In light of global precautions for the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and to ensure we are adhering to the direction of our leading health and government authorities, effective immediately, all church activities, gatherings, auxiliary ministries, including Sunday Service and Wednesday Night Bible Service, are postponed until further notice.

well I guess I get started.this it’s

like it’s enough people for me to first

of all say good morning to everybody I

hope you’re doing well that the Lord

continues to bless and prosper you and

to strengthen you and strengthen your

families you have been the subject of my

prayers

quite a bit here lately I know that our

country in fact our world is going

through a very new experience with this

call twelve coronavirus it’s whatever

you choose to call it it is shocking and

challenging and definitely a paradigm

shift for the world and for the country

it has definitely some negative

components to it but there are some

positive components as well I wanted to

take a few moments to talk to you about

this virus I’m not a health professional

so I don’t want to start dismissing a

lot of health advice and things we are

my expertise but as a scholar and

student of the word in a and a minister

of the gospel and a participant in the

community I wanted to reach out to you

there’s much to alarm you when you take

the issues that you have in your own

life that we all have in our lives and

in our families and in our other jobs

and the stress levels that we’re getting

from every aspect of life from imagining

managing budgets and bills and kids and

marriage or the light thereof you find

yourself with this new additional CDC

crisis breaking out creating quite a bit

of alarm and distress and I want to warn

you you may not have contracted the

virus but you may have ingested distress

and that’s easy to do just bombard it

with all

kinds of information that is disturbing

perplexing and confusing and often

contradictory can be quite stressful I I

laugh because now we’re having to learn

how to greet each other another kind of

way new terms and I have never heard

before like social distancing are now a

common part of our vernacular in a

society where we see so much distance

already now we are physically distant in

a world where there is so much

loneliness now we’re facing self

quarantine and isolations and elderly

people who are at risk the most

vulnerable part of our community people

who have given their lives to raise us

and rear us and care for us now have to

be very careful how they move in and out

of crowded buildings crowd of people who

touches you right down to your grandkids

that’s it’s pretty tough it’s a lot to

deal with every day and I thought I

would get on here and encourage you in

the midst of all this going on in the

world today too

I just hold on to your faith and to hold

on to God and to know that God’s got you

and to encourage you to understand that

believing in God does not mean that you

legate common sense and help you to

understand that some people are using

their faith as if it were a shield

against a virus it may be but I don’t

think that we want to ask God to do

things that we can do for ourselves

common sense practices are very very

important during this time just to add

an extra layer of Defense my phone has

been bombarded with clergy who are

facing many of the state’s our state

included is in a state of emergency and

our city has placed legal consequences

on groups gathering above 500

the church is not prepared for the act

it doesn’t work that way it’s not

designed when we’re not zero so we’re

not a B and we’re not NFL we’re not the

NBA we’re not designed with billions and

billions of hours should stockholders

that would sustain us through this kind

of turbulence a lot of churches are

struggling already other churches have

the buildings and the mortgages and

things they won’t wait on the virus to

pass to go away and yet we have to weigh

those needs against the needs to protect

the sheep I believe above everything

else were called to protect the flock of

God and you can never go wrong going

right and I encourage every leader out

there to think seriously about whether

to proceed it depends on the region

you’re in and and how you proceed is

very very important we have had to

become very creative of late to come up

with a way that we could really be

effective at providing ministry I don’t

think that the voice of the church needs

to be snuffed out right now I think that

we are a calming factor I think that we

are a place of strength and ministry I

think that we feed the flock of God and

it’s very very important that we find a

way to do it but we want to find a way

to do that without jeopardizing the

livelihoods of our employees our

volunteer staff and also in terms of

protecting our congregations so we have

worked to do that and we will continue

to work to refine that we are going to

be providing online services it will not

be at this point a repeater of some

warmed-over sermon that we already had

