How Do We Pastor in a Pandemic? An Interview with Mark Prater

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Benjamin Kreps

Hey everyone. Welcome to the Mark Prater podcast, where we aim to connect our global family of churches to our Executive Director.

Mark, a couple videos ago, we talked about the COVID-19 pandemic. It was just really starting. So perhaps some of our reflections on that weren't reflective of what is actually happening around this. Things are developing every single day. Things are changing. So, continuing to process through this pandemic, through this crisis, really, culturally, what thoughts do you have as you continue to think about this for us as pastors and when it comes to us pastoring our churches?

Mark Prater:

Thanks for asking. It is changing almost hourly, isn't it? A pandemic is something we've never faced before. So it presents leadership and pastoral challenges. We feel like we're in uncharted territory. I mean, my very first thought is, with all that's coming at our pastors in Sovereign Grace, the main thing I want them to know is the Leadership Team is praying for them and exists to serve them. And as we just watch what our pastors are doing, they seem to be leading and pastoring so well. So that's my very first thought.

The second thought is, pastors shouldn't feel pressure to try to apply all the practices that are being passed around on media in particular. I think the main thing a pastor needs to do is obviously know his theology (and his ecclesiology in this case in particular) and then to know his church and then determine based on those two things what will best serve his church. Pastors shouldn't feel pressure to do livestream for example (which isn't wrong to do, but you shouldn't feel pressured to do it if you can't pull it off).

Benjamin Kreps:

We didn't learn about pastoring through a pandemic in the PC, but your encouragement is helpful because what you're saying is there's grace actually for pastors to navigate through this when it comes to practice. What kinds of things have you seen that you think do serve principally during this season?

Mark Prater:

In terms of just talking about a Sunday service, for example, obviously there are churches that have the ability to livestream. I don't think churches or pastors should feel the pressure to do that.

You could record a sermon and put it up online as an option and ask your folks to watch it on Sunday morning. You can record that anytime during the week. If you're not able to do that, you could create a devotional of some kind or find devotional resources and send that to your folks and ask them to worship at home. I think that's an option.

You were telling me, Ben, I think you're recording your service on Saturday. Is that right? Tell me what you're doing.

Benjamin Kreps:

We did last week and we're looking to do that this week. It's not a rule. We'd actually prefer to livestream. It would just seem a little bit more connective. But our tech guy had some concerns. 

So yeah, we're recording tomorrow, mid-morning, and then later we'll put it up for our folks to watch together. We are inviting people at the regular time around 10 o'clock to gather as families and to watch together.

We did that last week with Dave Odom and it worked well. We had a lot of people that got back to us and said they in fact did gather as families right around the time we normally meet (about 15 minutes late, because that's the normal way that we meet) and it served folks.

Mark Prater:

That's great.

Benjamin Kreps:

Here's an issue that guys are thinking through: What do you think about having Communion during this season of social distancing where most of us, I imagine, (basically all of us) have suspended our Sunday gatherings? What do you think about an idea that I've heard some guys kick around of passing out the elements perhaps at a different time during the week and then leading through Communion in homes through the video or livestream?

Mark Prater:

I actually hadn't thought about it until yesterday when that question came up. And as I've thought about it just a bit more (and I want to study this more myself in terms of what is my sacramental theology), I personally would not recommend doing it that way, for this reason: The two sacraments that our Savior gave His church (water baptism and communion—the Lord's Supper) are meant to be shared in the gathered church when we are together.

The Communion or the Lord's Supper certainly is a meal. Obviously, He instituted it at a Passover meal where people are present. So there's something that we want to preserve there and there's something that we experience together in the gathered church that's unique in that moment that we want to preserve. So where I'm at personally is I wouldn't recommend doing Communion via livestream.

Benjamin Kreps:

Well, Mark, thanks for calling us to prayer, which is our first and most important work. I don't think this video will be posted today, but March 20th is a day of prayer for Sovereign Grace Churches. Thanks for leading when it comes to helping Mickey get the church development website up (I would encourage guys to look at their resources there as you lead through these things), and we trust that God will in fact lead us and strengthen us through these confusing days ahead. So thank you, Mark.

Mark Prater:

You're welcome. By the way, the church development website address is sgcleaders.com. And that's available to pastors both in and outside of Sovereign Grace.

Benjamin Kreps:

Wonderful. Thanks, Mark. We'll see everybody next time.

Mark Prater is the Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Churches and has served as an elder at Covenant Fellowship Church since 2002.

Marriage Weekender

The following is the material we use for our marriage weekenders at Crossway.  Please feel free to use anything you think would be helpful in your ministry to couples.

