Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is similar to the Spanish flu that occurred 100 years ago. Various media and research institutes have reported different church-related responses regarding the pandemic, especially in church growth. The pandemic has become a threat associated with fear, stress and frustration and causes significant health and economic crises. Its impact was inevitable on churches, with a substantial decrease in the level of worshippers. This research aims to assess the impact of and the church’s responses to the pandemic phenomena in Indonesia. It is a qualitative research with data descriptively analysed. Drawing on the Indonesian Bethel Church (GBI) case, the results showed that the Indonesian church has historically experienced various challenges and crises and considers the pandemic an opportunity for the church to show its natural character and use this as a moment of spiritual awakening. It is evident that the GBI considers the pandemic a spiritual-awakening momentum. In these challenging times, the GBI experienced an addition of 659 local churches (250 inaugurated and 409 pioneering posts) in response to the Great Commission’s fulfilment.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research helps readers determine how the mission report acts as an understanding source of the church ecumenism in response to completing the ‘Great Commission’ of the Lord Jesus beyond the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic phenomenon.
Highlights
The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicates a recurring epidemiological history
In 1918, the entire world was overwhelmed with a viral infection caused by a new influenza virus strain characterised by three waves (Short, Kedzierska & Van de Sandt 2018)
According to the consensus, the 1918 influenza virus originated in the Midwest of the United States of America (Barry 2004)
Summary
The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicates a recurring epidemiological history. In 1918, the entire world was overwhelmed with a viral infection caused by a new influenza virus strain characterised by three waves (Short, Kedzierska & Van de Sandt 2018). This pandemic, the Spanish flu, infected over one-third of the world’s population and killed an estimated 50 million people (Johnson & Mueller 2002), with unusually severe clinical manifestations in previously healthy young adults (Hoffman 2011). The virus spread throughout the United States and was transferred by American troop ships to France’s battlefields, from where it gradually spread throughout Europe and the rest of the world (Patterson & Pyle 1991). Predominately railways, further facilitated the spread of the virus beyond port cities (Johnson 2006)
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