Jesus was, is and always will be a confrontational envelope-pusher.  He had a track-record of stretching the limits of human understanding.  There is no evidence in Scripture that our Savior came to enable our desire to remain in the safety and comfort of the familiar.  Jesus came to rock our physical, emotional and spiritual 'boat'.  His work in the lives of the willing often involves disrupting our complacency and dismantling the dysfunctional and disabling thought, speech and action that so often keeps us stuck and distanced from the unmatched power of God.  

God wants to make us uncomfortable because our discomfort leads us to Him.  Now is your time to let God confront you with discomfort and challenge you to step and reach beyond your comfort zone and the current parameters of your faith in order to facilitate your continued forward-movement and eventual collision with His promises and destiny for your life.

Reverend Christopher T. Conti, MD an emergency medicine physician, community advocate, Christian life coach and the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh.  

As a parent of seven children and having been raised in a household with an educator, I completely understand the importance of face-to-face interaction between teachers and students.  The connection between teacher and student is the glue that often shapes the framework for healthy growth and development of children and adolescents.

All of us have stories about those special teachers that helped us 'become' the people that we are today.  Similarly, teachers have their own personal testimonies of the joy they experienced when witnessing the fruits of this labor of love called teaching.  

If we were to conduct a straw poll of educators globally, I am confident that the vast majority of them would collectively attest that they did not get into education to teach students virtually.

Even as a youth soccer coach I know first-hand that there is no true substitute for on-site and in-person dialogue and communication.

As a frontline physician, however, if I measure what I know about the value of in-person teaching against what I know about the devastating ongoing impact of this virus for which there is no cure or vaccine, I cannot envision any scenario, at least in the public school environment, where re-opening schools to in-person, on-campus learning is going to be successful.

I believe that these re-opening plans and intentions are honorable and admirable, but the road to destruction is paved with the best of intentions-- particularly when they are fueled by emotion and not grounded in logic or fact.

The present state of public health affairs in this country with respect to this pandemic makes it clear, at least to me and many others who are paying attention, that there is no scientifically-validated, practical or logistical way to bring in-building, brick-and-mortar teaching back… at least NOT yet.  

For the sake of this conversation, we will shift focus away from dysfunctional leadership at every level of government, partisan decision-making that is killing Americans to the tune of over 1000 each day, entitlement-driven decision-making on the part of many within the citizenry and policy that is being shaped by money and not science.  Instead, we will focus keenly on the data and how/why it should shape our decision-making with respect to the coming public school year.

Notwithstanding the disturbing yet compelling data recently published about the spread of the novel coronavirus through a Georgia summer camp, here are the facts, using six vetted metrics, which if met, would at least provide support for the possibility of re-opening schools with on-site, in-building teaching.

Metric 1– Percentage of Positive Cases Below 5% of Tests (WHO)— this datapoint represents the the total percentage of positive tests among those tested and not the percentage of positive tests among the general population.  Currently most major cities in the United States are FAILING in this metric, suggesting that there are considerably more positive cases within the community.

Metric 2– Regular-Interval (weekly) Decrease In New Cases (CDC)— this measure is an indirect function of the current success or failure with respect to measures intended to reduce community spread such as social distancing, limiting group gatherings, face cioverings, hand washing and other hygiene measures.  Currently most major cities in the United States are FAILING this metric, suggesting that these measures are not being diligently or consistently practiced.

Metric 3– New Cases Below Threshold of 10:100,000 Population (CDC)— this metric provides epidemiologic data demonstrating the clear shift from older to younger patients.  It is no surprise that cases began to spike after taking a sequestered group of 18-30 year-olds and granting them virtually unrestricted access to beaches, bars, restaurants, and other places of large social gathering.  Currently most major cities in the United States are FAILING this metric, suggesting that the 'Re-Opening of America" was too much, too soon.  

Metric 4– R^o (infectivity rate) Below 1.0 (CDC)— this measure is again closely tied to community-based mitigation strategies.  This number depicts the number of individuals that an infected individual is believed to be able to infect.  Case spikes and surges are indicative of increased infecti vity rates.  In  other words, the more strategies to reduce spread fail, the higher this number will climb.  There is no doubt that prematurely opening school campuses to in-person learning will increase the infectivity rate-- not only on-campus, but in the communities where the students, faculty, administrators and staff reside.  Currently most major cities in the United States are FAILING this metric with rates around 1.2-1.4, suggesting that when schools re-open the brick-and-mortar campus, an already sub-optimal infectivity rate will increase.

