1. Educate.
Know the facts about Ebola. Not everyone who goes to or has been to West Africa contracts Ebola. James Graham, pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Herndon, Va., said, “There are so many Liberians that are a part of our congregation that we have had people that have returned from Liberia subsequent to the outbreak and folks that have gone and returned. And so we want to make sure that our people know (there’s) no need to be alarmed.”
2. Strategize.
Like in any crisis, Christians are called to be the hands and feet and minister during times of need. If Christians can look for solutions and ways to minister during crises, then opportunities will arise to share Him with those who may have been closed off in the past. Graham said Southern Baptists have been known for years for the “ability to respond to disasters, whether it’s a hurricane disaster, tornadoes in Alabama or those other things that have taken place across this country. So now is a good time for Southern Baptists to also be responsive to this crisis.”
3. Love.
Remind fellow members and congregations that the people who have been infected and are dying are mothers, fathers, children, friends. Even if the Church is not able to help with the medical aspect of the illness, believers can choose to respond to the situation with love and prayer rather than with fear. George Mason, pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, said, “Are we going to move away from people, out of fear? Are we going to protect ourselves and live for ourselves, or are we going to move toward one another out of love, because we know that the end of the story is already promised?” (BP, TAB)
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