The Blog

How to Think about the COVID-19 Crisis and Suffering in General

CHBC Family and Friends,

 Again and again in life we run into the questions of suffering and evil.  Until Christ returns this will be a timeless question, because we live in a fallen, broken, sinful world.  All of creation groans. Romans 8:19-23 say, “¹⁹ For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. ²³ And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

The coronavirus COVID-19 is another opportunity for us as Christians to help people address the problem of evil and suffering, and to provide a gospel-centered hope.  This is especially critical in our own homes.  Many of you have asked how to talk with your children or teens about this, and we are here to help.  Even if no one in our families gets sick or dies from this virus, we are all suffering the loss of things, and emotional pain is creating questions of God’s goodness and God’s sovereignty. 

I am including links to some helpful resources for you and your family.  You may also see these on resource lists from other staff members, and that is because we want you to be adequately equipped to walk what will likely be one of the most memorable events in some of our lives.  Take a look at the resources, and please reach out to myself, our other pastors, or Mrs. Cheryl if we can talk with you. 

• From Ligonier Ministries and RC Sproul: Surprised by Suffering, a teaching series
• From  the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC): A God-Centered Theology of Suffering, a podcast
• From AWANA: How to Help our Kids Deal with the Corona Virus, an article
• From Desiring God Ministries and John Piper: How to Talk to Children About Coronavirus, a podcast
• From CHBC and Mark D. DeMoss: Sermons from Lamentations, a sermon series

Mark D. DeMoss, Senior Pastor

Pastor Mark's Weekly Update March 27, 2020

A Firm Foundation
When circumstances around us are changing by the day, it is important for us to seek refuge in God. We should turn to the right sources for information, comfort, and faith. Be grateful for those news sources that are bringing us needed information. Turn to your church family and your loved ones and enjoy their comfort. Look to God who is the author and finisher of our faith. This hymn reminds us of God’s strength in great trial.   Listen to How Firm a Foundation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTqRiP2w0_8

Sunday School and Worship for March 29
As the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 continues to cause greater restriction of movement and gatherings, we will continue to heed the issued warnings and have church from our homes, rather than in one gathered place. We will be sending you two Sunday School resources to use as a family this week. We will send you printed material that includes teaching material and a handout. We will also send this link Lifeway that will have curriculum for the Sunday School material many of our adults, children and preschool already use. You can click on the words above that are in blue and underlined, or you can use the link provided here as well: https://curriculum.lifeway.com/#/search. This link may ask you to create a log in with a username and password, but you will be able to select the curriculum you want for your children, use the videos, print activity pages, and see the lesson.  

 The Worship Service will be done from the CHBC worship center and available on Facebook Live only. The link to CHBC Facebook is: https://www.facebook.com/chbcokc/. This will be announced through CHBC social media, but please let others know as you talk.   We want people to gather with their church family, but at this time virtual gathering is the most prudent way to do so. Thank you for your continued faith, care for one another, and participation in the local church.

Give Online
The Mission of CHBC is to be a church that Glorifies God by Equipping Believers, Exalting Christ, and Extending the Gospel. The way we can meet might be interrupted by an unseen virus, but the mission of the church continues. It can only continue if God’s people will continue to be faithful in their giving.   Tithes and offerings can be made by mailing in your check, dropping off your gift at the church office during normal office hours (8:30-4:30 Monday-Thursday, 8:30-12:30 Friday), or by giving online. You can give online by following this link to the website: CHBC Online Giving. Or click this link, or copy and paste this URL into your web browser: https://my.e360giving.com/App/Giving/chbchurch. If you need assistance with your online gift, please call the church office and someone can assist you.

Crosstimbers Children’s Camp
Do you have a child who is in 3^rd-6^th grade? If so, have you considered signing them up for our summer camp?   You can get more details here: Crosstimbers Children’s Camp, or by contacting Cheryl Ross at .

Quotes from Church History
“In our troubles, anxieties, perplexities, the longer I live the more am I impressed with the wisdom of speaking more to God and less to man. He can do more in the way of helping through all our difficulties than all others put together. Talk more with God, less with man.”– Francis J. Grimske (1850-1937, former slave, then Presbyterian pastor, Washington DC)

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