Metric 5– Decrease in Total Hospitalizations (CDC)— the math is simple... more infected individuals, means more individuals requiring hospitalization and critical care.  It is illogical to suggest that community spread has been mitigated to the point where schools could or should re-open, when the number of hospitalizations in so many locations continues to be beyond the threshold to suggest adequate mitigation and containment.   And as we now move to this 'new ophase' described by the White House COVID-19 point-person, where community spread is now exploding within smaller cities, towns and rural locations, we can only expect to see the number of hospitalizations further increase.  Currently most major cities in the United States are FAILING this metric, suggesting that we are nowhere near being ready to resume on-campus learning.

Metric 6– Decrease in Total Deaths (CDC)— with the spike in cases comes the proportional and expected spike in deaths-- though it often lags behind the spike in cases by several weeks.  Currently most major cities in the United States are FAILING this metric

The DIsparity 'Elephant' In The Room- from the very beginning of this pandemic experience in the United States, people of color and people of poverty have been disproportionately impacted by this virus.  Hospitalization rates and death rates are significantly higher in communities of poverty and disenfranchisement.  In many communities, access to testing is similarly disturbing and consistently lacking.  Within the context of public school education, the schools in these communities are at even greater risk than the already high risk in the general population.  The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the impact of health equity and social determinants of health and there is no doubt that these factors will produce a negative ripple effect within these high-risk communities.  It is understandable that there is concern regarding the education of students in these communities due to limited access to technology and the logistical challenges of supervised education in household with parents whose jobs do not permit working from home, however, opening school campuses too soon, will jeopardize community health and ultimately compound the problem.

What About The Teachers? in the effort to return to in-person, on-campus learning, it appears that m,any of our public school teching work force have been similarly placed in harm's way.  As teachers are the on-campus rate-limiter, meaning that classes cannot proceed without their mission-essential expertise, teachers will be exposed to every student.  Students may alternatively move between 'virtual' and 'live' teaching environments, but teachers will not have this luxury.  And because educators are the rate-limiters, what will happen within our schools districts, where many are already facing a shortage of quality teachers, when the teaching work force is depleted because of exposure, infection, quarantine and hospitalization.  The loss of teachers due to illness on a large scale will cripple school districts and grind all teaching to a halt.

Add to this sobering but true data the fact that there is still not adequate community-based testing, no framework for timely test-resulting, no reliable “surge capacity“ mechanism for contact-tracing once school-based cases begin to accumulate, and no vaccine; there is no evidence-based reason to open school campuses to in-person learning.

No surplus of masks and other personal-protective equipment or amount of custodial diligence, disinfecting and decontaminating of the physical space justifies bringing thousands of individuals back together in closed, indoor spaces.  

The logistics of having families self-monitor and report symptoms, students waiting for the bus, riding the bus, consistently distancing themselves on the bus and in the building, washing their hands, consistently and properly wearing masks, eating their meals and traveling the halls-- all in indoor spaces-- is a recipe for disaster.

If the data from these metrics represented a report card for any one of the students in any of these schools, it would raise questions regarding teaching methods and thought-process, yet despite this overwhelming data, many school districts are still intent on getting back to on-campus education.  

The schools are not failing, but the infrastructure that is necessary to support and sustain the mission of the schools is failing.  Pressing forward with any plan to resume in-person learning in the next several weeks is flawed and doomed to fail miserably-- at the expense of our children and the dedicated educators that have been given stewardship over the education and wellness.

Remember we are still reeling from the impact of the first wave of this pandemic-- a wave that may have crested, but has not yet completely dissipated.

The second wave is on the horizon, and like a tsunami, even though we know it is coming, it is inevitable and unfortunately unstoppable.

Schools that are planning to return to on-campus learning before the first of the year, will inevitably have to re-close, which will pose yet another logistical layer of complexity.

I do not pretend to know what the answers are, I simply suggest that the data simply do not support what many have adopted as their plan for the coming school year.

The game-changers will include rapid, free, point-of-care testing, continued bolstering of the public health infrastructure to further re-fine contact tracing, and a safe, free and widely-distributable vaccine.

I am in no way implying malicious intent on the part of school districts, but unfortunately SARS-CoV-2 doesn't 'care' about the motivation.  The virus is on the constant prowl for vectors for infection, and open school buildings will provide this insidious culprit with everything that it needs to survive and flourish.