it’s going to be fresh it’s going to be

innovative and it’s going to deal

starting this Sunday with what’s going

on and and how we as a believer can take

a stand about what’s going on other

people are opening the doors of their

church but many people in my area have

shut down their services some of them

are streaming online like we are we’re

going to be a bad

if you have not downloaded the TD jakes

app I encourage you to do so

if you have not subscribed subscribe to

our YouTube channel take a minute and go

do that because that may be the best way

for us to communicate for a moment I

think it is only for a moment but I

don’t know how long it’s going to be and

so we’re doing a lot of things for you

to familiarize yourself with our a

church family and familiarize yourself

so that you can continue to get the word

word for us is like therapy it’s like

medicine and some medication it’s our

food it’s our daily bread it’s our

sustenance it’s not some optional form

of entertainment that we could have like

to go to a dot go to the word said Jesus

speaks our spirit in their life and so

they’ve not been minimized by Corona if

anything it’s been intensified by Corona

there are more people who are dealing

with it

worrying about their elderly parents and

nursing homes there are people who are

going to work in the morning nervous

because they are physicians or

caretakers or health workers we want you

to be covered we want you to know that

we’re praying for you we want you to

know that we’re standing beside you and

as long as there’s a way in the world to

provide ministry to you we will continue

to do that in whatever format we can but

we also want to be concerned that we do

that without being here responsible it’s

a funny thing being a church leader no

matter what decision you make it’s kind

of like we Elizabeth Warren said about

whether advanced her or whether her

losing the nomination had anything to do

with her being a woman she said either

way our answer the question I’m gonna be

in trouble if I say no and had nothing

to do with the woman she said millions

of women are gonna wonder what planet is

she on if she said yes then the other

group is gonna say you’re whining it’s

the same thing being a church leader if

you don’t close down your church when

there’s a crisis like this especially a

large church then you are criticized

castigated go through all kinds of

things

like Joel Olsteen just got through going

through on TMZ attacked just because he

had my clothes of his church on the

other hand he then got a mandate from

the city and I don’t know whether that

was the impetus but he ultimately closed

down his church and then you get

criticized because they said where is

your faith we need the church the church

should stand against the world how do we

let the work so either way you go you’re

going to get opposition I’m not whining

about that I understand that I expect

that that comes with the territory I’m

strong enough I’m tough enough and you

have to be too if your pastor listening

at me a leader listening at me or either

a mother deciding whether to or not to

send your kids to school either decision

we make often in life creates

controversy and criticism but just

because you criticize don’t doubt your

decision you have to make a wise

decision for that that is responsible

that is a reflection of your values that

you have to consider very carefully as a

church leader you also have to consider

liabilities and the possible suits of

negligence you get if I warn you that

something coming and you don’t put the

proper things in place to take care of

it you have got a problem on your hands

legally and even those people who are

criticizing you and say then the church

have to be open they say that till they

get sick if they get sick because they

came to service then their lawyers are

gonna be talking to you so you got a lot

to deal with the smaller churches have

an even more difficult issue you’re

talking about mega churches it’s not

just mega churches you don’t have to be

in a massive crowd of people to contract

the virus sometimes the smaller churches

have a even bigger responsibility

because they are by nature

family-oriented touchy-feely hugging and

kissing and touching your neighbor and

and Holy kisses and all of that kind of

stuff we have to rethink gates of entry

for about this virus might use us or our

customs or our traditions as a host when

it comes to travel it’s affecting every

aspect of travel so

when it comes to conferences events and

things like that you have to think

carefully about you know how many people

are going to be traveling and how long

are they gonna be in the air to make the

appropriate decisions I say a lot of

people are logging on from Abuja from

Lagos from different places like that it

seems like the level of infection um

overall though on the continent of

Africa is relatively low

I pray it stays that way we don’t need

you to get sick we don’t want anybody

else to get sick the amount of deaths in

