CoVid-19 is proving a disruptive, distressing, and divisive force throughout the world. How do mission-minded Christians respond? What happens to the Great Commission when the world is on lockdown? In this short e-book, Jason Mandryk, the author of Operation World, takes readers through a sweeping overview of the implications of the coronavirus for the global Church, and specifically, its impact on global mission.
In compiling this analysis, the Operation World team interacted with ministry and mission leaders in every region of the world, getting input on how to pray for different nations afflicted by CoVid-19 as well as strategic considerations from a wide array of missiological contexts.
Download the free EBook from Operation World.
20% speak to neighbour for first time
14 May 2020
The UK public is showing impressive levels of solidarity, humanity, and kindness during the coronavirus crisis, according to a new opinion poll by Amnesty International. The poll shows that huge numbers have helped a stranger, volunteered their time, reconnected with someone they’d previously lost contact with. One in five have spoken to their neighbour for the first time. Also, an estimated 30 million people have taken part in the Thursday ‘Clap for Carers’ initiative.
America: Christianity on a reservation
14 May 2020
Poverty on the Blackfeet Indian reservation is 37% compared to 15% in Montana state. Dr Mary DesRosier is on the front lines of the opioid epidemic. Her patients struggle with addiction, depression and substance abuse. Liver-related deaths and drug-use-poisoning deaths are among the top five causes of death. But her patients are living examples of their faith; facing unimaginable challenges with faith and humour. ‘It’s been the hardest job I’ve ever done, but the most rewarding,’ she said. ‘I feel like I’m ministered to by them.’ DesRosier believes that God put a love for rituals and sacredness in the hearts of the Blackfeet. ‘Christ is the fulfilment of our traditions. We have a heart for the one true God, Jesus. I can’t do anything without him. He is my springboard, walking with me every day. In difficult situations, his grace just comes in and takes over.’
Ex-terrorist leads convert movement
14 May 2020
Ahmad Quraisy (not his real name) was a commander of the feared Islamic State of Indonesia, a militant terror group. He has come a long way since he nearly blew up a Protestant church in Jakarta. Now, the 48-year-old former terrorist leads an underground movement in Indonesia converting Muslims to personal faith in Christ. His movement has grown into some 7,000 members, all of them former Muslims. They meet in house churches across the country, he revealed in an extensive interview. Leaving Islam remains a high-risk undertaking in the world’s largest Muslim nation. But, he says, ‘it was worth all the hardships we endured’. For his story, click the ‘More’ button.
The Catholic Church has said that the Government should treat the effects coronavirus has on ethnic groups as a matter of urgency. New analysis suggests that black men and women are more than four times more likely to die a coronavirus-related death than white people. Black males are 4.2 times more likely, and black women 4.3 times more likely, to die after contracting the virus. People of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, and mixed ethnicities also had an increased risk of death compared with those of white ethnicity. While public health leaders have said that they will review how different factors, such as ethnicity, obesity, and geographical location influence the effects of the virus, the church has said that more must be done.
Machete attack every two hours
14 May 2020
Statistics show that in the final two months of 2019 police dealt with 664 crimes involving machetes - an average of one every 130 minutes. Three years ago the deadly blades were used in only 100 crimes a month over the same period. Also the toll will be significantly higher because only 34 of the 43 police forces responded. Stabbing hotspots London and Greater Manchester refused to provide data. Rising numbers of criminals are using machetes as their weapons of choice to instil terror in victims and rival gang members. Offenders use them in violent rapes, robberies, and murders. The Home Office said that the Government is doing everything in its power to protect communities from the effects of knife crime, and is recruiting 20,000 more police officers over the next three years as well as ensuring that the most violent offenders spend longer behind bars.
Harry Dunn - Interpol now involved
14 May 2020
Interpol has issued a red notice to Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US diplomat, charged with killing Harry Dunn outside a US military base. She is now ‘wanted internationally’, charged with causing death by dangerous driving after her car knocked Harry off his motorbike last year. It is alleged that she was driving on the wrong side of the road. She claimed diplomatic immunity and fled to America. A Home Office extradition request was rejected by the US secretary of state, a move described by Downing Street as a ‘denial of justice’. In an escalation of the British stance, Interpol requested police forces worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest her if she crossed their borders. Pray for Mrs Sacoolas to decide to return to the UK and face the charges.
UK Church can learn from Ebola crisis
14 May 2020
Ebola caused a tremendous set-back for the New Generations ministry in Sierra Leone. They saw an average growth of 2,000 new churches annually, but in the epidemic this dropped to less than 200 annually. Fear of getting infected caused people to avoid personal contact. In disciple-making the Gospel spreads through natural social networks, by contacting people - in the same way as the virus. Church planting halted, so they decided to trust God and repurposed themselves to serve their communities, the government, the NGOs, and wherever the need was high. This made a strong and lasting impact in the predominantly Muslim communities. People who were quite closed before Ebola opened up to the Gospel because of the serving attitude of the church planters and their timely interventions. The enemy can use fear to bring the Church to a standstill, so the most important enemy to overcome is fear.