_{^{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author, community advocate and Christian Life Coach}}

There is no dispute among healthcare workers on the front lines, public health workers in the trenches and infectious disease experts in the lab, that America's “broken“ response to the novel coronavirus created a 'perfect storm' of calamity.

Granted, humans are inherently social creatures and the physical, emotional and economic impact of over three months of “lock down“ will not be fully manifested for years to come.

But the fact remains, that our largely dysfunctional federal government response was made exponentially worse by the same illogical and uninformed decision making that allowed us to “reopen America“ way too fast, and way too soon.

What did we expect to happen from an infectious disease and public health standpoint, when the decision was made to re-open beaches, bars, clubs and restaurants at the beginning of summer after people have been confined to their homes for the entire spring?

Now, everyone who has a credible and reliable expert opinion is affirming in unison that we are now staring down the barrel of a gun that is monumentally more dangerous than anything we confronted in March, April or May.

Now we have a sharp rise in cases among young people under the age of 50, and although they are still less likely to get sick themselves, because of their high rate of mobility and demonstrated inattentiveness to the importance of basic public health measures, the spikes among older patients and vulnerable patients will soon follow.

Remember, up to 40% of patients in this age group will never have symptoms despite having relatively higher viral loads.  When a patient population with few or no signs or symptoms of illness to spark concern collides with irresponsible government rhetoric that suggests that the COVID storm is over, it creates the perfect environment for COVID-19 to re-surge.

Remember that the infectivity rate (R[0]) for this virus is still somewhere between 1.8 and 2.5, meaning that every infected person, whether they have symptoms or not, is likely to infect at least 2 other people.

Public health experts and global infectious disease specialist will again unanimously reaffirm that “now“ responses absolutely matter!

Some of the “now“ responses will involve re-imposing some of the restrictions that limit gatherings and potential prolonged close contact between people.

But the majority of our “now responses, must be owned individually, because each of us has a vital role to play.

We must govern ourselves and our behavior as though we ourselves are infected and allowe our inherent human desire to 'do-right' by one another to fuel and guide our behavior.  

When we wear face coverings consistently and appropriately, we can reduce the likelihood of transmission by more than half.

When we observe social distancing etiquette and enforce social distancing spacing for our own personal airspace, we can reduce the likelihood of transmission by more than half.

When we consistently practice appropriate hand-washing with soap and water or hand sanitizer, then we can reduce the likelihood of transmission by more than half.

And when we get tested, and know our personal COVID-status, it enables the public health infrastructure to track, trace, test and appropriately quarantine our contacts in the event that we test positive.

The time for the finger pointing is over, because we know that our President is clueless and has no regard for the health or safety of the citizenry.  On the frontlines, in the trenches-- it your home, church, cneighborhood, workplace and social circle of friends-- we cannot blame our personal lack of attention or resposibility on his incompetence.

The time for wishful/hopeful dreaming is over, because we know that a safe, effective and globally-available vaccine is at least 12 months away or longer.

The time for making excuses is over, because we know that now our most energetic and mobile group within the population is among the highest group of infected individuals--  therefore representing the greatest threat to public health and safety.

Now is the time for personal resposibility and morality-driven action, because we know that if we do not act now, more people will become sick, more will become hospitalized, and more will die.

We know that hospitals will again be overwhelmed and supplies while again become scarce.

And we know that shut downs and shelter-in-place orders will re-emerge.  Sports will again disappear and schools will further delay re-opening.

If what each of us executes as individuals can effectively reduce transmission by half or more, stop COVID-19 in its tracks within our personal spaces and circles or interaction, then why would we not make every effort to do everything possible to be a help and not a hindrance.

If what each of us can individually put into practice can keep ourselves and the people around us healthy, safe and employed, then why would we not do whatever is necessary to enable solutions rather than dysfunction.

Now is the time to step up and do the right things for yourself, your family, your friends, your coworkers, and your neighbors.  because how we weather this coming 'next' storm will depend on how we prepare right now!


_{^{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian Life Coach}}

AS COVID-19 CASES RE-SURGE & LEADERSHIP FAILS, TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS HOLD THE KEY

     _{- But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.'  You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I give to you to say to them.  Do not be afraid, because I am always with you and will keep you safe," declares the Lord.  "I have put My Words in your mouth.  Today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms.  Get yourself ready!  Stand up and say to them whatever I tell you to say.  Today I have made you a fortified city to stand against the whole land."  (Jeremiah 1:8-10, 17-18)}

Around the world and throughout history, movements for justice equity and social change have been birthed and executed by teens and young adults.

