Church Responses to COVID-19, Dr. Carlus Gupton
Coronavirus is impacting churches in profound ways. Here are several links with helpful resources:
- Coronavirus and the Church is the best one-stop for articles, white-papers, and how-to guides on most issues churches are facing. It is hosted by Dr. Rick Warren and Dr. Ed Stetzer and sponsored by The Peace Plan, The Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, and the Humanitarian Disaster Institute. https://coronavirusandthechurch.com
- Church Marketing’s Ultimate Coronavirus Guide For Churches covers digital ministry, digital services, and digital giving https://churchmarketinguniversity.com/the-ultimate-coronavirus-guide-for-churches/
- Christianity Today’s Concise Coronavirus Guide for Churches (links to .pdf), https://www.christianitytoday.com/lyris/eblast/ct/2020/coronavirus-guide-for-churches-update.pdf
- ChurchLeaders.com, The Church Guide to Coronavirus (links to several articles and white papers), https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/372334-the-church-guide-to-coronavirus.html
- Centers for Disease Control Resources for Community- and Faith-Based Leaders, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/index.html
- Carey Neiuwhof’s COVID-19 Tips on How to Lead Through Rapid Change, Unexpected Change, https://careynieuwhof.com/how-to-lead-through-rapid-unexpected-change-responding-to-covid-19/
- The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, How the Church Can Respond to the Coronavirus, https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/how-the-church-can-respond-to-the-coronavirus
- Ministry Together has a great techy video on setting up and conducting online services, https://www.ministrytogether.com/effective-online-church/
- Vanderbloemen Group has assembled a helpful page of COVID-19 resources for church leaders https://www.vanderbloemen.com/covid19
- For churches that are new to online giving, Hope Network recommends these three resources:
- Subsplash is a low cost system with solid customer service and methods of receiving funds from phone or computer, phone is 206-965-8090, web: https://www.subsplash.com/;
- Tithe.ly is used by large and small churches and states it is the #1 giving site for churches, phone is 424-644-3120, web: https://get.tithe.ly/;
- Giving Tools has producted a helpful pdf with tips for selecting a company to use – https://givingtools.com/assets/files/GuidetoOnlineGiving.pdf
Dr. Carlus Gupton is a Professor of Ministry at HST and co-directs our Doctor of Ministry program. He began preaching at an early age, and has over 30 years of professional experience in ministry for congregations small and large. For the past twenty years, Carlus has maintained an active schedule of consulting, coaching, and intentional interim ministry, having worked with over 100 churches and organizations. He has been with HST since 2014 (adjunct 1997-2013).
Harding School of Theology (HST), a seminary in Memphis, TN, has been equipping ministers since 1958. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, and offering degree programs at the master’s and doctoral levels, HST equips Christian leaders to higher standards of ministry scholarship and challenges them to a deeper faith in God. Combining academic rigor and interpersonal connections, HST emphasizes student engagement in ministry as they study. HST is associated with Churches of Christ, is part of the Stone-Campbell Movement, and is part of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.