the country of the US has been alarming

but not nearly as staggering at some

other places like China like Italy these

places are up under siege what we’re

doing is trying to work together in a

concerted effort to make sure then those

numbers don’t happen in the US but we do

have examples to point to the show

then if the situation is not handled

correctly then then it can happen here

it can happen anywhere mother’s think

carefully elderly people think very

carefully pregnant people think very

carefully people who are HIV positive

people who have heart disease and

diabetes think very carefully this is of

just for a moment your enormous being

disrupted and I understand that’s

unsettling but I want you to know that

we have a God who specializes in

settling unsettled situations my mind

went back to Peter steering the ship he

was trying to do leadership in the

middle of a storm and every leader every

business owner every CEO is steering the

ship in the middle of a storm you’re

trying to maintain the budget keep the

people employed keep everybody healthy

obey the laws of the land which is

biblical and still be

a resolute in your commitment to God

those are tough polarities to work

within and if you’ve never been saddled

with that way to avoid criticizing

people because until you have carried

that cross you don’t know anything about

the Splinter said they take in just

because they step up to the plate all

you can do is all you can do arm

yourself with good information get the

best information and hold on Peter was

steering the ship the ship was going

through a storm it must have been a

storm of unprecedented level because

Peter was an experienced fisherman he

was used to being on the water and he no

doubt seen his share of storms about

this one this storm right here seemed to

destroy or compromised everything that

he had ever known or done and he

wondered in himself what all people

wonder in themselves when they face it

when they’re faced with something new do

I have what it takes to get the people

where I’m trying to get the middle door

how should I handle that what should I

do and God was saying absolutely nothing

you know the story as well as I do that

Jesus was sleep in the bottom of the

boat and they were dealing with a storm

just like we’re dealing with a storm

right now

and they wondered does God care and

that’s what people always do whenever

hardships it did they question the

resolve of God and then they wonder what

to do and what to say and how to go

forward but he won’t Jesus up and Jesus

rose to the bow of the ship and said

peace to what Peter could not calm down

and be steel to what Peter could not

resolve and I don’t think it’s gonna be

long before God says peace be steel to

the winds and the waves and I don’t

think it’s going to be long before he

says peace be still to you and your

circumstance in your situation and I’m

challenging you today to let that peace

rise in your heart right now and the

comfort you hysteria never saved anybody

anxiety never helped anybody being

nervous insomnia yelling at the dog

kicking the cat will not fix the

situation so let’s just calm down

take a deep breath keep ourselves

abreast of as much information as

possible any information that I get

that’s pertinent I’m going to put it on

Facebook on Twitter on Instagram I’m

going to include it in this Sunday’s

message and so I want you to go to

YouTube and we’ve got a YouTube station

there and subscribe it’s totally free

totally free cost you nothing cause you

nothing costs you nothing to subscribe

to our YouTube channel it’s absolutely

free you can download our app call so

absolutely nothing I’m trying to create

ways where I can stay in touch with you

regardless of what tomorrow may bring

the reason I think that’s important it’s

because your piece is important your

anxiety is important your blood pressure

is important your health is important

and most importantly your soul is

important we cannot just take off and go

away and be derelict of our

responsibilities I think you’re gonna be

quite pleased at what we got prepared

for you this Sunday and I’m continuing

to push the limits on innovation to all

of the pastors and leaders that are out

there our pastors and leadership

conference has not been cancelled at

this point it is 60 days away I’m

believing God that’s that we’re going to

see a break in this order before the end

and we’ll make a decision at an

appropriate time and deliver a message

in an appropriate way but right now all

systems go I hope to meet you in

Charlotte North Carolina on schedule I’m

excited about it I’ve got the best group

of speakers you could imagine coming to

pour into you as a leader as an

entrepreneur as a pastor as a person

it’s just going to be absolutely amazing

our registration numbers are going crazy

and and we’re excited about it somebody

said leaders need to get to the front of

the line and that’s true

but you have to have something to say

when you get to the front of the line

and this is something new for everybody