This global demographic has consistently demonstrated that they possess the energy, enthusiasm, passion, purpose-drive, courage & tech savvy-ness to move “barometers“ within many facets of the community, economy and politics.  Their work has been recognized as atmosphere-shifting and their work-product has dramatically impacted and changed the socio-cultural landscape around the world.  In other words, young people, throughout history, have shown that when focused and organized, their combination of boldness and radical, disruptive and confrontational thinking has the capacity to get things done in the name of change.

Our “now“ reality within the ongoing 'space' of COVID-19 is that the largely economy-driven rush to “re-open America“ has placed our country at substantial health risk.  Our approach, which experts around the world and in this country will agree, was doomed to fail from the start, is doing just that-- failing.  I do not imply that these decisions were made out of malice, but as a scientist and health professional I can only attest to what the data demonstrate have been the impacts of this rushed, uninformed and irresponsible decision making.

Just several days into the summer, and our country is at yet another public health impasse.

The number of cases is rising and although some of the rise is to be expected as a result of increased testing, more alarming is the exponential increase in hospitalizations.

If hospitalized patients represent only a small part of the total number of positive cases, then a 10-fold increase in hospitalizations, in real numbers and in real time, represents a 50-fold or more increase in the total number of cases.

   - We still have a feeble community based testing infrastructure.

   - We still have “immunity“ testing with accuracy that is suspect at best.

   - We still have no real consensus – approved treatment strategies for hospitalized and critically ill patients.

   - We still have an inadequate public health driven contact tracing apparatus

   - We still have no available means of vaccinating the public

   - We now have hospitals around the country that are re-opening their COVID units in order to handle this “now“ surge and what we know will be the “next“ disaster if we do not mobilize a grassroots strategy now!

And we still have leadership at high levels that remains permanently divorced from truth-telling while silencing learned and scientifically-expert truth-tellers — leaders and their circle of dysfunctional enablers that possess a dangerous combination of being uninformed, arrogant, biased and afraid to speak-up or act; many of whom also lack empathy, adequate cognitive and emotional intelligence; and simple common sense.

And historically, in times of crisis, and at times when it becomes clear that our elected and entrusted leaders are failing in their decision making, young people have risen up!   Furthermore, there are countless stories in Scripture that speak of the power found within the movement of faithful and God-focused young people.

And although what I am about to pen next may sound overly dramatic, I guarantee you it is not.

We have not yet made it through the “first wave“ of this pandemic and there is absolutely no doubt among those whose expertise and scientific opinion matters, that a second wave is coming.

RIGHT NOW, how our 15–30-year-olds mobilize and move will absolutely shape the next SEVERAL YEARS in our country's COVID-19 narrative.

RIGHT NOW, if our 15–30 year-olds, use all of the tools at their disposal to fearlessly and faithfully communicate the critical importance of face-coverings, social distancing, handwashing and getting tested, we can beat-back this virus that is once again starting to surge nationwide.

RIGHT NOW, if our 15–30 year-olds will lead by example and model, among their peer-group, the behaviors of face-coverings, social distancing, handwashing and getting tested; behaviors that have been clearly and globally shown to almost eliminate the threat of this virus— we can stop this resurgence in its tracks!

RIGHT NOW, if our globally conscious, and “other“-focused 15-30-year-olds attack this issue of social responsibility and population health with the same fervor that they have exhibited in fueling a now-global “Black Lives Matter“ movement for equity and social justice, we can continue our recovery and return to "new"-normalcy.

As a frontline physician, I have seen the devastation of unchecked COVID infection and know that what is coming will potentially cripple our already-over-worked, under-staffed and sub-optimally-equipped healthcare infrastructure.

As a community Christian church pastor, I am 'living' the stories of sadness and struggle with congregants, communities and ministry colleagues; while also celebrating the power and passion of our courageous youth, teen and young adult ministries around the country and the globe.

 As a  “50-something” man who is a husband, father, friend, son, sibling, mentor and life-coach and sports coach; I desire that all of those whom God has placed in my personal 'airspace' will enjoy health, wellness, wholeness and safety.

