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Pastor Lee Fore Faith Correspondent
The mandate of the church is to glorify God, evangelise, and fellowship, but it has been provoked and gripped by phobia as the COVID-19 pandemic increasingly spread across the globe. The life of the church is threatened and disrupted, because it is the nature of the church to gather and have fellowship; however the church is subjected to confinement, social health distance because of this global pandemic.

The online services as an option is in contrast with the scriptures, according to Hebrews 10:25 KJV “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching”.  This scripture is the evidence which shows the impact of COVID-19 against the normal operations of the church.

On March 27, President Mnangagwa declared a lock-down for 21 days, which came into effect on the March 30, while our neighbours in South Africa are entering their third week after the virus hit their nation.

As the church submit to the authority of the Government according to Hebrews 13:1 KJV “Let every soul; be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no powers but God, the powers that be are ordained of God”.

These 21 days of lock-down can be of more benefit to the church of God as the Church fights against the  COVID-19 pandemic. In the era of this global pandemic, let it be known that God is God, He can never change, and He is the answer through His church. God gave the church power and authority over diseases and sicknesses Mark 16:18 KJV “they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”. There is no need to panic because nothing is insurmountable to God and there is no uncertainty in God.

Apostle Paul says in the book of Romans 8:28 KJV “And we know that all things work together for good, to them who love the Lord, to them who are called according to His purpose”. It is certain that when times such as this came upon the early church, it marked the spread of the gospel and the growth of the church to the rest of the world. The pause button caused by the pandemic is not the nature of the ministry as we enjoyed corporate prayer in the 21st century era. There are some ministers of the gospel arguing that Covid-19 has however, exposed certain things in the church, whereby the body of Christ was too busy concentrating with earthly things rather than kingdom matters, but Covid-19 has gifted the church now to pray more and stand on the gap as the body of Christ.

The magnitude of fear that gripped the church is saddening and it has caused the church failing to stand in its God given authority. Arise church arise, the government and the health authorities have managed to put its measures in place to curb the spread of the pandemic. How about the church, which is said to be the salt and the light of the world.

Let’s rise up and fight this “devil” in this lock-down season, the church needs its space and operate according to God’s will without any limitations in worship and fellowship.

However, Pastor Chikwari of Ambassadors of Christ argued that, church programmes can’t save us neither the men of God whom we have given preference over God, are infected with fear. The life of the church is not in numbers or gathering rather it depends on God and Jesus being centre of it all.

While Bishop John Musadziruma – Pastors Support Network (PSN) states that, the seven churches in the book of Revelations were not the only existing church at that time according to Revelations Chapter 2 & 3, but parallel to the entire church age beginning with the church of the Ephesus which portrayed the 1st century church. The Laodicea church being the last church of the seven, and it is the last type of the last day church, paralleled the last church in many ways.

The Laodicea is said to be more controlled and owned by people or individuals.

The church was lukewarm, neither hot or cold just like the modern day church gripped by fear of the pandemic. The church boast of riches and the main gospel today is prosperity, having believers who are concentrating more about getting rich than anything else.

The last day church boast about many prophets and seers than any other generation yet Jesus calls it the most blind.

However, in times of this pandemic many have not seen the agenda of God, having much prophetic gifts, it has not brought us closer to God.

God is calling for repentance according  Revelations 3:20 KJV “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with Me”.

COVID-19 has caused the closure of the churches in and around the globe, to bring believers and all humanity closer to God, as He realign His church to its mandate. The church needs to go back to its basics as it  resort to home based church setup as it was during Roman Emperor Era, not forgetting health and hygiene recommendations in this lock-down season. No matter what God is God, those who worship Him Must Worship Him in truth and in spirit.

It’s the right time to continue pray for the government and all authorities who are working in various communities during the lock-down period as we fight together COVID-19. More so, the church must take a reflection of faith, and having more family time in the next 21 days, to those who are married this is an ideal time to work on your marriage and family relationships, make use of every opportunity to enjoy God given life in the midst of crises, because life is too short.

Let church be the church

Pastor Lee Fore:  Religious Commentator. For feedback and comments, Contact: +263 773 469 191 or +263 712 314 734: [email protected]