It seems that I am a new new live-stream preacher these days because of suspending worship services due to the Covid-19/Coronavirus crisis.  Radical Social / Physical Distancing is the new buzz word these days.  However, distancing from us is something that God will not do!

I haven't posted too many videos on this blog, but thought some might be encouraged by it.

Blessings in these days of trial.  A new reality is upon us!  God is still with us through it all!

Rick ><>

Rick Mang: Minister of Encouragement

Earlier today, I posted a blog that was a copy of the devotional I wrote this morning on Facebook for the two churches I pastor.

I used the term "Ministry of Encouragement."   For the past several years, I have sensed that my entering into a focused ministry of encouragement was my next call in life.  I've spent a lot of time thinking about it and wondering what it could, and would, look like.

Now, as we find ourselves immersed in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic/crisis, it has become more clear, especially as our best course of action to defeat the virus seems to be radical social distancing, that my intentional and purposeful focus on encouraging others is what I am supposed to do.

So, as I have time, I hope to post articles about encouragement on the several Facebook platforms that I manage, as well as this humble blog.

If you have any suggestions for topics or approached, or if you have a story of encouragement to share, please let me know.

Here I am Lord . . . use me!

n my humble opinion . . . 

It is certainly a unique time in my life to be walking my personal Lenten season journey in preparation for Easter, while at the same time serving as a spiritual leader in two rural communities that are attempting to coordinate appropriate responses to the current coronavirus situation. 

My prayer this morning was that I would choose to not react emotionally to what's going on out of fear . . . but instead choose to respond out of my faith. I try to pray that prayer every day, and have for many years. Doing so has probably kept me from doing some things that I would most certainly have lived to regret.

My prayer this morning also included something that Adam Hamilton suggests in his book, "The Walk: 5 Essential Practices of the Christian Life." I ended my prayer with "Lord, here I am, use me."

Perhaps what many of us, who profess to be disciples of Jesus Christ, need to focus on today is to overcome the honest emotions stirring within us (fueled mostly by uncertainty), and instead choose to respond to where we find ourselves today out of faith. 

One way we can respond, and be used by God in service to others, is to step forward to become ministers of encouragement.. If there was ever a time to make the effort to compliment others, it is now. It there was ever a time to tell the people in your life, "I appreciate you!' it is now. I believe that when we offer encouragement, we are letting people, who might be having a bad day, know that God has not forgotten them.

We need people who will pray "here I am Lord, us me". We need those same people to step forward as ministers of encouragement in service to others. Doing so, in trying and uncertain times like these, is most certainly choosing to respond out of faith.