Coronavirus, Data and Decisions

This is an unprecedented time for our generation. Leadership and decision for the future do not come easily. The following is my attempt to compose the latest relevant information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) for the purpose of decision making. My point is not to advise you medically but rather to comprise data to help me serve the people of Rose Hill Baptist Church more faithfully.

Coronavirus

There are many who believe that Lysol and the disinfectant companies knew about the Coronavirus, so all of this is game to benefit Big Lysol. That’s right, we are being controlled by Big Toilet Paper and Big Lysol. The truth of the matter is there are many different kinds of Coronaviruses and evidently most of us have had them at some point in our life. These viruses are not new. COVID-19 is different, it was only first discovered recently in the outbreak in Wuhan, China. It is airborne and it spreads when an individual comes in contact with those who are infected. The symptoms are fever of 100.4 or higher, cough and shortness of breath. At the time of this writing there are approximately 1,200 cases in the United States and 36 deaths which is about 3% mortality rate in general. It takes between 2 to 14 days to show symptoms, but on average a person shows symptoms within 5 days.

Blown Out of Proportion

There has been much commentary on the current state of affairs and how we should respond from physicians and even religious leaders. What cannot be ignored is the rapid state of change with this virus. What may have been true a week, a day or even an hour ago may not be true now and what is true now may not be true in the future. It is without question a remarkable commentary on the state of affairs that the NCAA Tournaments have been canceled. The NBA has canceled their season, a decision to be reassessed in 30 days. The University of Kentucky, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Marshall University, The Ohio State University, West Virginia University, and many others have discontinued their face-to-face classes for the semester. Even NASCAR, whose events are all held outside, has announced that they will not admit spectators to the next two races in which at least one is in the heart of NASCAR country, Atlanta. This is happening just as NASCAR was beginning to win back their fans after years of low attendance. Since I originally wrote this post there has been a big change, both Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and those other parks have closed, this is unprecedented. The Governor of Ohio has closed schools for three weeks and banned, you read that correctly, banned gatherings of people with more than 100 in attendance. Although there is an exemption for religious gatherings, the principal for the safety of such gatherings remains the same. Finally, even the Governor of Kentucky recommended that public and private schools in Kentucky cancel classes for at least the next two weeks and encouraged churches not to meet but utilize other means of worship.

You may criticize these actions but what is it that you know that they don’t know that makes these decisions an overreaction? I tend to believe, and hope it to be true, that a Governor has access to more information than does the average person and that he is leading on more than a gut feeling.

Being Politicized

Many are questioning if all of this is being used to whip people into a frenzy. Maybe. It is true that the President of the United States has used this as an opportunity to attack his opponents. The President’s opponents have used this as an opportunity contrast their leadership to the President’s. It may be that both the President, his opponents and even the news media are using this to work people up, the reality of COVID-19 doesn’t change. We must consider thoughtfully and carefully the information that we receive and make the best decisions that we can at the time they need to be made. You can only make decisions with the information that you have at the time

Stopping the Spread

Why would such responses be taken? COVID-19 is spread through touching a surface that has the virus on it or breathing in the germ when an infected person sneezes or coughs. The virus is most contagious when the infected person is showing symptoms but it seems there is a possibility with COVID-19 that a person can become infected by someone who has the virus but is not showing symptoms. The virus can remain in the air for 3 hours and live on some surfaces for days. The earliest research seems to indicate that COVID-19 is ten times more deadly than the flu with the highest mortality rate among the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

