I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. – Matthew 10:16 (NIV)

Though the buildings where we congregated are closed, the church, the community of saints cannot close because it is a living body. We have witnessed the use of virtual media to keep us united in prayer, feeding ourselves with the Word, praising the Lord and continuing with the brotherhood.

In the Andean Regional Family of churches (Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela), the brothers have been teaching of the Word online so it reaches the homes of the community in these times of isolation. The church is carrying out a series of activities with very good response from the brothers and sisters.

In Peru, evangelist Cesar Herrera has been teaching from the book of Romans and the letters of Peter every night. In Colombia, Orlando Rocha (Medellín) is doing a devotional every morning. Flavio Uribe (Bogotá) makes “a coffee with God” on Thursdays and Saturdays and a married couple does some family therapy talks. In Ecuador several brothers are sharing scriptures and their work with the worship has been excellent. The worship ministry in different cities have produced videos for the online services.

Likewise, Bible talks and small groups have continued through platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet which allow more interaction. Discipleship and Bible study groups have been established. Pre-recorded messages of encouragement, calls and prayer time using WhatsApp are keeping us united and firm in the faith.

In general, efforts have been made to care for each group in the congregations. The children from the kids ministry are receiving their classes to develop them with their parents, the young people are having devotionals and our elders are being called so that they do not feel alone and in some cases the preaching is shared with them over the phone.

In the different devotionals and service, some who had been away from the faith are tuning and have decided to continue with their restoration.

All of this has shown that the church is not the building, but we are the body of Christ. We are a living body.

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them . – Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

For now, we can’t get together, but we continue to move the kingdom forward and fulfill the great commission, which is to make disciples of all nations and teach them what Christ has taught us.