and leaders are people too

and you have to understand that a leader

at the front of the line who didn’t know

what to say is more dangerous than being

quiet supposed to thank God some are not

at the front of the line as for me I

thought that this would help and so I’m

doing my part to let you know that

you’re on our minds on our hearts here

in every decision we make your

well-being is its paramount of the

importance to us and we want to create

an experience that is amazing

I want to challenge those of you that

aren’t tech savvy to lose your fear to

come online stream online worship online

give online get involved online because

when you do that you keep the church

going you keep the staff going I have

300 people employed at the ministry I

don’t want to let them off I want to

continue to provide ministry at the

level that we’re operating on with the

effectiveness that we are because not

only are we speaking to our congregation

we’re speaking to all of Texas all of

the United States and people all over

the world there’s many people watching

me right now from other countries as

there are people watching us in the

continental USA so be of good courage to

those of you that are running about my

son yes he did get married and they are

in Hawaii and they’re having the time of

their lives over there before they come

back home pray for them I’m a little

protective I want to see them get back

home safe and sound and so just cover

them with the blood my final talk to you

is this nothing that is happening in

your newspaper wasn’t prophesied in your

Bible that in the last days there will

be wars and rumors of wars and

earthquakes in diverse places unusual

places we’re seeing earthquakes and

perilous times the people have lost love

and empathy fathers against the sons and

mothers against daughters all biblical

plagues all biblical in the last days

who will be one plague after

this whole unsettling that we’re seeing

in our country was prophesied in the

Word of God and so we should not think

it strange that these fiery trials has

come upon us because our Bible has

forewarned us our values as believers

have to go back to the fact that we are

saved to many believers today only value

what God can do for you at the moment to

get you out of some temporary

circumstance they have no concept of

eternity no appreciation for eternal

life no appreciation for the blood of

Jesus that has secured a mansion for us

for Corona and nothing else can go we

have got to get our hearts back to the

gospel rather than just embracing

Christianity and embracing our faith

because we want prosperity or we want a

job or we’re looking for a companion and

we’re trying to see how God can help us

out he does help us well he does all of

those wonderful things but the main

purpose Jesus came was not to get you a

car it wasn’t to get you a bigger house

and when we get you married either it

wasn’t to help you with fertility the

main purpose Jesus came was that your

soul would not be lost thank God through

that and by the blood of Jesus

no virus can take out my eternal life

you should go back to what our

grandmother’s did and start singing

Amazing Grace and thanking God that you

washed in the blood of the Lamb and

trusting him that know whatever no

matter whatever state we may find

ourselves in right now that he is

el-shaddai

the all-sufficient one soon this will

pass over soon the clouds will escape

the sky soon the Thunder will cease to

roll soon the lightning will not flash

soon like Ebola and all the other

plagues we had before Corona will be in

our rearview mirror until the end

they then wait upon the Lord shall renew

their strength they shall mount up on

wings like eagles they shall run and not

be weary they shall walk and not for

that is the word of the Lord for the

body of Christ to all of the leaders

that are watching right now and you have

not been duly affected that does not

mean you should not be getting prepared

when you see what’s happening in New

York when you see city center being

quarantined and set aside when you see

dignitaries and congressmen are self

quantanium themselves but when you see

what happened to pastor Craig Groeschel

you are being warned to be prepared to

be prepared it is irresponsible as a

leader not to do the best you can with

the resources you got you may not be a

little bit what other people can do to

figure out if this were to come into my

city and we were to declare it in a

state of emergency how would I continue

to add relevance and service to my city

we’re talking to the city now how we can

serve the elderly what can we do can we

bring food can we leave food on the

front porch and people will say what can

we do to serve this is a time for the

church to rather than show the world

that we are still the salt of the earth

and we are still the light of the world

god bless you may heaven smile upon you

have a wonderful blessed peaceful day

that’s my prayer thank you for allowing

me to invade your face just to share a

word of encouragement with you thank you