There are real reasons for so many closings. First, closures adds distance between you and the infected person. You are less likely to inhale the germs of the infected with distance. This distance has been proven to reduce the transmission rate of disease by 35%. Second, closure reduces the chances of you being infected or unknowingly infecting others. It is possible for you to carry the virus and be asymptomatic and you could unknowingly transmit COVID-19 to someone who may not respond to the virus as well as you. There are some who believe that children are somehow immune to COVID-19, but the evidence doesn’t back that up. There have been no deaths of children under the age of 10 worldwide. Otherwise, it seems that what is true for adults is true for children. I would like to note that children can also be asymptomatic and yet transmit COVID-19. Third, COVID-19 has been declared a Pandemic which means that it is outside of the measures that health care can handle in some places. Doctors in Italy are being forced to place only those with the greatest chance of survival in ICU. The social distance added by closure decreases the chance of transmitting the virus but also serves to protect the most vulnerable and pastoring in a region that has one of the oldest population in the nation, this must be taken into consideration. Remember, it is the oldest attenders of our churches that are often the most faithful. If church is open, those who would most likely not be greatly affected by the virus may stay home but those who could be most deeply impacted are often those with the deepest convictions to come. Finally, if we are not thoughtful and careful in the way that we handle COVID-19, your church as a lighthouse of the gospel could possibly become a conduit of COVID-19. There are multiple cases of the virus that have their connects in in religious gatherings.

What to do

As I stated from the outset, I wrote this as a means to more faithfully serve the people of Rose Hill Baptist Church. Governor Andy Beshear has been criticized deeply for even daring to suggest that churches not meet or to meet via the internet. The reality is regardless of my political perspective, he is God’s minister to me for my good (Romans 13:4). Practically, the man in Kentucky who should have the most information about the situation as it stands concerning COVID-19 encouraged schools, churches and other large gatherings not to meet. I do not begrudge him, but rather am grateful for God’s ministry to us, through him to protect us.

After compiling this information, I believe that those who would blindly march forward without taking some kinds of precautions to protect those they serve are reckless. As the Under-shepherd of Rose Hill Baptist Church, I have a great desire to lead those entrusted to me with faithfulness. I have a very deep conviction that the church is proclaiming a very clear message when it meets on Sunday. I believe that we must care for and minister to people in this trying time, safely.

When those earliest Jewish converts went from strict observance of the Sabbath to worshipping on Sunday, it was because Jesus Christ had risen from the grave. When the church meets on Sunday, that meeting shouts to the world, “He is risen!”

We must consider the close confines of some meeting spaces and the demographics of some services. We cannot live our lives in fear but rather faith, knowing that God’s love casts out fear. Our trust must be in God and not men, but neither can we be blind to those God has placed around us as His minister of good to us. We must carry-out those proven practices that keep us from spreading disease, protecting one another and ourselves, while faithfully proclaiming His resurrection. We must be faithful but not reckless. You are not being unfaithful to God because you have chosen to protect your family. You are not being unfaithful because you have made the temporary choice to limit that social interaction of you and your family.

I think the comment of a pastor and leader for which I have great respect is a helpful place to end. Dr. Hershael York writes, “It’s nice to have the luxury of an opinion with no consequences. It costs you nothing if it’s wrong. Leadership, however, comes with a price tag and decisions have real ramifications.” The days ahead really are uncharted territory for this current generation. Carful and prayerful leadership is necessary.

March 12, 2020 2

Harvey, Harold and You: A Call For Renewed Involvement

The name Harold Moore may not mean much to you but if you were part of Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief then you know Harold was something of a legend. He volunteered with the Greenup Baptist Disaster Relief for more than 20 years. Disaster Relief is the pride-and-joy of many Southern Baptists. It is Southern Baptists putting their faith to work in helping the hurting. In Disaster Relief circles just the mention of Harold’s name commanded attention. Harold served in just about every major disaster over the past 20 years. He was even honored with the Distinguished Service Award by the Southern Baptist Convention.