I. Biblical History of Marriage

Tim Keller said “Unless you’re able to look at marriage through the lens of Scripture instead of through your own fears or romanticism, through your particular experience, or through your culture’s narrow perspectives, you won’t be able to make intelligent decisions about your own marital future.”  This first session - A BIBLICAL HISTORY OF MARRIAGE – explores God’s original intention and provision for marriage; the defiling effect of sin; and, the redemptive effect of the gospel. The redemptive effect that gives every couple hope that - “our marriage can reflect the relationship between Jesus and His church” – no matter where we find ourselves at any one moment.

II. The Model and Motive for Marriage

Scripture paints a picture of an ideal marriage.  Loving servant leadership by a husband and respectful, submissive helping by a wife.  When each spouse fulfills those God ordained roles with those God ordained attitudes marriage works like a well-oiled machine.  But because of sin that ideal can quickly become an ordeal in a marriage.  This second session - THE MODEL AND MOTIVES FOR MARRIAGE – explains how roles in marriage work and warns about ways that sin can ruin that model.  Finally, it looks at the one motive for marriage that will most help you to stay on track as you strive to follow the Lord’s plan for you in your marriage.

III. Staying Out of Trouble

1 Corinthians 7:28 (NIV) Yet those who marry will face many troubles in this life.   Given that reality, it seems clear that marriages are better served by staying out of trouble than by getting out of trouble.  But how do you do that?  This third session – STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE – looks at some everyday things you can do to keep your marriage on track and to avoid some of the troubles that commonly affect even the best of marriages. No one ever drifts into a happy, God-glorifying marriage; couples will only approach that goal through a purposeful commitment to Biblical wisdom and practice. (Note – because of the length of this session it may be wise to use it in two parts.)

IV. Moving On

R.C. Sproul wisely said “Even the best marriages have problems.  Often the difference between a healthy marriage and a defective one in not the number and severity of problems encountered, but in the way problems are dealt with.”  In this forth session – MOVING ON – we look at how grace, mercy and forgiveness, motivated by and modeled after the way God treats us will help any couple both prevent and move on from normal marital conflicts.  And it will help couple whose marriages are in deep trouble find the way, in time, to move on the happy, God-glorifying marriage that they so desperately desire.

All Introductions:

SGC Documents

Every year, the Council of Elders meets to conduct business, pray, and cast vision for the future of our family of churches. The most recent minutes for 2019 are now available, as well as a number of other important documents.

Reaching Out While Staying In

When my sons were young, I would sometimes take them to construction sites on my day off so we could watch the big trucks and loaders do their thing.  One day, we pulled up to a busy site and my young son jumped out of the car and yelled, “Wow!”  His brother jumped out right behind him and shouted, “Wow! Wow!” We called it a Double Wow Moment.  The pandemic that has come upon us deserves a Double Wow. 

This unique time in history presents us with some great opportunities to reach out to others.  It’s often in times of crisis that people are more open to the gospel, and right now we are all in some form of crisis.  Our neighbors, co-workers, classmates, and family members are scared, and they don’t know where to turn.  Some fear the virus itself; others wonder how they’re going to make rent this month or pay for medicine they need.  

This is where we come in. As followers of Jesus, one of our main jobs is to help others become followers of Jesus (Matthew 4:19).  In order to save us, Jesus had to be outward in his focus. When we are joined to Christ through his extraordinary death for us, we too become outward in focus. We become like Him. Since our greatest need has been met in Christ, we can now turn and meet the needs of others, and there are many needs to meet!  So in times of “social distancing” how can we be reaching out while staying in?

Here are a few ways:

• Prayer - During a time of crisis, people are more open to prayer. They’re struggling with fear, uncertainty, loneliness, despair, boredom and other difficult feelings.  Let’s offer to pray for them during these months. Who can we reach out to today?

• Service - Meeting practical needs is powerful. Those who are older or in the high-risk category might not be comfortable running to the grocery store or doing an errand.  They also might need some help around the house.  How can we step in to meet these needs?

• Invitation - In times like these, people are often more open to church than usual, so why not invite them to watch your church’s service if it’s live-streamed? And if it’s not, find another that is. My wife, Trish, just posted this on our neighborhood Facebook group:

Hi neighbors,

What a crazy time we are living through! It's great to see our neighborhood caring for each other. We know lots of churches in the area are canceled. We attend (and Jim helps pastor) Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, and some other neighboring families attend as well. We are live-streaming our Sunday service through this crisis, so feel free to join us on Sunday morning at 10:00 if you are so inclined! The link is: covfel.org/live

This is a time of anxiety and economic hardship for many. Feel free to send us any prayer requests you might have, and it would be a privilege to pray for you. Also, let us know if we can help with any errands or physical needs. And for those of you with kids home from school: we hope you all stay sane!

There are countless ways to show Christ’s love to those around us, and I hope these few suggestions spur you on as you lead your church. I’d love to hear any ideas you have! Let’s be sure that we use this time, not just to pray the inconveniences away, but to reach out to those who desperately need the hope of the gospel.

Jim Donahue is the Pastor of Evangelism at Covenant Fellowship Church, Glenn Mills, PA.