So I issue this faith-driven and prayerful clarion call to all young people and say to you personally that I believe in you, and I am here to listen, to offer counsel, and to help you access the resources that you need to be the powerful and courageous change-agents that God has called, equipped, prepared, and positioned you to be.

I am energized by your passion and encouraged by your social consciousness and have faith in your ability to receive and apply the 'counsel, sound judgment and wisdom that God has promised to freely and graciously give.

If no one else will say it or admit it, I am counting on you to help this nation save it self from itself!  I encourage all who read this post to share it using the hashtag below.  How we all respond in this "now" moment will significantly shape our "next" chapter in this global coronavirus saga.  The virus may appear to be the protagonist, but we know that our God, the supreme judge is the true author.  He has scripted for all of us, from the beginning of the beginning of time, to take control and to shape this world such that we, His prized masterpiece, are blessed and He gets all the glory!

  #COVIDCOURAGEOUS

^{_{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian Life Coach}}

     _{'I know your deeds.  See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.  
      I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my Word and have not denied 
      my name.'  (Revelation 3:8, NIV)}

The purpose of this blog, to be clear, is to encourage churches within jurisdictions where churches still have choice, to shut down all on-campus activities until it is determined that it is safe and responsible to return to fully normal church operations.  As a physician and a Lead Pastor, I have no doubt that this is the safe, smart and completely Scripturally-sound approach is the world stares-down a global pandemic.

God has given us insight, wisdom, sound judgement and common sense.  His Word is clear that it is acceptable and expected to heed the advice of those in positions of authority.  There is no doubt that the church is not the building, but the church is the 'body' of 'called-out' Believers that make up the discipleship.  And we are blessed to be Believers in an age where our creativity can be buoyed by technology in order to allow us to faithfully and boldly proclaim His Gospel.  

The COVID-19 pandemic is providing our churches and ministries with opportunities to re-think and re-tool our efforts and to make course-corrections that will optimize our effectiveness.  Though the doors of the physical church are closed, our constant connection to God and our obedient receptiveness to the movement of the Holy Spirit opens doors in our ministries that give us access to impact beyond  our human imagination.

As we continue to navigate this challenging journey through this pandemic season, let us remember the undeniable power and capacity of our God and let us be fueled by the truth that there is nothing that our God can't confront and defeat.

^{_{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

    ^{'And I say also to you.  That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
     church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it'  (Matthew 16:18, NIV)}

There is evidence from the Book of Acts that the early church began to gather together in the houses of Believers.  As the gatherings grew, we find that in cities like Rome, larger spaces were either acquired or erected to accommodate growing congregations.  Though the gatherings increased in size and the fixed locations allowed individuals to congregate, it was the WORK beyond the walls of the building that allowed the church to become a ministry—a ministry that spread the Gospel throughout Europe and Asia.

The church—or ‘ecclesia’ is NOT the building, but it is the people—the ‘body’ of Christ—the collective of ‘called-out’ Believers who have picked-up the mantle of proclaiming the Good News about redemption through salvation.

Just because world events necessitate the physical gathering together or God’s people, it doesn’t mean that the gathering ceases to be His church!   When we consider what the church should be, many would argue that our physical gatherings take-up too much time already from meeting the mandate of evangelism.  

The opposite can also be logically argued—that the total time spent in the building represents such a small amount within the context of all that church ‘should be’ and all of the work that God has commissioned the church to get done—that gathering together in a small and confined space—where a highly contagious disease might be easily transmitted—is simply not worth the risk.

For many, gathering together as a group of already-known and largely like-minded individuals is also ‘safe’—sometimes safer than even trying to lead church and encourage prayer and study in one’s own home.

It is simply not worth the risk to personal health, the safety of our families, our neighbors, our co-workers or our communities at large.

Churches that are opting not to heed the clear and science-based recommendations for social distancing—are those churches then directly their discipleship to fully disclose that defiance to their supervisors and co-workers?

During this time, the church can absolutely STILL ‘be’ the church without the gathering.  Churches with online and social media presence can continue to reach those who are seeking the Lord.  Smaller churches now have the opportunity to either introduce technology-driven approaches into their ministries or they might temporarily connect with larger churches so that their smaller discipleship might still have access to ministry tools and resources.  

Churches can continue to minister to families, and ‘special’ segments of the congregation (youth, teens, young adults) by sending out suggestions for activities, home devotions, videos telling Bible stories and more.

