So what do you do? 2020 Version

It's a pandemic. Things are closed. Nearly everywhere.

Yet there are thousands of us scattered around the world, working cross-culturally far from home cultures.

So people ask us, "What are you doing now?" Here are some basics:

• Pray. It feels like we're talking to God day and night. When we wake, I kneel and pray the Lord's Prayer. We give the day to God.

Throughout the day, we are reminded of many needs, so we take time as a family to pray for our extended family, friends, and the immediate concerns. At night, W and I list "3 Good Things" to remind each other to be grateful - and to sum up the day. That's a matter of gratitude.

• Read and study. We study during the day, reading books on leadership, theology, novels, art, church life, etc.

But at night - oh at night, that's when the most precious reading happens. W loves to find a corner to read big chunks of scripture in the middle of the night. I've made it a habit to put the scripture via YouVersion on a 30-60 minutes timer. (I prefer reader voices of ESV, NIVUK.) That way, W and I get through the scriptures many times in a year ,though each time is fresh.

When we prepare for sermons, we will listen or read through the entire book 5-10 times to get the context. Then the actual study begins. I like to listen many times until something catches my attention - that way I can plan the series or the talk with a fresh impression.

• Teach. Both of us have continued to teach seminary and university online. We both enjoy teaching, though it's definitely W's gift and first love. I love the students and the classroom more than the prep, research, grading, and administrative "stuff."

We lead several studies online a week, meeting with different groups.

• Hospitality. Most of our service here was based on having people in, going out with others, and setting the table in various venues. 

That's severely curtailed due to COVID restrictions. We still do a Saturday pizza night and meet in open-air restaurants when possible. Ministry isn't ministry without people!

• Prayer-walk. When it's safe and possible, we walk our neighborhoods and the hills above the city. 

We are the first believers who walk the paths in some areas, so it is a privilege to pray for the villages and villagers we encounter.

• Care. We have several projects that feed the hungry, support the homeless and jobless, and provide limited meetings for those craving community. 

Support those by clicking here. [Note: please provide an email there, so we can say thank you!]

• Writing. 

W's writing a book about Women in Ministry. He also writes various position papers on AG theology. I've published 3 books (What Made them Think They Could? Vol 1-3 on early Pentecostal missionary women) and had 3 chapters published in various books. I'm compiling some of my 1500+ blogs into collections for publication, too.

• Leadership. We lead an international church in our 5-million-person city. 

Our ministry team leads discipleship, coaching, youth, children, and other areas.

• Other. We sometimes feel like we should be working 24-7 and giving big updates. 

But as you've probably noticed, life now requires more capacity. We all live with interrupted rhythms. It takes a lot of energy to find alternate ways of doing things. So we aren't traveling as much, but the rest of our service continues.

More coming up. Meanwhile, we'd love to know where you are and what you're doing, too. (Comments below.) Thanks for being our partners.

When the storm has passed, the wicked are gone; 

but the righteous are firmly established forever. 

Proverbs 10:25

GoKowalskis

Weddings are beautiful; we enjoyed attending this one

Thanks for partnering with us in Indonesia.
What do we do here? Among other things:

• teach
• preach
• lead studies and groups
• meet people one-on-one
• host and attend events
• plant a church

Contact us: www.gokowalskis.com (AGWM #2432623)