Pastoring Through Coronavirus

Pastors are men with a calling from God to serve His people as shepherds and overseers.  Peter's exhortation is to "shepherd the flock of God that is among you."  But how are we supposed to do that if we can't be among the flock that God has entrusted to us?  How can we shepherd in a "social distancing" era?  How can we call God's people to gather when the wisdom of the moment is to scatter and to isolate?

Those are the questions that pastors all over this country, across the globe, are asking themselves.  Those are the questions that SG pastors are asking.  From my brief survey of SG churches, they are questions that are being answered quite well. 

This short (ish – i.e., less than War and Peace) article is intended to help you to think through how you can best serve your local church at this unusual time.  And to do this understanding that SG is a diverse group of churches.  Our churches range in size from 20 to 1000+.  Some are rural, some are suburban, and some are urban.  Some have been high-tech for as long as they can remember.  Some are having to learn a whole new world of communication technology.  So there is no – one size fits all – model to follow.  

Given this, let’s cover three areas of shepherding care: Sunday morning, ongoing pastoral care, and giving and benevolence. And we'll also explore some ways diverse churches can pastor through coronavirus.

I.  Sunday Mornings

Before talking about some ways to do this right now, let's remember that, as Jay Kim said in his recent TGC post that going to virtual Sunday mornings is to be “a temporary compromise rather than an ongoing convenience.”  Our members must be taught that the church gathering in person on the Lord's day is and has always been God's plan for His people.  We can't predict how long there will be restrictions on gathering, but we must be clear that as soon as we can, we will be ceasing virtual meetings and returning to Sunday gatherings. 

But in the meantime, there are ways to "gather" God's people, not in place but in time, to experience worship together. (I don't think we can make this an iron-clad rule, but I would encourage people to participate at the designated time and not watch a recording later.)

Live streaming services seem like the most common method.  There are various ways to live stream, e.g., on Facebook, Youtube, and other platforms.  If you have no idea how to do this, I'd suggest you check with some tech-savvy person in your church or another church in your region that you think may be doing this well.  I’ve included a couple of tutorials at the end of this paper. (Just don’t bother checking with me because I have no clue!!!)

I'd encourage you to do the best you can, but don’t obsess about high-level production value – the most important thing is to be able to care for people.

I wouldn’t advise trying to do more than 1 hour.  Experts I have talked to say it can be hard to stay attentive to this kind of communication much longer.  Watching a live stream isn’t the same as being there on a Sunday.

It seems like a good idea to send out an order of service, song lyrics, etc. in advance to help people more easily follow along.

A typical schedule many of our churches are using is… 

•  Call to Worship

• 2 songs

• Pastoral prayer and announcements

• Offering – with options for giving

• Sermon (30 minutes or so)

• 1 song

• Benediction 

As far as preaching content, most guys have continued the series they were in (with maybe a one-off message to address the situation) thinking that continuity and at least some sense of normalcy were important.  Even with that, they have tried to be sensitive to the application to our particular time. 

Some are taking a break and do a topical series on issues related to the current crisis covering topics like – anxiety/fear, faith, loving neighbor, mortality/death, evangelism during a crisis, etc. 

Some are close to ending a current series and are considering not starting a new series until the church can regather.  Some of our churches have historically used the break between series to do a few messages from the Psalms or to do a short topical series.

Some churches have decided not to try to do a full (albeit shortened) Sunday service.  These would include not singing, or only showing a sermon.  Some have pre-recorded the sermon on either video or audio and made those available for people to listen or watch.

One church told me they were doing a 2-3 minute message addressed to kids as a way to help them be included in the service.

Another thing that has come up is communion, and whether we should do that "virtually."  I wouldn't for a couple of reasons:  First, Jesus said "as often as you do this" meaning there is no mandate to celebrate at any regular interval. Second, and more importantly, theologically the Lord's Supper is intended to be celebrated by the gathered church and being scattered as we are the thing represented is diminished.  But I would certainly create anticipation for when we can regather and plan to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as a part of your first meeting back.

The point is that there is no right or wrong here.  Your team must decide how to best serve for the moment.

One more thing  - several guys have told me that unbelieving family and friends have been tuning in to their live streams.  So encourage your members to invite and think about how you might conduct your service with that in mind. 

II.  Pastoral Care

Before dropping into particulars, I'd encourage two things in general: Lots of communication – people need to know what’s going on and why.  When people are isolated like we are, hearing from their pastors, small group leaders and friends keep them/us both encouraged and united. That might involve lots of prayer, sending out weekly prayer points, holding on line prayer meetings, etc.  These unite your church as they cry out to God for His mercy and grace. 

The wisest course seems to be to shrink everyone's lives for the time being.  I think the less contact, the better, especially since people are contagious before any symptoms show up.  So most of the guys I have talked to have canceled small groups, Bible studies, prayer meetings, etc.  But like Sunday mornings, there are viable ways to keep groups connected. 

