COVID-19 may be keeping most of Ohio indoors, but that didn’t stop Faith Life Church from thinking outside the box.

 “In just 24-hours, we activated our team…We’re willing to put in the overtime to make sure people get what they need.”

The result? Operation #KeepThePositivity was born out of their desire to combat the negativity and uncertainty surrounding Ohioans.

Along with this hashtag came a host of Faith Life Church programming, community efforts, and encouragement designed to spread hope.

“This is the time to be a ministry… even if it means us losing money.”

Since COVID-19 began, Faith Life Church has had free Chick-fil-A meals delivered to over 7,000 members of the community, including 1,200 Columbus police officers and nearly 2,000 hospital health professionals.

The outpouring of love didn’t stop there—they also coordinated Parking Lot Appreciation & Prayer at three major hospitals in Columbus and Westerville. Cheering church members in the hospital parking lot displayed signs with messages like, “We Love You” and “Healthcare Workers are Heroes!”

As hospital employees entered and exited the hospital for shift changes, they were met with cheering, and many tears of gratitude were shed. Word spread and more hospitals began requesting to coordinate the same Parking Lot Appreciation—just this Tuesday they held another in Columbus!

As soon as they began hearing about a likely the Stay-At-Home Order, Faith Life recognized that parents and children alike were going to have a lot more time at home.

“When times get darker, the light truly gets brighter.”

In less than 3 days, their Children’s Ministry and Church Media teamed up to provide faith-based, 24/7 children’s programming on their online channel. Soon after, they were ready to launch scripturally-based companion channels for adults addressing Healing and Fear. You can explore Pastor Drenda’s additional resources here.

Many parents who had never homeschooled are now finding their children finishing out the school year at home. In response, Pastor Drenda began a Family Facebook Live Update at noon on Saturdays where she shares her experiences and advice as a fellow homeschooling mom. This includes ideas for Christ-centered curriculum, fun projects and creative learning suggestions, and time management tips.

What You Can Do

• Saturday, April 25, Faith Life Church will be hosting a Drive-thru Grocery Give at their New Albany campus. Click here for more information.

  • Email your ideas and/or questions to social@faithlifenow.com if you think of :

    • Fun homeschooling or educational activities parents can do with their kids at home

    • Creative ways to save money and spend less on household expenses, e.g. low-cost recipes, helpful websites, etc.

    • Questions about stewarding your finances in a godly way that could be answered on air and help others struggling as well.

• If you have friends or neighbors who belong to vulnerable populations and are struggling to get groceries or other necessary goods, consider sending them food or toilet paper via delivery services or a quick porch drop off.

• We’re all in this together, battling isolation and loneliness! Connect with friends and acquaintances to reach out and suggest a board game over video or a weekly Bible study group chat.