CREATION MINISTRIES
I am pleased to help my friend, Dr Don Batten as he enables Creation Ministries to stay effective in the current “viral environment”.
Gibber! Gibber!
Chugley
The Thinking Chimp
| Dear friends,Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is filling the news and disrupting everyone’s lives—in one way or another. It is going to impact us all for some time.In this email we would like to share with you: A biblical creation perspective on COVID-19 Some helpful resources just how dangerous is COVID-19?A Christian response: What can we do to assist dispelling a myth. Effects on creation ministry. Events cancelled. Practical and financial impacts. A biblical creation perspective on COVID-19 Some helpful resources: A few weeks ago we released an episode of Creation.com Talk explaining coronavirus, and it was very encouraging to many of you. Given the accelerating developments around the world, including mass shutdowns of many sectors of public life, we are releasing an update. In the new episode of Creation.com Talk, we discuss:Where do viruses come from?Why is this particular virus so dangerous?What is our biblical and civic duty as Christians during this time?And much more!We encourage you to watch the video and share it:CMI’s Dr Robert Carter also wrote a helpful article about the virus, including explaining the role of viruses in God’s original “very good” creation. You can read the article here.If you’d like a super-short answer to the question, Could viruses ever have been part of God’s ‘very good’ creation?, then see (and share) this post from our Instagram. Just how dangerous is COVID-19?The risk to life for most people who catch the virus is quite low, but older age and preexisting infirmity increase the risk significantly. It is a respiratory disease, and most deaths are caused by pneumonia. Thus, severe cases require acute medical care (oxygen mask, etc.).Researchers estimate the overall death rate at between about 1 and 3%, but in older people it is much higher (by comparison, overall seasonal influenza death rate is usually less than 0.1%). The COVID-19 virus transmits through a population readily, and there is little if any immunity to it, unlike the flu (a significant number of people get the flu vaccine). These factors mean that the number of people needing critical care can quickly exceed the capacity of a health system. This happened in Italy, for example, with medical staff being forced to choose who to save, which is very sad.A Christian responseA lot of people are fearful, and as Christians we can be agents of peace, being a light in the darkness. We do not fear even death. Jesus was victorious over death for us:“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57Remember the disciples in the boat in the raging storm, with Jesus asleep in the stern? They were terrified, but Jesus stilled the storm, and their fears, with a simple command. As Christians, we have the Spirit of Christ within us, so let peace and love—not fear—shine from us like a light on a hill! May many people be attracted to Christ in us during this pandemic!What can we do?It’s important that every one of us—particularly as Christians—be diligent regarding our Christian and civic duties. This includes:Obeying the authorities in your area regarding social isolation, restrictions on group gatherings, and other precautionary measures. Remember, they are trying to slow the spread of the virus, so that the health system won’t be overwhelmed (and so people die unnecessarily).Refusing to participate in panicked activities such as hoarding—it hurts other people!Going the extra mile in Christian kindness; do you know of anyone who is in self-isolation? They could appreciate a phone call or help with getting supplies to their door. Perhaps you could share a Creation magazine or DVD to help fill in their idle time?Praying: • For those who are at greatest risk should they get the virus • For the thousands around the world who have lost loved ones • For the millions being economically affected • For authorities as they work hard to limit the impact of this pandemic • For the scientists racing to develop treatments and a vaccine.Dispelling a myth. Conspiracy theories are multiplying, as they tend to do in such times. The devil is the father of lies, and we need to be alert and not get caught up in deception. Many labs have now sequenced the genetic code of the virus, there is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus (2019-nCoV) was a product of genetic engineering. It is almost certainly native to an animal host—likely bats. Effects on creation ministry: Events cancelled. As a part of our duty of care toward others, we have cancelled all Australian ministry events up to the end of April (at this stage). As I write, the Australian government has recommended limiting crowds to 100, and we expect that this will reduce further in the weeks ahead. Many churches are taking the initiative to minimize the risk to the aged and infirm and are now closing services altogether. Many are endeavouring to maintain some fellowship and teaching by using the Internet. Obviously, creation talks to live audiences—of which CMI does over 1,000 around the world each year—are out of the question at the moment.We are working on other options, including: Rescheduling events to later in the year (September onwards). CMI’s accredited speakers are prepared to work extra hard to make up for lost opportunities later in the year.Encouraging churches and other groups to show pre-recorded creation talks (of which we have many), rather than having a live talk.We are exploring the possibility of webinars (live presentations via the Internet).Practical and financial impacts. CMI-Australia has moved to home-based work for those staff that are able. We are ‘figuring out’ this new team dynamic as we go along. ☺ (Note that we have plenty to do, with articles and books to research and write, Creation magazine and the Journal of Creation to produce, videos to create, new presentations to develop, working out webinar techniques, contacting church leaders, rescheduling events, etc. Just now, we have more to do than ever!)Like many faith-funded ministries, CMI is anticipating a financial impact as many faithful donors are affected by COVID-19 or the economic consequences of widespread social distancing.If you would like to help us through this time, there are several ways you can do so:Would you consider making a gift to help us? There is no gift too small!Please pray for us—as an organisation, and as individual staff members and families.If your church could benefit from CMI’s message, consider booking a CMI speaker at your church later this year or next year.Share CMI’s information through social media (we may not be able to share the message with live audiences right now, but there are other ways!)Support CMI as we proclaim the Gospel through biblical creation Thank you for your ongoing support of CMI and the creation message. In Christ, Dr Don Batten CEO, Creation Ministries International – Australia P.S. If you find yourself at home with extra time on your hands, why not take the opportunity to watch, listen, or read-up on some creation apologetics! Never yet read The Creation Answers Book? Do it now! Been meaning to watch The Genesis Academy with your family? Do it over the weeks ahead! Keep an eye on your emails, as we plan to offer some special prices on creation resources over the coming weeks. |