The number one way churches have been doing this is through Zoom Meetings.  If you aren’t familiar with Zoom, it's a video conferencing platform using a computer, pad or phone. The blessing of Zoom is to be able to hold smaller group gatherings where you can both see and hear and thus interact with each other.  At the end of this document, I've included information on how to set up a Zoom account.  There is also a link to a similar Skype service.

For most of our churches, you will probably need more than one account so several people can do zoom meetings at the same time.  Zoom is free for meetings of up to 100 people for 40 minutes.  Zoom pro costs $15 a month and is an excellent choice for you as elders.

Almost all the guys I talked to are using Zoom or some other platform (face time, free conference calls, Skype, private Facebook pages) to help people, especially their small groups, to stay in touch.  It’s a great way for groups to keep up with each other’s lives, to discuss the Sunday message or other content, and to pray for each other.  Pastors would be wise to regularly communicate with their small group leaders as well.

Although it's pretty tricky to have two-way communication with a large number of people (maybe 20+), Zoom can be useful for getting the entire congregation together for family meeting type communication.  And of course, there is good old email, text, website, and church connect applications. 

We could also encourage pastors and small group leaders to stay in touch with members through phone and face time.  Most guys I’ve talked to are trying to continue counseling appointments using the phone in this way.

In addition to these types of communication, many churches are providing other teaching contexts for their folks.  These could be anything from daily written devotionals to weekly 5-7 minute video devotionals for people.  Smartphones make it easy for anyone to record and distribute these types of communications.

III.  Giving and Benevolence

1.  Giving

It may seem crass, but you have to pay the bills.  So I think you must hit this issue head-on by finding ways to remind people about the importance of giving.

If you don’t already have something, create ways people can give online (e.g., bill pay with their bank, giving by credit card or text to tithe) or provide a place where people can drop off checks. Mark Donovan has kindly offered to help your church if you need it (see below).

2.  Benevolence

There is almost certainly going to be needed for benevolence both within your church and in your community. 

Some already have a benevolence fund and are encouraging people to give to that fund at this time.  A couple of things to think about… 

Galatians 6:10 “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Unless you have unlimited funds, you are going to have to make decisions on how and where to give benevolence.  While we certainly want to help in our communities, I think the Bible calls us to help our members first.  Given the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, some of your members are probably going to lose jobs or at least have hours cut back.  I think before we start making decisions regarding giving to the community, we need to determine a strategy for serving our members.  Small groups and families can certainly help in this regard.

I’d also encourage Regional Leaders to coordinate help within the region if necessary.  Some regional churches may be overwhelmed with a need, while others may not. 

Have a correlated strategy on how to help in the community.  I anticipate that there will be a multitude of needs, so decide where you can best help in your community.

In addition to monetary help, see if there are ways you can serve your community/neighbors in other ways.  You will particularly have elderly and infirm folks who will need practical help.  E.g.

Center Church in Phoenix created a flyer to deliver door to door offering various kinds of help to neighbors.

Brothers, this is just another of many moments when I'm so grateful that we are in this together.  Thanks so much for being shepherds "after God's own heart" that don't let any circumstance keep you from performing that holy task and performing it with such faithfulness, grace, and love!!!

Mickey

On behalf of the LT

---

SOME PRACTICALS

Zoom

Go to https://zoom.us/pricing

1. There is a free Basic version that can host up to 100 participants. 1 to 1 meetings are free without a time limit.

2. But, for meetings with more than 2 participants, the time limit is 40 minutes.

3. The Pro version for $14.99 per month has all the basic features and no time limit
   Click the orange Buy Now button

Skype – offers a free video chat for groups of up to 50 people. 

https://www.skype.com/en/features/group-video-chat/

These are tutorials on live streaming that I was told were helpful. 

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/livestream-church-service-practical-guide/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwKzPMSP_Dw

 Mark Donovan has kindly offered churches to set up online giving.  He wrote…

I agree with Tommy that Planning Center Online is a great choice. The Text2Give option that SG Central recently added does integrate with Planning Center Online, as well as ACS, Church Community Builder, Fellowship One, Give. Plus, Seraphim and TouchPoint. It is quick and easy to set up but does cost $25 per month plus 1%, which is in addition to any ACH or credit card fees.

Is It Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Flu. a Cold or Season Allergies?

All 4 can look very similar, making it hard to tell the difference. Use the chart below to help you decide when to seek care for your symptoms.

Sovereign Grace Churches Day of Prayer for the COVID-19 Pandemic

One of the ways that Scripture calls us to respond to trouble, like the COVID-19 pandemic, is to pray knowing that God will answer our prayers. David writes in Psalm 20, “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion.”(Psalm 20:1-2) God is eager to send his help when we ask him for it in prayer. Therefore, I’m asking that the members and pastors of Sovereign Grace Churches devote this Friday, March 20 as a Day of Prayer to pray for the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a list of items you can pray for:

• Ask God to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus throughout our world.

