VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Benjamin Kreps:

Hey everyone. And welcome to the Mark Prater podcast, where our aim is to connect our global family of churches with our Executive Director. Mark, historically, and currently, we build together relationally in Sovereign Grace Churches. Can you talk to us a little bit about that value that we have, the priority we place on that relational dynamic? And then you have some updates for us. But could you talk to us about that? What you're thinking right now?

Mark Prater:

It's a value that we've always had thanks to the leadership of C.J., our founder, who's just really built that into our culture. Building relationally is really a part of the gospel culture in Sovereign Grace, especially among the pastors who really see themselves as brothers going through a gospel ministry and mission together. And we captured that on paper. It's, you know, captured in our Seven Shared Values, the seventh value being united in fellowship, governance, and mission. And that, at least on paper, tries to capture that value.

But I think it's important to always keep before us, especially as we expand globally. Because as we expand globally, which I believe is going to happen by God's grace, it will be important that we don't lose that value and that we have ways of connecting with one another, even across the globe.

So, as I think about the future of this podcast, if we don't get canceled after season one, Ben.

Benjamin Kreps:

When is season one over? I feel like we might be in season one for a few years here.

Mark Prater:

I’ve got to check with our producer about that. I don't know it's over. But if we don't get canceled after season one, I sort of envision the future of this podcast as being one means to keep guys updated on what's happening in different churches, across the globe. It’s at least as one way to keep us connected together, relationally.

Benjamin Kreps:

Yeah. And I think that's, for many of us, what stings so much about not having the Pastors Conference next month, because many of us, most of us, have grown so accustomed to having those days to connect, to build together, to rekindle friendship and fellowship. But, Lord willing, we will have a Pastors Conference next year. You've got some updates for us as pastors to be thinking about in some churches down South.

Mark Prater:

Yeah. I just have gotten emails over the last few days, actually. One from Joe Alcantar, who's in El Paso and one just last night from Carlos Contraras, who obviously is in Juarez. And what's sort of unique is there is in El Paso and Juarez, there is an outbreak of COVID. Joe emailed me and said can you be praying for our city and for our churches?

So, we have two churches in El Paso, Cross of Grace Church that's led by Ricky Alcantar and then Misión de Gracia led by Helman Avila, a Spanish speaking church. And then we have Iglesia Gracia Soberana de Cd. Juarez. And those two cities are uniquely connected together, culturally, relationally and economically. So the impact is really being felt in both of those cities. I know from what Carlos told me last night that actually, patients in El Paso are being asked to volunteer to be airlifted to other hospitals in the state just to make more room for the hospitalization needs that they have in that city. Carlos was also saying that they have now have over 25 members who have tested positive. Most of them have mild symptoms, some don't. He's just concerned for his church, as is Ricky and Joe Alcantar, as is Hellman.

So, I just wanted to give that update because I think that's one way that we stay connected relationally. If you guys are listening to this podcast, please pray for those three churches: Cross of Grace Church, Misión de Gracia and Iglesia Gracia Soberana Juarez. And for those pastoral teams who are seeking to shepherd and care for their people during a unique time there, for sure.

Benjamin Kreps:

Sad to hear. And I'm sure we will be praying, as a family of churches, for those churches down South that we're connected with. Any other thoughts about our relational building together before we conclude here?

Mark Prater:

Yeah, I think it's what you just said. When you use that phrase “family of churches,” of course, we're a denomination. We can't deny that. We've got the Book of Church Order, but we never want to lose, being a family of churches, which is connected together relationally.

And I think that relational connection really does strengthen our mission. Partly because we know that we're doing mission together, but also because I think it can be a means by which we stay united and unity is necessary for mission to move forward.

Benjamin Kreps:

Right.

Mark Prater:

So, I just think it's important, not just for the benefits of what we enjoy when we see people at the Pastors Conference and share a meal with them when we haven't seen them for a year, but it's also practically in the day to day. It does impact our mission together.

Benjamin Kreps:

It truly does. And Jesus said as much in John 17 when he prayed and said that the world will know that the Son was sent from the Father by our unity. And so thank you, Mark, for leading us and encouraging us in that unity. And thank you everyone for watching. We'll see you here soon. Bye for now.

Dear brothers,

I’m writing to thank you for the many ways you are laboring in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to pastor, lead, and care for the members of your church. In God’s good sovereignty, He uses pandemics to reveal many things. As I hear about the ways that you are responding to the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presents, my respect and appreciation for you has only increased. Here are some of the ways I see God is using this pandemic to reveal things about you, for which I thank God for.

This pandemic reveals your true calling as a pastor.

You are not men who are running away from this pandemic, rather, you are men who have run right into it with faith and courage. Your prayers, long hours, and the hard work you have done to serve your church reveal that you have been faithful, you have stayed at your post, and by God’s grace are even more resolved to pastor and protect your church. If you weren’t called, you would have quit. But you are men who have taken the people of your church by the hand and said to them, “fear not, for our God is with us.” (Isaiah 41:10) I thank God for how He is using this pandemic to reveal your true calling as a pastor.

This pandemic reveals your heart to shepherd the flock of God

Peter exhorts us “shepherd the flock of God that is among you…” (1 Peter 5:2a) The necessary isolation this pandemic has produced reveals your heart to shepherd those among you who God has entrusted to your care. The frustration, pain, and burden you feel because you can’t be with your people only reveals the shepherd’s heart God has given you. The creative ways that you have used Zoom, Skype, phone calls, and texts to talk with your people, counsel your people, and pray with them all reveal a heart to shepherd the specific flock God has entrusted to your care. I thank God for how COVID-19 has revealed your heart to shepherd your flock.

