The Church will have a perpetual existence because it is the bride of Christ. From its earliest days, the Church survived persecution and thrived. Paul wrote to Philemon and mentioned kat' oîkón sou ekklesia = the church in your house (Philemon 1:2; Rom. 16:5; Col. 4:15). The house church was common in the New Testament, and a source of its growth.
The Church once again has survived and thrived. When the coronavirus struck, churches everywhere were impacted by the governments’ regulations against large gatherings. How did the Church still preach the Gospel without disobeying governmental orders? Church on the web was one answer. All spiritual activities such as prayer meetings, bible studies, preaching, singing and praises could be conducted. Nothing stopped while the members remained in confinement.
Haitian churches didn’t have the luxury of the Internet and Youtube, but they used what was available to them. Pastor Eddy Bernard in Fonds-Cheval divided his church into smaller churches with a maximum capacity of 10. Each was led by a deacon in that area. Pastor Bernard along with Pastor Thomas Prophete in Fonds-Parisien organized a system with the elders, deacons and pastors of their churches to safely pass out communion to hundreds of members each Sunday. Pastor Thomas went one step further by way of a megaphone; he stood on top of the church building to project the message to the community. Pastor Marcellus used a megaphone to go preach throughout the village. The Good News did not cease to spread! Although church members were physically dispersed, they remained connected.
Praise God, churches in Haiti are now starting to safely re-open. A strong church will find a way to be connected. COVID-19 shall not prevail against it. No one will be able to stop its course. Your prayers for Haiti are being heard, your gifts are being used and the Gospel is being preached. Please continue to pray for HCM as we will continue praying for you!
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