• Ask God to protect those who are “high-risk” from contracting the COVID-19 virus.

• Ask God to heal those who are sick, especially those who test positive for COVID-19.

• Ask God to provide for the members of our churches especially those who may be negatively impacted financially.

• Ask God to give the pastors of Sovereign Grace churches wisdom as they make daily and weekly decisions related to church schedule, pastoral care, etc.

• Ask God to give wisdom and strength to our President/Prime Minister, Congress/Parliament, State, and Local Government leaders as they make decisions for our respective nations, states, and locales.

• Ask God to give us opportunities to share the hope we have in the gospel with unbelievers who are hopeless and fearful.

• Ask the Prince of Peace to give us peace as we walk through this pandemic together trusting in His sovereign rule and reign.

Thanks for praying!

Mark Prater is the Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Churches and has served as an elder at Covenant Fellowship Church since 2002.

What Should Wise Retirement Stewards Do Now?

It’s honestly hard to know what to write about in times like this.

If you are a Christian believer, I trust you are seeking encouragement and guidance from God and His Word, and strength and consolation through his Holy Spirit.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Like many of you, I attended “virtual church” for the first time in my life last Sunday. It felt very different; I think that’s because God created us to be in close community with one another (Acts 2:42).

I hope this is temporary—only God knows for how long.

In these challenging times, with so much human suffering and death, the stewardship of our health and that of others trumps stewardship of finances big time. So, first and foremost, take care of yourself and your family, and do what you can for those in your neighborhood, church, and community, even if that means being more generous with your finances.

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).

But we can’t take our eye off the financial ball either (especially since the media is inundating us with so much bad economic news).

This pandemic will, God-willing, eventually, pass. But it will probably leave behind some enormous problems, and some significant economic fallout as well. It is already wreaking havoc on many families’ budgets, 401(k)s, and IRAs. Consequently, many of us are wondering, “what would God have me to do now?”

Our government and health officials are giving us lots of advice on how to plan for (and hopefully) prevent the spread of the virus. So in this article, I will offer some possible answers to the financial stewardship part. But only you can decide what is best for you and your family—and that is between you and God.

First Things First

The most important thing Christians can do is pray. Pray for the containment of the virus, those working in the government, health care providers, and for the sick that they would recover. Pray for small business owners and that stability would return to the financial markets.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7).

From there, vigilance is essential to understand what is happening with the pandemic and also in the financial markets.

Young people may be less concerned about the virus, and also short-term market losses. But the infection is more severe for older people, and so are significant losses in their retirement portfolios. We can’t compare financial loss with the loss of health or life, but it is something to be concerned about just the same.

Scripture instructs us on what our heart attitude should be toward loss in this life:

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (Phil 3:8).

But that doesn’t mean that we should ignore the challenges or do nothing (although, sometimes, patiently doing nothing is the best posture, especially when we don’t know what else to do.)

Should I do Something?

An often-heard piece of advice when the markets are so volatile is, “don’t just do something, stand there.” That is difficult to do in times like this, mainly because our emotions are running high.

Those who are nearing retirement may be concerned that they may not be able to when they planned. If you are already in retirement, you may feel downright scared. In a way, your fear is understandable—we are in a perilous and unprecedented situation—and the financial threats are real. (I discussed the importance of trusting God in my last article.)

Retirees, and soon-to-be retirees, need to be able to generate income to pay the bills. I am living (partially) off my investments. The hard reality for those of us in this situation is that we are taking money out of retirement savings at the same time the value of our savings is declining. This results in a loss-compounding effect, which can be especially concerning.

Times like these can cause soon-to-be retirees or those already there asking whether we should stay in stocks at all. Is this the time to bail out and never look back? I can’t answer that definitively for you, but probably not; emotionally-driven financial decisions almost always end badly.

I can’t help but notice that whenever the stock market has a bad (in this case, REALLY, terrible) few weeks, more ads than usual show up on TV and the internet offering you the perfect “safe” investment to protect yourself from the ravages of the volatile financial markets. These are often pitches for indexed- and variable annuities and precious metals, such as gold and silver.

This is understandable—as I have observed in the past, there is a lot of fear-mongering in the financial products marketplace. These companies know how unsettling extreme market volatility can be and how good their “almost too good to be true” product offerings can sound when potential customers are confused and stressed.

Annuities and precious metals can be appropriate for many retirees’ income strategies. But the keyword here is “strategies.” Deciding based on emotion (fear, greed, etc.) in the heat of the moment is not a strategy. It’s an emotional reaction leading to behavior that may detour you from your long-term plan, which may cause you harm in the future.

The Christian’s foundation for any investment decision must be biblical wisdom combined with a reasonable understanding of what they are dealing with (or getting counsel and advice from someone who does, such as a trusted financial adviser). Always seek to understand what you are investing in and why you are doing it before you decide.

Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches (Proverbs 24:3-4).

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety (Proverbs 11:14).

Now is a Bad Time to Change Strategies

As I wrote in my last article, the middle of a financial crisis is an awful time to realize that you have taken on much more investment risk than you are comfortable with. You may need to reassess—and perhaps change your strategy—but it would be best to do that in more settled times.

Once the markets have settled down and start to rebound, you may even feel better about your strategy. At the very least, you can think it through without the fog of crisis clouding your thinking.

In the last article, I also mentioned using this as a time to learn. I suspect that recent market losses (including some traditionally “safe” investments like corporate bonds) have taught us some harsh lessons about hidden risks in our investment portfolios.

I have always viewed large-cap, dividend-oriented stocks as being “safer” than others that are more growth-oriented.

And I believed that high-quality corporate bond funds were even safer than dividend stock funds. But in the current market mayhem, everything is getting clobbered.

Another looming problem for retirees, which may not play out until later this year, is the possible reduction of company dividends. Stock dividends have been up as economic growth has continued, but the party may be over, at least for a while.

Many retirees have increasingly relied on dividend income as treasury and bond yields have fallen. And they just took another plunge

Companies with an extensive history of paying dividends are reluctant to cut them. That will be the case with this market crisis as well; many will go to great lengths (such as tapping cash reserves) to avoid doing so. Those of us who depend on them will have to wait and see.

I have no plans to sell my dividend stock funds. They comprise less than 30% of my portfolio (since prices are down). Because they are mostly good quality companies, I expect them to rebound when the overall market does (whenever that is).

I invested in these funds because they are successful, stable enterprises that consistently generate income for investors. I have no reason to think that won’t still be the case a year or two from now. Would I have lost a little less (on paper) if I invested instead in a total stock market index fund, such as Vanguard’s VTSAX? Yes, but I also would have received less dividend income.

Questioning Your Strategy?

Based on what you are seeing in your portfolio over the last few weeks, you may question your long term strategy. As I wrote in my previous post, this can be an excellent time to reassess your risk tolerance and reevaluate your investing strategy.

If you are considering getting out of the market altogether, just be aware of the implication of such a decision.

First, you are trading no stock market risk for potential long-term stock market returns. Many retirees will need some exposure to the markets if only to keep up with inflation.

Second, depending on what investments you choose (assuming you put your money into something other than cash), you are likely to see meager short-term returns. Especially now, when interest rates are so low (near zero!). The question then becomes whether you will earn enough income to meet your expenses.

You have options, but in the current economic situation, “safe” equates to “low yield, low growth.” There’s no getting around it. A lot of retirees consider CDs and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) to be good alternatives. Others include bonds (U.S. Treasuries and Corporate).

If you lean that way, keep in mind that those types of investments have risks as well. The primary risk is inflation; aside from the TIPS, they are nominal instruments, and they will decline in real value when inflation occurs. And with current rates so low, your income from them will be minimal.

Are Annuities the Ultimate Answer?

You may think now is the time to listen to the ads on TV and the internet and purchase one of those annuity products that promise some market upside with no downside when everything goes south (sounds appealing, right?).

I am not suggesting that you should not consider an annuity as part of your retirement strategy. I think annuities may have a place in many people’s plans.

But annuities are not pure market growth products. There is no optimal annuity strategy where you get the potential for full market growth (which should come back eventually), with little or no downside.

Therefore, making a quick decision, or feeling pressured into one, is never the right decision. I wrote this in an earlier article titled, “Stock Market Volatility and “The Prudent Man Rule“:

The prudent don’t act impulsively when investing; they learn to control their emotions and make decisions based on wisdom and knowledge gained through experience, exercising discipline, and restraint when others aren’t. During times of market upheaval, we often act irrationally and lose sight of our long-term financial goals.

Indexed annuities will provide CD-type returns, so “market returns” is not a totally accurate descriptor. They tie indexed annuity performance to market growth, but it does not fully reflect it.

To be fair, there is downside protection—something many retirees find very attractive. There are also income guarantees, but they come with extra-cost “riders” attached to the contract.

Variable annuities typically use underlying mutual-fund accounts, so they may perform slightly better during good markets. They also have income riders (to mitigate poor mutual fund performance), but these also come at a cost.

The main thing about annuities is that they are not investments. They are contracts between you and an insurance carrier. Like other kinds of insurance, annuities are about transferring risk.

The contractual guarantees are the most critical feature of annuities. You should purchase an annuity for what it does, not what it might do.

Annuities have a place in some people’s portfolios. I like immediate income annuities as part of a guaranteed income floor in retirement. Purchasing a single premium immediate annuity (SPIA) with part of your savings can remove some market risk exposure and ensures lifetime income to pay your living expenses.

If you are looking for one that does more than that, make sure you understand what they guarantee and what they don’t.