This pandemic reveals your devotion to our ecclesiology

COVID-19 has forced us to ask questions like, “How can we remain faithful to our ecclesiology and still pastor our people especially when we can’t gather together?” Just the fact that you are wrestling with that question reveals your devotion to continue to build your church on solid theological ground. You are men who don’t want to compromise all the entailments of corporate worship that we enjoy. I also believe that because you have been faithful to our ecclesiology, where you have taught the primacy of the local church, and the practice of gathering together every Sunday in particular, when this pandemic is over, you are going to see the fruit of what you have built for years. In other words, right now the members of your church are anticipating the day when you can all gather together because you have been faithful to our ecclesiology. I thank God for your devotion.

This pandemic reveals your commitment to our gospel partnership in Sovereign Grace.

Our interdependence to advance the gospel together is not only a New Testament reality, but also an important aspect of our culture in Sovereign Grace. We have always built relationally with one another, and God has used this pandemic to show us why we must continue to do so. I have been so encouraged to see our pastors sharing ideas and resources to help and strengthen one another. I’ve watched with joy as Sovereign Grace pastors reach out to one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, and care for one another. By God’s grace, we will endure, and even thrive, in this pandemic together because you are men who are committed to the gospel partnership we share. I thank God for your ongoing commitment.

These are just some of the ways that I see God using COVID-19 to reveal the good work He is doing in each of you. I don’t know if it’s appropriate for me to say this or not, but I’m going to say it anyway. I’m so proud of the pastors in Sovereign Grace! And I continue to count it a privilege to labor for the gospel alongside each of you.

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13

With my heart-felt appreciation,

Mark

Benjamin Kreps

Hey everyone. Welcome to the Mark Prater podcast, where we aim to connect our global family of churches to our Executive Director.

 Mark, a couple videos ago, we talked about the COVID-19 pandemic. It was just really starting. So perhaps some of our reflections on that weren't reflective of what is actually happening around this. Things are developing every single day. Things are changing. So, continuing to process through this pandemic, through this crisis, really, culturally, what thoughts do you have as you continue to think about this for us as pastors and when it comes to us pastoring our churches?

Mark Prater:

Thanks for asking. It is changing almost hourly, isn't it? A pandemic is something we've never faced before. So it presents leadership and pastoral challenges. We feel like we're in uncharted territory. I mean, my very first thought is, with all that's coming at our pastors in Sovereign Grace, the main thing I want them to know is the Leadership Team is praying for them and exists to serve them. And as we just watch what our pastors are doing, they seem to be leading and pastoring so well. So that's my very first thought.

The second thought is, pastors shouldn't feel pressure to try to apply all the practices that are being passed around on media in particular. I think the main thing a pastor needs to do is obviously know his theology (and his ecclesiology in this case in particular) and then to know his church and then determine based on those two things what will best serve his church. Pastors shouldn't feel pressure to do livestream for example (which isn't wrong to do, but you shouldn't feel pressured to do it if you can't pull it off).

Benjamin Kreps:

We didn't learn about pastoring through a pandemic in the PC, but your encouragement is helpful because what you're saying is there's grace actually for pastors to navigate through this when it comes to practice. What kinds of things have you seen that you think do serve principally during this season?

Mark Prater:

In terms of just talking about a Sunday service, for example, obviously there are churches that have the ability to livestream. I don't think churches or pastors should feel the pressure to do that.

 You could record a sermon and put it up online as an option and ask your folks to watch it on Sunday morning. You can record that anytime during the week. If you're not able to do that, you could create a devotional of some kind or find devotional resources and send that to your folks and ask them to worship at home. I think that's an option.

You were telling me, Ben, I think you're recording your service on Saturday. Is that right? Tell me what you're doing.

Benjamin Kreps:

We did last week and we're looking to do that this week. It's not a rule. We'd actually prefer to livestream. It would just seem a little bit more connective. But our tech guy had some concerns. 

So yeah, we're recording tomorrow, mid-morning, and then later we'll put it up for our folks to watch together. We are inviting people at the regular time around 10 o'clock to gather as families and to watch together.

We did that last week with Dave Odom and it worked well. We had a lot of people that got back to us and said they in fact did gather as families right around the time we normally meet (about 15 minutes late, because that's the normal way that we meet) and it served folks.

Mark Prater:

That's great.

Benjamin Kreps:

Here's an issue that guys are thinking through: What do you think about having Communion during this season of social distancing where most of us, I imagine, (basically all of us) have suspended our Sunday gatherings? What do you think about an idea that I've heard some guys kick around of passing out the elements perhaps at a different time during the week and then leading through Communion in homes through the video or livestream?

Mark Prater:

I actually hadn't thought about it until yesterday when that question came up. And as I've thought about it just a bit more (and I want to study this more myself in terms of what is my sacramental theology), I personally would not recommend doing it that way, for this reason: The two sacraments that our Savior gave His church (water baptism and communion—the Lord's Supper) are meant to be shared in the gathered church when we are together.

The Communion or the Lord's Supper certainly is a meal. Obviously, He instituted it at a Passover meal where people are present. So there's something that we want to preserve there and there's something that we experience together in the gathered church that's unique in that moment that we want to preserve. So where I'm at personally is I wouldn't recommend doing Communion via livestream.

Benjamin Kreps:

Well, Mark, thanks for calling us to prayer, which is our first and most important work. I don't think this video will be posted today, but March 20th is a day of prayer for Sovereign Grace Churches. Thanks for leading when it comes to helping Mickey get the church development website up (I would encourage guys to look at their resources there as you lead through these things), and we trust that God will in fact lead us and strengthen us through these confusing days ahead. So thank you, Mark.

Mark Prater:

You're welcome. By the way, the church development website address is sgcleaders.com. And that's available to pastors both in and outside of Sovereign Grace.

Benjamin Kreps:

Wonderful. Thanks, Mark. We'll see everybody next time.