BGAV – Baptist General Association of Virginia Ways You Can Respond and/or Request Help
Complete any or all of the forms below as indicated, and we will respond as is appropriate.
My church would like to apply for a BGAV grant of up to $1,000 to help our community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. | I have a story to share about how we are responding in our church/community to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
I would like to add my name/my church to the list of state volunteers and/or sites willing and able to respond to COVID-19-related needs in my community. | I would like to request prayer and/or a personal contact from a chaplain. |
Resources
In the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic, churches around the world are having to step back and rethink how “church” can be done. Whether your church is tech-savvy or doesn’t even have an email address, there are resources to help you and your congregation navigate this unprecedented time as a family of faith. There are many, many more available than what you see here, and you can find them yourself using online search engines. We are simply wanting to provide you with a place to start—an abbreviated, categorized list of helpful articles and videos that you may find helpful—all on one web page.
Be sure to bookmark this page and visit it frequently, as we will update it regularly with new resources as they become available.
Giving Online to Your Church:
- BGAV Church Donation Link (give now to your church through BGAV)
- 5 of the Best Church Online Giving Platforms (if you want to establish this for your church)
Leading in Crisis: Resources for Pastors and Church Leaders
- Distributed Church Think Tank (Free Brainstorming Session) hosted by Fresh Expressions US – beginning March 30
- Two Churches at Once: How to Create the Next Version of Your Congregation Without Destroying the One You Love – a webinar offered by Fresh Expressions US – April 1 @ 1:30 p.m.
- On Leading During a Pandemic, an article from Missio Alliance by David Swanson
- How to Lead Through Rapid, Unexpected Change (Responding to COVID-19), an article by Carey Nieuwhof
Help! We Have To Become a Distributed Church Overnight!, a Fresh Expressions webinar that took place on 3/26/20 but can be viewed on demand
Connecting Non-digitally in Crisis: We Don’t All Need/Have Online Technology
- Care Calls: Tips for Providing Meaningful Help to Others in Crisis, an article adapted by Kristen Curtis, DR Training and Chaplaincy Coordinator
- Simple Conference Calls and Other Non-Internet Solutions, a short video by Sterling Severns, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church (Richmond)
Connecting in Crisis: Using Technology During Social Distancing
- How to Take Your Church Virtual (Fast): The Ultimate Guide to Church Live-Streaming During Crisis (note that if you choose to do this, you’ll need to be sure your church’s copyright license includes the necessary provisions for live streaming)
- Zoom Liturgy: How to Move from Broadcasting to Interacting, an article by April Karli via Fresh Expressions
- Using Facebook Groups to Help Church Members Interact More Intentionally
Serving in Crisis: Being Faithful as the Church
- Becoming a Distributed Church: Why It’s Worth the Shift, an article by JR Briggs via Fresh Expressions
- Epidemics: How the Church Has Responded Throughout History featuring Dr. Philip Jenkins, a Fresh Expressions webinar that took place 3/24/20 but can be viewed on demand
- How Your Church Can Be Faithful During Coronavirus, a Fresh Expressions webinar that took place 3/18/20 but can be viewed on demand
- Standing the Tables Back Up, an article by Ann Marie Carley via Fresh Expressions