Christian faculty and staff gathering on Zoom on 4/22 - Hear from Rev. Dr. Steven Ko

So my wife noticed my hair was getting a little longish during this time of staying around the house and said she wanted to give me a haircut. I only had one thing to say. 

We are excited to have Reverend Dr. Stephen Ko, Senior Pastor at New York Chinese Alliance Church, join us to share about Christian response to the COVID-19 situation. He is an MDiv and MD, leading the New York Chinese Alliance Church in  NYC. From his bio on the NYCAC website: "Formerly a Professor of Global Health and Pediatrics at Boston University (now adjunct) and medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Pastor Steve is passionate about global health missions and holistic ministry as exemplified by the life of Jesus Christ.  A pastor at heart, Pastor Steve enjoys mentoring church leaders, discipling Christians of all stages of faith within their walk with Christ, and teaching seminary/graduate students at Alliance Theological Seminary and BU." 

His is in demand for his perspective about the COVID-19 crisis and has spoken and written about it. Some earlier examples are:

In addition to his earlier interviews and articles about COVID-19, he just wrote an article exhorting Christian to think of social distancing as a sacrificial Christian act. Some key points from the article:

  • "If you want to follow Jesus, embrace the sacrifice of social distancing. It is costly and difficult. As a pastor, this runs counter to what I work so hard to achieve: gather Christians and non-Christians together to hear the Word, to worship, and to respond to Christ."
  • "But as a former medical officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I know that social distancing is the best way to minister to our community and congregation during the novel Coronavirus pandemic. It is what it means to love my neighbor as myself."
  • "Rarely does a normal person have the opportunity to save the lives of others through routine sacrifices in daily life. Yet, right now, each of us has that opportunity." 

On April 22:

  • 1723 Bach took a post as cantor in Leipzig, his last post. Hired to teach music to school children, he continued composing.
  • 1934 The Confessing Church was established, adhering to Biblical truth rather than Nazi ideology, 

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