The first webinar in IBSA’s Church Helps series dropped March 19 to help church leaders navigate the Coronavirus pandemic. Church Helps is also the name of the webpage created to share resources and encouragement as churches seek to do the work of ministry in a uncertain times.
The webinars will livestream at IBSA.org/church-helps on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. For the first session, IBSA’s Mark Emerson and Scott Foshie were joined by Luke Henry, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Savoy, and John Hume, worship pastor at Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville, to discuss the ins and outs of livestreaming a worship service.
Foshie said technology like Facebook Live gives the church many opportunities for effective ministry and outreach, amid the numerous challenges presented by the pandemic. “I believe God is going to use this moment for the church to share the gospel more than it ever has,” he said, “to a wider audience than it ever has.”
Each episode of Church Helps available at IBSA.org/church-helps after it airs. Future topics include: Helping your church give to God’s work (March 24), and Shepherding the flock off-site (March 26).
Emerson and Foshie said they’re looking for input from IBSA leaders about which topics would be most helpful in the coming weeks. Contact them at MarkEmerson@IBSA.org or ScottFoshie@IBSA.org.
IBSA is currently allowing all personnel to telecommute, in keeping with requests from Illinois state health officials and Governor J. B. Pritzker to stay at home if possible. The IBSA Board of Directors will meet online for its regularly schedule spring meeting March 24.
The Priority Women’s Conference will convene online April 24-25. IBSA’s Carmen Halsey and the team will deliver online content for personal devotion, worship, and community, beginning March 23. Follow along IBSA.org and Facebook.com/IllinoisBaptistWomen.
For more information about IBSA events and technology, go to IBSA.org.