we actively choose to step into and embrace the uncomfortable for the greater encounter of long-term joy in living out who God designed us to be.

TLA: When will your book be published?

Dr. Gorton: June 2, 2020 – but you can preorder on Amazon and Barnes and Noble now!

We Are Not Okay: Social Distancing and Mental Illness

Our lives have changed drastically in the last couple of weeks and the impact will undoubtedly be staggering. News feeds are constantly addressing the toll this global shutdown is having on the economy and our health care systems, but as the Church we would be remiss if we did not also address mental health and how people will be affected by such unprecedented social distancing.

The Church has historically dropped the ball on addressing mental illness and there is no time like the present to take a stance of humility and learn from someone who sits at the intersection of faith and mental health.

We virtually caught up with Dr. Deborah Gorton, a clinical psychologist who serves as the Gary D. Chapman Chair of Marriage and Family Ministry and Counseling at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School. She is also the Director for Moody’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Center, is an associate professor and runs a private practice. Her accomplishments are even more extensive, but you probably get the picture. She has a lot to lend to this conversation about mental health and how we can care for our congregations, our social circles and ourselves in the midst of isolation.

TLA: Dr. Gorton, can you tell us what the last week has been like for you as a leader of a program, a professor and a psychologist with individual clients?

Dr. Gorton:  I won’t lie, this has been one of the most bizarre weeks of my life! We moved to a fully virtual campus one week ago. Prior to that we were on Spring Break so there was no opportunity to soak in the experience and in-person presence of my students before we made the transition. The details and demands of the week forced me to focus on what my students and clients needed. In my clinical role, I worked with my fabulous team of counseling staff to review state laws for telemental health and provide adequate training for our counselors (licensed and intern alike) to prepare for shifting to a virtual office. All of this took place while continuing to ensure continuity of care for our clients, the ability to maintain confidentiality in new environments as our counselors and clients began to work remotely, and ensuring our office could fully function (think taking calls, scheduling clients, running the day-to-day financials, conducting supervision) virtually.

Additionally, as our students prepared to become virtually learners, I struggled to take crash courses in on-line instruction. I’m teaching Counseling Techniques and our Practicum and Internship courses this term. These are the most hands-on classes we offer. Students are learning the intricacies of counseling, how to sit with clients, listen, validate, diagnose, and come alongside clients in their transformation journey. As a firm believer in the beauty and necessity of in-person connection as part of this process, shifting and adapting my own mindset and perspective has been challenging. However, I’ve continued to see my own clients in this process (I have a very small practice with 4-5 clients I meet with weekly), so my learning experience parallels my students, which has been helpful!

TLA: Before we talk social distancing and the effect it is having on those with mental illness, can you speak briefly to the rough statistics of how many people are dealing with things like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, even Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? And what about within the church?

Dr. Gorton: Research from reputable organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and theNational Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) indicate one in five people experience mental illness. Those numbers seem to be consistent among adults and children. Anxiety disorders have the highest rate of diagnosis with approximately 19% of the U.S. population affected each year, followed by depression at 7%.

Lifeway conducted research in 2013 on how Protestant pastors and churches navigated mental health and found that while the majority of pastors believed their role and the role of the church at large was to care for people struggling with mental illness, less than 50% said they actually spoke about mental illness from the pulpit or among larger gathering in their congregations.

 TLA: Is there an estimate of how many clergy deal with anxiety, depression or other forms of mental illness?

Dr. Gorton: We’re definitely seeing more pastors talk publicly about the reality of navigating anxiety, depression, burnout, and stress. However, I’m seeing this come as a result of tragedy and reactive necessity instead of proactive measures designed to address the problem before it starts. For example, Jarrid Wilson was the Associate Pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in California when he took his life this past fall at the age of 30. He was also a huge advocate for mental health in the church and talked frequently about the need to take our growing epidemic of suicide (now the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10-34) seriously. Pastor Howard John Wesley of Alfred Street Baptist Church recently went viral for a sermon he delivered on pastor burnout prior to taking a six month “critical” sabbatical from his church due to his own stress levels and anxiety that had begun to impact his physical health as well.

