POWER, PASSION, AND PRAYERS DURING THE PANDEMIC (ePub)

The world, as we know it, has drastically changed since mid-March 2020 when the coronavirus was declared a public health emergency and was spreading around the world. Like so many schools, businesses, and sports associations, millions of churches and houses of worship were temporarily closed to prevent the spread of the virus.

What was the church to do? They were used to gathering in person, with faces and feet; however, with the present climate and to protect human life, the church moved to a virtual setting. The well-respected leadership of this church took the seriousness of the pandemic from the very beginning, and as of March 17, they were forced to close and shut the doors. "The church doors may be closed, but the church is still open," stated the pastor as he started the Glad Tidings International Church of God in Christ Zoom prayer line. As online attendance grew by leaps and bounds, the saints began calling it a lifeline-because of the lives that were being sustained during the pandemic in prayer.

Power, Passion, and Prayers during the Pandemic reveals what a local church did to survive the first year of this global crisis. The auspicious leaders, Bishop J.W. Macklin and Lady Vanessa Macklin, declared confidently that "we still believe God," which became the theme of GTI as everyone endeavored to cope with the uncertainty and anxiety of the pandemic. Praying daily gave us the strength we needed to trust that God is with us at every moment and is beside us every step of the way.

The author was inspired to write this book based on the faithfulness, commitment, and testimonies of those who were fighting to replace their pain with prayer and power. She witnessed God's people take the church out into the community, feed the hungry, love the unchurched, offer health services, and make disciples as the church continued to advance the Kingdom of God. COVID-19 didn't stop them, not at all. The members of Glad Tidings International and other believers around the world experienced some gain and some losses, but they kept on going. The pandemic empowered them, impassioned them, and encouraged both the young and old to forge ahead for Christ. "The church may have been shut down, but we will not shut up."