The bottom line is that there is no perfect annuity product that will solve all of your investment challenges. Nor is there an ideal answer for market volatility. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do.

Feeling the Need to Make Some Changes?

If you “feel” like you should do something, carefully consider your options. A lot depends on your age, risk tolerance, and lifestyle. Here are some to consider. Most should stay the course; others may need to take some action when the time is right.

Stay the course.

If you have a sound strategy, stick to it. Remember, stocks were at all-time highs before this recent correction, so we are just giving back some of the gains of the last few years. Also, even retirees have investment horizons much longer than a quarter or a year. You may be able to weather this storm even if it takes a few years to get back to 2018 levels.

If you’re younger, some advisors recommend that you use available cash to “dollar cost average” slowly into stocks to take advantage of the low prices. I can’t tell you whether this is a good time to buy stocks or not. They are a LOT cheaper than they were a few weeks ago, but they may be cheaper a few weeks from now.

If you are nearing or already in retirement, and are using a “total return strategy” (mix of growth and income investments), focus on the income portion and cash reserves (dividends, bond interest, savings accounts, money market funds, Treasuries, etc.). 

Try to get through the current crisis with cash reserves, not by selling assets when they are way down. Avoid selling stocks in the short-term as they will likely recover, and you will need them to generate income in the future.

Don’t try to time the market.

I recently read that timing the market in the current environment is like trying to “catch a falling knife.”

Knowing when to buy and when to sell is a lot like that—no matter what you do, you’re more likely to get hurt than not.

Stocks are a lot cheaper than they were a month ago, but they may be less expensive in the future. Or maybe not. No one (except God, who knows all things) really knows.

Rebalance your current portfolio.

You can position your portfolio for the future by selling fixed-income investments that have held their own (or perhaps increased in value) and buying stock funds that have gotten severely beaten down.

I generally think its best to rebalance once a year or so and only if your allocation is off by about 10% or more. That may be the case now, but with the markets being so unstable, it may look very different a few months from now.

Diversify your investments.

Diversification is the practice of spreading your investment around different types of assets and securities to minimize the risk of your portfolio’s risk and volatility over time, which is the key to the long-term stability and success of your investments.

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2).

It’s too late to make changes to your target asset allocation to deal with the current correction. Now may not be the time to add more conservative investments to your portfolio by selling and therefore taking permanent losses to your stock investments. It might be better to wait until the dust settles, and the market has returned to a reasonable level.

Consider an annuity.

We discussed this at length above, and in previous posts. You may benefit from adding one to your retirement income plan. If so, shop wisely.

I prefer immediate income annuities over their more costly and complicated cousins (indexed and variable), but I won’t tell you what you buy. Find a trusted financial advisor to assist you—one that will be entirely objective in looking at all your options.

Pursue Wisdom

No matter what, make sure you decide based on godly wisdom. Wise investing means taking risks that you understand and believe you can accept. They will take time to grow and yield an income because they never go up in a continuous straight line.

The worst-case scenario is that you feel compelled to sell investments when the market is down. That is why maintaining a cash reserve (in your retirement account if you are retired), or an emergency fund (if you’re not) for unexpected events, no matter how major, is so important.

Chris Cagle is part of the support staff for Church Development and serves as a deacon at Crossway Community Church in Charlotte, NC. He also blogs on stewardship at RetirementStewardship.com.

(This article was originally published on RetirementStewardship.com on March 18, 2020.)

COVID-19 Virus Communication from Mark Prater to SGC Leaders

The COVID-19 virus (Coronavirus) has filled the news headlines for several weeks. The World Health Organization determined this week that it is a pandemic, the first our world has had since 2009. Without a doubt, members of your church are tracking these events and responding to them in different ways. They are also looking to you to provide leadership and pastoral care.

For that reason, the Leadership Team and I wanted to pass along some thoughts that we hope will serve you as you pastor and lead your church. Keep in mind, these are only thoughts. You know your church and community best. So, only use the thoughts that serve your local church, if you use them at all.

The thoughts below are in categories of leadership and pastoral care.

Leadership

The members of your church want to know if you are tracking the events surrounding the spread of the COVID-19 virus and if you are thinking about the implications it has for your church. Therefore, consider communicating clearly, succinctly, and as often as it serves them.

Here is a list of thoughts you can consider including in future communications:

• Let your members know that you are consistently tracking the spread of the COVID-19 virus including your own locale and whether there are any confirmed cases in your area.

• Let your members know that you are tracking local, county, state and national government decisions and any potential restrictions.

• The spread of the COVID-19 virus will vary from place to place. Not every community is going to be affected uniformly. For example, if there are no, or few reported confirmed COVID-19 cases in your community, you may choose to go ahead with your Sunday meeting. Others of you may live in a community that is more affected and to hold your Sunday meeting might seem thoughtless to those most vulnerable to infection. You know your church and your community, and you are best equipped to make these weighty decisions. Therefore, communicate that your eldership continues to discuss, consider and pray about what will best serve your church as it relates to your Sun service, small group meetings, etc.