The tragic flooding in Houston by hurricane Harvey reminded me of Harold. This tragedy reminded me of his absence. I had the honor of being Harold’s pastor. I had the privilege of preaching Harold’s funeral. The damage done by Harvey reminded me of Harold’s absence and the desperate need for men and women just like Harold. It also reminded me of the need for state and associational work. Harold served more than 20 years in Southern Baptist Disaster Relief but more specifically, Harold served Southern Baptist Disaster Relief through the Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief from the Greenup Baptist Association. There has been a lot of talk lately about the value of State Conventions and even more about the value of local Associations. How are Harvey, Harold and Associations connected? When you turn on your television and you see those yellow and blue hatted Southern Baptists handing-out meals, remember they have been mobilized by a local association, and largely trained through state conventions. They cook meals, run chainsaws or do mud-out with equipment mostly owned by state conventions or local Baptist associations. The most important element in all of this are the volunteers who come from local churches that are active in local associations that are apart of state conventions who unite under the Southern Baptist banner. Look closely at all of those trailers when you see them on the news, they will say Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief and then their sending state. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is comprised of volunteers and equipment from local associations and state conventions. Each element of this cooperative chain is vital but all of the parts are not equally strong. As local Southern Baptist Associations struggle to find their way, Southern Baptists ability to respond in times of disaster Is also suffering. In the Greenup Baptist Association, like many other associations across North America, involvement is down. Decreased involvement in local associations means decreased involvement in Disaster Relief which results in a decreased ability to respond in times of disaster. The pride-and-joy of Southern Baptists can only be as strong as our involvemet with our state conventions and local assoications. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief cannot exist from your money alone, it needs a new generation of men and women to fill the spot left by Harold and others just like him. Continue reading “Harvey, Harold and You: A Call For Renewed Involvement” →

September 5, 2017 4

A Leader’s Tribute

The following was sent to me by my college Mentor, a leader of leaders, who was the Campus Pastor at Liberty University and worked directly for Dr. Jerry Falwell.

Friends,
Six years ago today Dr. Jerry Falwell died. He was my pastor as well as boss and mentor. On May 15, 2007 as I was working on the Fall and Spring Schedule for 2007/2008 I received a text that said lots of rescue personal at the Mansion – it appears to be related to Dr. Falwell. A few minutes later I receive the notice that indeed it was him and shortly the word came that he was now in the presence of the Lord. Today we remember a man that had as a personal desire that God would have all of him. Millions have been impacted by his life and ministry. Before you in my Tribute to him.

My Tribute to Dr. Falwell

Emerson wrote – great men exist that we might have even greater men. The following is a tribute to a great man who made me a better man.

I learned first from Dr. Falwell to be a person of faith. Dr. Falwell can be described in many ways, with many terms. I think without question he first and foremost should be described as a man of FAITH. He believed God. He believed in the power of prayer. He stated that nothing of eternal significance ever happened apart from prayer. He preached many times from Heb. 11:6 – reminding us that it was impossible to please God without faith and that God was a rewarder of those who did express faith. Without question Dr. Falwell was a man of great faith.

Dr. Falwell was a man who had a great Attitude. Over and over he would repeat the quote, “You don’t determine a man’s greatness by his wealth or his talent, as the world does but rather by what it takes to discourage him.” He also said that we should, “remove all negative people from your inner circle.” I believe his faith in God made him always look at life with a positive view. He just believed God could do the impossible. One of his favorite sayings to live by was, “life is filled with glorious opportunities brilliantly disguised as insolvable problems.” I will always remember his positive attitude and his challenge to face life optimistically.

Dr. Falwell was without question a Leader – He was a visionary and he dreamed big dreams – He had his BHAG. He had numerous ideas and then he implemented those ideas. He made things happen. While there was clearly the leadership of his family, TRBC, LCA LU, the Moral Majority and many of the other organizations he started, what will have the greatest impact on me most of all was his leadership of himself. I am convinced that the greatest leaders lead themselves first. You never had to ask Dr. Falwell if he had his quiet time – early in the morning he was alone with God, reading through a one year Bible – reading the devotional My Utmost for His Highest – writing out his prayer requests. He led himself in the area of integrity – being very careful of never giving the appearance of evil. He was a phenomenal Christian leader, but I will take from his life the importance first of leading myself before attempting to lead others.

