As our world continues to experience a crisis none of us anticipated, the realization that life is going to change for a while is starting to sink in. Of course, the health and safety of the families and those who work in our industry are of utmost concern. But increasingly there is also concern that publishers will need to make some adjustments until the crisis abates, and perhaps for a while longer.
At ECPA, our goal is to provide networking opportunities, advocacy, and information so you can better fulfill your mission. We may not be able to meet in person for a while, but we can connect virtually, as most of you are doing. Our advocacy on behalf of ECPA members and affiliates will likely need to take on a more general tone. And the information we provide will need to focus on knowledge sharing so you can learn from what your colleagues are doing to cope with the unusual circumstances around us.
If I can add one more goal to the list, may I suggest that we pray for our industry and all the professionals who work with creative diligence to make the Christian message more widely known. Let’s pray for everyone’s health and safety. Let’s pray for the economic health of our industry. And most of all, let’s pray that we as leaders in the business and ministry of Christian publishing will continue to seek God and trust His plan for us through all of this.
We need God’s perspective, which He offers through His Word and the colorful characters who followed Him. One of my favorites is the story of Abraham, who God asked to leave his homeland and move to a place he didn’t know. In the process of this enormous change, Abraham encountered a number of obstacles and challenges. To put it bluntly, he was filled with fear. So God told him, “Do not be afraid…I am your shield and your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1).
Most of us probably feel a bit like Abraham right now, fearful of an unknown future. I believe God is telling us to not be afraid during this time of turbulence and change, but to trust him by faith. We have to use our heads, of course, and ask God for wisdom. But He wants to do more than help us with strategy. Ultimately God wants to touch our hearts and change us from the inside.
God cares deeply about what we are going through, but He cares even more about the people He wants us to become.
