From The Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
I came across something recently that really made me think in light of all the turmoil that has enveloped our world with the COVID-19 crisis.
It said this: “When we can’t change our situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
A major change for me in my life as a pastor in 2020 came when churches were shut down in mid-March as part of a province-wide lockdown.
In 34 years of pastoral ministry I had never faced a situation where the church was not open for services.
I guess I had always assumed that when Sunday came the church would be open, no matter what.
The global pandemic threw a monkey wrench into those plans.
With some help and encouragement from fellow colleagues, as well as some tech-savvy people in the church, I decided to dive into a world previously unknown to me, that of pre-recorded sermons from the parlour chair in my office.
No pulpit, no congregation looking on, just me and my cameraman and the challenge to preach as passionately as possible to a tripod-mounted iPhone.
What started out as something that felt weird and awkward has morphed into something I find very normal now.
My faith to delve into the unknown and venture forth springs from a great truth in Scripture found in Malachi 3:6: “For I am the LORD, I do not change…”
Situations change from time to time, and we must accept the challenge to change ourselves in order to adapt to those changes.
My Bible tells me that I can do this because God Himself doesn’t change.
Now that’s a promise you can count on!