TLA: We are obviously in uncharted territory with COVID-19 and social distancing. What should pastors be aware of in a situation like this? Does this physical isolation exacerbate mental illness?

Dr. Gorton: The emotional and psychological experiences that could result from the impact of COVID-19 and in particular from social distancing can easily include the following:

· Uncertainty
· Anger
· Anxiety
· Fear
· Depression
· Confusion
· Posttraumatic Stress 

Based on a study of post-shelter-from-home individuals from the SARS epidemic in 2003, with an average quarantine time of 10 days, 29% of those surveyed reported posttraumatic stress and 31% reported symptoms of depression. The majority indicated this was due to reduced physical and social connection with friends and family.[1]

Further, if someone experienced or was vulnerable to emotional and/or psychological symptoms (anxiety, hopelessness, increased stress, suicidal thoughts) pre-COVID-19, they might be susceptible to heightened distress during this time.

TLA:  Why do you think mental illness has such a stigma within the church? 

Dr. Gorton: I believe the church has historically misunderstood mental health. It’s seen as a lack of mental discipline/willpower, or trust in God. People who struggle with mental illness are encouraged to pray more, enhance their practice of spiritual disciplines to grow their faith in God, or tough it out. However, as we gain greater access to the mind/body connection through advances in technology – we’re learning that it’s impossible to separate out the psychological from the biological. Our thoughts absolutely impact our behavior and the pattern of our thoughts can also change the structure of our brain. Further, mental illness such as depression and anxiety can actually shift and transform the structures of our brain. But our God knew this! It’s why, I believe, He called us to take every thought captive (I Corinthians 10:5), to practice gratitude in times of worry (Phil. 4:6), and to seek physicians [and counselors] when our personal practices are not enough to transform the challenges we’re facing (2 Kings 20:1-7).

TLA: How can we take advantage of this unique time to make a change in the church and care for our folks better in the future? 

Dr. Gorton: These conversations are an amazing starting point! Pastors who are willing to talk about mental illness from the pulpit and possibly even share their own struggles serve to de-stigmatize the experience of mental illness. The more we share the narrative the more we normalize the experience. 

Dr. Gorton’s new book, Embracing Uncomfortable, will be published on June 2, 2020 and is available for preorder now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Quarantined But Not Quiet - Stories of Hope: Dan Davidson

COVID - 19 Stories from the Church

The vast majority of people in the United States have been ordered to stay at home as the novel Coronavirus threatens to cripple our healthcare system and take thousands of lives. Throughout this crisis TogetherLA will be bringing you stories of how God is moving in the midst of so much uncertainty.

DAN DAVIDSON
Lead Pastor, Rose City Church in Pasadena, CA

TogetherLA: How are the government bans and calls for social distancing affecting your congregation?

Dan Davidson: Our world has been turned upside down over the last few weeks. We’ve been hit doubly hard. First, our congregation is no longer meeting on Sundays for worship. And second, our social enterprise cafe “Rosebud Coffee” has been reduced to a coffee cart making 90-80% less than our shop. 

Our congregation is quickly having to adapt to a new normal of social distancing and our cafe is trying to keep the doors open for one or two employees to stay afloat. We’ve filed for a Shared Work Program for the baristas to see unemployment without being let go.

TogetherLA: What unique ways are you “doing church” in this uncertain time?

Dan Davidson: So we decided yesterday to play to our strengths and not our weaknesses. We are not a “theatrical” mega-church in our style. We will not be hosting services live and online. This would play into us trying to be a theatrical church (which we aren’t) that people sit back and watch. This is not our strength so we did not want to try and learn this within a week's time. Plus we feel like there’s too much screen time already with social distancing. 

We are a neighborhood church. Our strengths are two-fold: contextual hermeneutics and community. For example, our Lenten theme for this year that was set before the coronavirus hit is Selah: Pause and Rest from the Psalms. We started preaching from the Psalms and asking our congregation to take a time to pause. Lo and behold, the whole world is on pause now. And praying the Psalm is especially helpful in this uncertain time. To play to our hermeneutics we are now focusing on high quality sermons via podcast. The sermon in podcast form allows our people hear our contextual hermeneutic without having to get on a screen and “watch tv.” They can listen and process. 

