While numerous Pastors are being unemployed due to Covid-19, their faith stands strong and comes before the Lord. Pastors started to use this time of unemployment to gain more trust in the Lord as they continue to pray and seek God throughout the isolation.
"Bivocational missionary Jesus Galarza financially supplements his ministry in El Paso and northern Mexico by coaching volleyball, but he can neither minister nor coach during the COVID-19 pandemic that has stymied livelihoods across the U.S."
Throughout the pandemic, Pastors are currently spreading on hope to not be detained within the society. By having hope and trust in the Lord, pastors encourage themselves to praise the Lord.
Pastors are wishing for hopes for pandemic to end and become normal so they can get rehired. It tends to be depressing to see many talented workers who are currently unemployed due to COVID-19. It is stated that "The Baptist General Convention of Texas will continue to pay Galarza as a contract employee through the end of the year and will include him in an economic relief program for bivocational ministers. "I hope to be rehired [as a coach] in October," Galarza said. "I trust completely in the Lord by that date everything is coming to a normality."
Having trust in the Lord, even by October, other Pastors are also hoping for everything to be normalized. Ministers and pastors facing challenges in making financial ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. They state that churches may take action for pastors who are unemployed for their second job.
"And so those churches need to be aware that that places a bivocational pastor in a precarious position, if the church is not able to step into that void and continue to operate, then that pastor truly will be totally unemployed."
"Pastors at least 65 years old can apply for Mission: Dignity funds through GuideStone Financial Resources. The program, originally established to help retired pastors and their widows, has been expanded during COVID-19 to help those still in active ministry."
Also due to the lack of church attendance, pastors' pay is getting cut off.
Pastors have many reasons to want their income for an example such as disabilities as they try to think of it in a positive way so maybe this is a time for us to encounter God.
"My wife is disabled and gets Supplemental Security Income, which is our current main income," McKinnon said, "but still not a lot. I know everything is in God's hands, and that 100 years ago the world was in a similar place, but it does weigh on us as we miss gatherings and doing life as normal."
"I'm still OK because I saved a little bit of money," Galarza said. "The hardest part for me is I live by myself." Galarza said his faith has sustained him during this time of isolation.
In Illinois, File is receiving help from family and awaiting a CARES Act stimulus check.
"If what I've heard in media reports is correct about the stimulus checks provided by the CARES Act, then it should come at just the moment of our need," File said. "Because of our family size, the stimulus check we receive should be more than two months' worth of what I have made substitute teaching. I'm hopeful that we can get back to work before that runs out."
"It hurts us financially at home," Marshall said. "As a bivocational pastor, this business is what helps sustain us as we pay for any bills we have, buy groceries, put gas in vehicles, etc. Currently to make up for shortfalls, we are relying on family and friends as they have helped out in any way they can. My wife still has her job but it is part-time and online based. She teaches ESL online but her bookings for classes have significantly dropped since the outbreak of COVID-19 as well."
"This is a historic and worrisome time in our world, but this is also a blessing to our world as well! What I mean by that is the Gospel is being spread quicker, faster and farther than at any other time in history," Blankley said. "Churches and pastors who might not have a strong online presence are now reaching much more of their communities via the internet, people are able to see multiple church and multiple speakers at any time, and by reposting and sharing messages we are spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ to people who may not would attend church or listen normally.
"I praise God for this opportunity to serve Him," Blankley said.
