What is God Revealing Through the Pandemic?

Benjamin Kreps:

Hey everyone. Welcome to the Mark Prater podcast, where our aim is to connect our global family of churches with our Executive Director. Hey Mark, there's a rumor going around that for your protection, you've been quarantined underneath the Texas Roadhouse in Glen Mills. Is that where you're broadcasting from right now?

Mark Prater:

I kind of wish I was, but that's not true.

Benjamin Kreps:

You get those nice little cinnamon honey biscuits just taken right down into the basement, to the bunker.

Mark Prater:

Yeah, that'd be one of the reasons I'd love to be there.

Benjamin Kreps:

All right. Well, what we wanted to talk about was this: So God is always at work. He's our sovereign God, reigning over all things. Everything happens according to the counsel of his will. We only see a tiny bit (or understand a tiny bit) of what he's doing at any given time. But what are the kinds of things that you see God doing or revealing in Sovereign Grace Churches during this season?

Mark Prater: 

It's a great question. I've been thinking a lot about it and observing. And of course I don't know all that God is doing, as you just referenced. And I think there's more that we will learn in the weeks and months to come. But here's one of the things I'm seeing: As I watch our pastors respond to this pandemic, it reveals their true calling to shepherd God's people.

And what I mean by that is one of the difficulties our pastors experience is not being able to be with their people. And so that's not only frustrating, t pains them when they're used to sitting in an office counseling them or being with them on a Sunday or dropping into their small group, and none of that can occur. It's just difficult for our guys. And so that alone reveals that our pastors are just guys who love to shepherd the flock that God has entrusted to their care.

Benjamin Kreps: 

And you can see that expressing itself in a myriad of podcasts and devotional videos I see it popping up on my feed from Sovereign Grace guys constantly. You can just feel that guys are saying, we want to connect with our people. We want to serve them even from a distance. So that's wonderful. What else are you seeing?

Mark Prater:

That reveals another thing I'm seeing, which is a commitment by our pastors to our shared ecclesiology. So all those attempts that you just mentioned, whether to do livestream or if the church is choosing not to and doing devotionals for their families to do at home: All of those are expressions of our commitment to build a local church with our values. 

And I think what's being revealed in this time is how we've built for the last 30+ years. We've built with values where the local church is very central to our life and to what we do. And because of that, guys are wanting to continue to build that way in the midst of a pandemic. And I think the effect will be that once we can gather together again, no pastor should fear a member just saying, I'll just continue to livestream. I think they're going to want to be with God's people. And that's because of how we built over the years.

Benjamin Kreps:

It is wonderful in that we historically and presently enjoy a sense of needing to be with one another, practicing the "one anothers," connecting and fellowship, not just showing up on Sundays. So the live feed on Sunday, if that's what we're doing, or some other means, definitely can't replace any of that, just supplement some things. Anything else you're seeing?

Mark Prater: 

I'm seeing the way that pastors are responding to the pandemic in a way that reveals their commitment to our shared gospel mission in Sovereign Grace. Partnership really matters right now. And that's what you're seeing. So even the idea of: Okay, how do you pastor your church in a pandemic? There are guys sharing resources and ideas and ways of doing things together.

But there's also just an ongoing expression of care: pastors reaching out to other pastors, asking how they're doing, texting them, letting them know they're praying for them. I'm observing all of that and realizing God is going to use this pandemic to strengthen the partnerships we so much love in Sovereign Grace.

Benjamin Kreps:

That's beautiful. Is there anything that you have enjoyed or anything you'd recommend to think about when it comes to expressing the gospel mission during the season? (Things that you've seen that seemed to be effective or useful for us to think about?)

Mark Prater: 

In terms of gospel mission, in terms of advancing the gospel, is that what you mean? Probably one of the things (if you haven't yet done it) is to read Jim Donahue's blog post on the church development website. So how do you reach out when you're shut in? He has some really good ideas there, including just praying for unbelievers. 

I think what we've got to anticipate is God using this to draw unbelievers to himself. I saw a picture on Twitter just two days ago of a Barnes and Noble bookstore where the Bible shelves are sparsely filled. In other words, the grocery stores are not only empty, the Bible shelves are empty. And I think that picture says a lot about where people may be at. 

I think Sovereign Grace is poised as just one small denomination to participate in maybe even a revival. Maybe God would do that. Let's pray that way, right? 

Benjamin Kreps:

Amen. Ray, Ortlund Jr. had a post about the hopefulness of what God might be doing through this when it comes to revival that I saw on the Gospel Coalition website. I can't remember what it was called, but it's wonderfully faith-stirring to prepare for revival through all of this.

Mark Prater:

Yeah. Ray Ortlund just has faith in the midst of the pandemic.

Benjamin Kreps:

Such an optimistic fellow and friend. Well thank you Mark.

Mark Prater:

Hey listen, let me mention one other thing before we leave. If, guys haven't seen it yet, Jeff Purswell wrote a blog post yesterday. It's up on the Sovereign Grace central website. And it's up on the church development website. It's entitled, To Stream, or Not to Stream: Considering Sundays in Seclusion. 

It's a very thoughtful blog post that I want all of our guys to read and take advantage of.

Benjamin Kreps:

Great. And thanks for sharing that with us. Thank you for your time, Mark.

Mark Prater:

You're welcome, Ben.

Benjamin Kreps:

We'll talk to everyone else when we see you here next time. Stay safe.