• Communicate that your eldership will follow any government-mandated ban on public meetings (Sunday service, small group meetings, etc.) in keeping with Romans 13:1-3.

• Give your members direction regarding the Sunday service including:

  •  If you are sick, even with a cold, or a member of your household has been sick in the last 48 hours, please stay home. (If your church offers live stream, then include a link to where they can watch the service from home.)

  • Inform your members that you are disinfecting the facility you meet in, including door handles, rails, and other surfaces before the church gathers on Sunday. Encourage your church to greet one another with encouraging words, but to refrain from shaking hands, or hugging to help prevent the spread of any illness.

  •  If your liturgy typically includes greeting one another, then let your church know that you plan to eliminate that greeting until further notice.

  • Let your members know that you are considering ways to share communion as a church that limits the passing of the elements (For example, consider purchasing prepacked cups with sealed juice and wafers that can be placed on a table.)

  • If you pass baskets to collect the offering, consider whether you want to maintain that practice, or place the baskets near the doors where people can drop their offering.

  • Consider asking your members to wash their hands often as a means to prevent the spread of any illness.

If you learn that a member of your church has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, consider informing your church that you have asked that member to comply with doctors’ orders for a 14-day quarantine. You will need to use your discernment on whether to share the name of the person or not.

One other important thought. As Christians, we have the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ in our communities. There are people all around us that are consumed with the COVID-19 virus and they are anxious and fearful. But Jesus offers hope and peace in the gospel. Therefore, encourage the members of your church to look for opportunities to share the hope of the gospel in their neighborhoods.

I’ve pasted below a communication that our elders at Covenant Fellowship Church sent to our members this past Saturday.

Pastoral Care

Encourage your church to respond to the COVID-19 virus with faith and to resist fear and anxiety by pointing them to truth. Scripture passages to consider:

• Remind your members of their adoption by God in the gospel and therefore we are not to fear. “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15

• Help your members overcome fear with faith: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4

• Encourage your church to turn anxious thoughts into passionate prayers: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5b-7

• If your liturgy includes a pastoral prayer, consider praying against the spread of the COVD-19 virus, asking God to heal those affected, and pray that you can trust God as a church.

• Remind your members of the sovereign rule and reign of God and for that reason, we can have joy in the midst of a pandemic: “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’…Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:31, 34

• This post by Denny Burk is helpful. You can read it here.

• This post by The Christian Counseling & Education Foundation (CCEF) is also helpful. You can read it here.

• Look for ways to bring application as it relates to the COVID-19 virus in your normal preaching schedule.

• Inform your church that you are looking for ways to serve your congregation and your community who may be affected by the COVID-19 virus.

• Keep in mind that your own personal example of following God with faith and joy, absence of fear and anxiety will strengthen the saints in your church.

We hope these thoughts serve you. Please know that we are praying for you asking God to give your wisdom as you lead and care for the members of your church.

With faith in our God who reigns,

Mark

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Communication to CFC:

Dear Covenant Fellowship Church Family,

We will hold our Sunday service tomorrow at 10am. (Don’t forget to turn your clocks FORWARD.) We have been tracking the spread of the coronavirus and have been considering the steps that our church can take in response. We don’t want to react in fear, but we want to be wise. Therefore, we are taking the following precautions which may help prevent the spread of this illness and other illnesses like the flu.

• If you are sick at all, even with a cold, or if you or anyone in your household has been sick in the last 48 hours, please stay home and enjoy our service online at www.covfel.org/live or get there through the home page.

• Door handles, rails, and other surfaces which hands may touch have been disinfected for the Sunday morning service.

• Please greet one another with a kind word but refrain from shaking hands or hugging to help limit the spread of sickness should you be ill but non-symptomatic.

• We will be eliminating the “greet one another” during our service until further notice.

• Please wash your hands often. Medical professionals are all agreed that thorough handwashing is the best defense anyone can deploy to help thwart the spread of disease.

• We ask you to pray for our church and for those most susceptible to this virus. Pray that God would use this for his glory and to draw many to himself.

 If you have any concerns, please contact the pastors by calling the church office (610-

361-0606) or reach out through email (covfel@covfel.org).

 Sincerely,

 Your Pastors

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Mark Prater is the Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Churches and has served as an elder at Covenant Fellowship Church since 2002.

Highlights of Expert on COVID-19 From MIT Mass General Hospital

Experts from one of the country’s premier medical research centers, Massachusetts General Hospital, took to their computer screens on Thursday for the first-ever “virtual Grand Rounds.” Their goal: to take stock of what’s currently known about the COVID-19 global pandemic and share information with the medical community. But the key insights are also important for policymakers, reporters, and the general public to know…

This article was written by Melissa Bender, MD MPH and originally published on March 20, 2020 on JustSecurity.org.