Our other strength is community. We are still setting aside time on Sunday morning from 10:30am-11am for our people to gather together via Zoom. In our usual Sunday worship service we have a time of prayer of the people and Holy Communion. We are asking our congregation to be randomly assigned a zoom group of 8-12 that will take 30 minutes to check in, pray and partake in Holy Communion from their homes. 

We’ve also come up with a long list of unique ideas but we are first doing an assessment of our congregation’s needs before enacting them. 

TogetherLA: What do you need help with most right now?

Dan Davidson: Finances - we know that soon our finances will take a hit because we also share our facility with other congregations. They also are not able to meet and as this continues they most likely will not pay rent. So to keep things afloat we will be looking for grants, donations, and loans to keep up with payroll and operating costs. 

Communicating this request for support in the midst of a lot of “noise” will be difficult. - so ideas on how to communicate our needs would be helpful. 

TogetherLA: In what ways are you seeing your church become the hands and feet of Jesus? 

Dan Davidson: Our church has already responded to the elderly in our congregation. We started reaching out to see what needs they have and how we can assist them so they don’t need to be overly exposed. We’ve also planned to keep everyone on payroll so that funds still flow to the people. And we are seeking to do the best we can with our barista staff. Lastly, we are helping organize the efforts to care for our most vulnerable homeless neighbors - this includes plans for put out hand washing stations around the city, helping churches change their food programs, and raising money from the city to support efforts of homelessness prevention. 

#JesusChangedMyLife - Easter 2020

Dear Pastors,

On Easter our churches will not be able to gather in-person as they traditionally do. This is heartbreaking because the coronavirus has many people looking for answers to life’s deepest questions and wondering if there is any hope. This is the time more than ever for the church to rise up and proclaim the message of the resurrection. But how can we do this when we are not allowed to meet?

I believe this obstacle is actually an opportunity—an opportunity to share the gospel with even more people than we typically do on Easter and to empower the people in our churches to be the primary heralds.

Imagine this…

We train the people in our churches to share their testimonies, and then on the week leading up to Easter, we have people post their sixty-second videos on social media with the hashtag #JesusChangedMyLife. As people all over our city are quarantined in their homes, scrolling on their phones, they would see a flood of stories about how the resurrected Jesus brings purpose and meaning and hope. One click on the hashtag and they could see hundreds of Angelenos — just like them—talking about how Jesus changed the trajectory of their lives.

Furthermore, along with the common hashtag #JesusChangedMyLife, they would share their church handle to connect the viewers to a local church (for example, people in my church would post #JesusChangedMyLife @RealityLA). As soon as they click on the handle of the local church, they would go to their social media homepage, which would include an invite for an online Easter service. In the various Easter online services, the pastor would clearly preach the gospel, explain how to respond with faith, and get connected with their local church.

Think about the implications of this… Rather than each person in our churches inviting one person to an Easter service, each one could proclaim the gospel to hundreds of their non-Christian friends and co-workers. It could be the most evangelistic day in the history of our churches. And the best part is that it would be the people in our churches who are the ones proclaiming the gospel. Furthermore, this would be a beautiful display of the unity of the church in Los Angeles. It’s not one church’s “thing”. Rather, it puts all the emphasis on Jesus, with clear connecting points to local churches.

The overall strategy is simple:

• Communicate the plan to your church (I’m going to do a social media video this week)

• Provide training (Reality LA has created a training document for this and we are glad to share it. It does not include our church name on it).

• On Monday, April 6th, have people start posting with the hashtag #JesusChangedMyLife and the handle of your church. You could also reshare these on your own social media platforms.

• Have your Easter online service information ready on your social media pages.

• Pray, and give God all the glory!

If your church is interested in participating, let me know.

Jeremy Treat

Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Reality LA

Watch #JesusChangedMyLife Video Here