Dr. Falwell was a dynamic WITNESS for the Lord. Over and over on TV he would share the gospel. I loved to watch him being interviewed by Larry King or some other reporter, knowing that he would be sharing the gospel. He witnessed personally – he started a church by going house to house. He would witness in front of grocery stores. Sometimes he would talk with a person, sharing the glorious story and sometimes he witnessed with a handshake. That is how he impacted me – the first time I met him I was 18 and was very involved in a sinful lifestyle – (I jokingly say that he created Moral Majority because of people like me). I was in a store purchasing beer when I came face to face with him. He, seeing my long hair and seeing the beer in my hand, moved toward me and then to my surprise stretched out his right hand toward me and said “how are you doing, young man?” I will admit to being a little taken back – I expected a sermon – not a hand shake. Later, after getting saved, I read in Luke 15 about how Jesus was known as a friend of sinners. I thought about my meeting Jerry Falwell for the first time and concluded he was acting like Jesus – being friendly toward sinners. He would challenge us to create our own Top 10 Most Wanted List of people we wanted to see saved. Dr. Falwell was truly a witness for Christ.

Dr. Falwell was an Exhorter who poured out encouragement. He believed that people could be Champions for Christ. He knew how to get you to want to excel at whatever you were doing. I know that what I miss most from him is his encouragement. I am one of thousands that will state “he believed in me when I did not believe in myself.” I can tell of several times in which he called to just see how I was doing. He did that with so many people. I will take away from his words to me that he wanted me to be all that I could be for Jesus Christ – a CHAMPION FOR CHRIST!

Dr. Falwell was a man who loved to Laugh. He told jokes – he pulled pranks – he loved to hit you – when he was in his truck he would love to try to run over you or to blow his horn at you. It did not matter who you were either – I saw him pull pranks on the Chairman of the Board. My children will remember him for grabbing them at baseball games and tickling them. I often thought that Dr. Falwell was a man who truly enjoyed life.

Lastly, Dr. Falwell was a man deeply in Love. He loved his Savior. I cannot prove this, but I think his favorite song was My Jesus, I Love Thee. He loved his wife. Hardly anyone ever saw Dr. Falwell cry. The first time I did was in a convo in the early 90’s when his wife was sick and had to be hospitalized – as he talked about her he choked up. You could tell he loved her deeply. Some of the greatest words ever spoken to me from Dr. Falwell were words that challenged me to keep my relationship with Donita a top priority and keeping it fresh. I can truly say I have had a role model in being a husband. He not only loved his wife, he loved his children. Over and over he stated “what does it profit a man if he gained the world and lose his family.” I not only learned from his example and teaching about being a husband but about being a father! He loved his church – TRBC – but let me quickly say that it was not the building – it was the people. Because of my role with the viewings that took place after his passing I was privileged to see thousand of people walk past his casket. I marveled at how many people just stood and wept. Some would come over to me and tell a story of something that Dr. Falwell did for them. It was so clear that the people of TRBC loved their pastor because he loved them. I will never forget the love he showed me and my family when my mother died. He and his wife drove out to my father’s home to visit with us and pray with us. He truly showed love. And yes – he loved Liberty University. He was its #1 fan. He attended as many events as possible – howbeit sports or musicals or plays or debates. But above all, as stated above he loved his Savior most of all, of whom he now worships face to face. And though he is not here his works live on.

I will never be same because of meeting – knowing – ministering with Dr. Jerry Falwell. And may that be true of all who knew him. I conclude my reflection by giving this challenge
May we all find ourselves living by FAITH
May we all daily have a positive ATTITUDE
May we strive to be a mighty LEADER
May we always be a WITNESS
May we strive to exhort and ENCOURAGE
May we enjoy life with much LAUGHTER
May we be known for demonstrating LOVE.

Continue Strong,

Dwayne Continue reading “A Leader’s Tribute” →

May 20, 2013 0