Churches can use this time to continue to teach the importance of the spiritual disciplines and the importance of continuing to honor God through the generous giving of time (calling older church members to check-in and encourage), talent (lending your tech-savvy-ness to help the ministry connect to people virtually), testimony (making sure you are verbal and visible in your daily witness to others), and treasure (through continued technology-based financial giving).

At this moment, our culture needs something it doesn’t have.  What the world needs goes beyond test kits, up-to-the-minute statistics and White House briefings.

The world needs joy unspeakable joy, in the midst of the sorrow and peace that passes all understanding, in the midst of chaos and confusion.

God has called us to using wisdom and common sense and to meet fear with faith—while honoring and respecting the instruction of our government leaders.  

God’s church need not disrupt public health efforts to push back again the pandemic spread of a ruthless micro-organism, in order to communicate this powerful truth from Paul in his profound letter to the church (the body of Believers) in Philippi:

          ^{Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers,
            letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together
           for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the
          center of your life. (Philippians 4:6-7, Msg)}

Remember, you are the church and the church is you.  You do not need a large crowd to be a change-agent and an atmosphere-shifter.  Remember, whether it is a gathering of two or 2 million, a thermostat impacts the climate of the entire airspace.  Instead of placing ourselves and others at-risk, why not let God show us through this season that church as usual is over-- and that it is time to manifest church the way God scripted and not the way man desires!

_{^{Reverend Christopher t Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

     - Psalm 40:2

Perhaps you have seen the movies where explorers, adventurers or treasure hunters, while wandering through the wilderness, will encounter a mix of water, salt and mud, called quicksand.

Quicksand is dangerous, because on the surface it looks solid, and by the time you realize that it is not, you are already stuck and sinking. The molecular characteristics of quicksand are such that the elements will literally attach themselves to you and pull you downward, due to a phenomenon known as drag. The more you vigorously and frantically scramble to stay afloat, the faster you sink..

Survival experts teach that the two most important elements of escaping the quicksand trap involve calm and calculated movement and removal of excess weight.

So it also is in Kingdom, when we sometimes find ourselves stuck and sinking in circumstances and moments that appeared to be safe and solid.

And God's survival recommendations are the same. You must first slow yourself down, economize your  “movement” and you must rid yourself of those things that are weighing you down and causing you to sink faster and farther.

The economy of your movement should include conversation with God and listening to His response, while removing excess weight involves separating yourself from anything that might be slowing your forward movement or impeding your progress as you endeavor to move in God’s direction.

Be encouraged to know that the same God that scripted your quicksand season is the same God that is with you throughout the ordeal, and the same God who has provided you with everything you need to survive.

Shedding the unnecessary weights of life may include distancing yourself from people, places and things, that are doing nothing to help keep you afloat and elevated above the mess.

Slowing the busyness down and shedding the extra burdens of life are essential because both create the time and space required for your rescue.

Quicksand moments in life will occur, but take heart because you have been equipped for survival and you have been positioned in the midst of an ordeal for which you have already been prepared.

_{^{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

‘Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have wisdom, I have power’ (Psalm 8:14)

Over the last week, heeding the recommendations of local public health officials, the CDC and WHO, many churches (EmPGH included) canceled on-campus and in-building activities. Many extended these cancellations to include Sunday worship encounters… many however did not.  As the situation “on the ground“ continues to evolve and worsen, some churches are still hesitant to close their doors and some intend to remain open to welcome congregants and visitors.

Although I can relate to the dilemma on many levels as a pastor, this decision is disturbingly shocking to me as a physician; particularly as an emergency medicine physician who works on the front-lines in this global response to this pandemic.  

Many churches consider the decisions of government leaders and public health officials as an infringement on religious civil liberties while others contend that it represents a faith-failure on the part of church leaders and congregations.  Others, still, are making  fear or angst-driven decisions, not out of concern for safety, but because somewhere the post-modern church has asserted that “inactivity” in the church building is somehow tantamount to having a “dead” or “dying” church.  

I have opted to divide this blog, 'Canceling Church As Usual' into 3 parts in hopes of dismantling any contention that continuing to physically gather together is somehow consistent with sound Christian or other faith-driven doctrine.  I would argue that churches, having been consistently identified as trusted community 'help' resources, have an even greater burden of responsibility; particularly in matters of public health and safety.

It is true that fear and faith cannot occupy the same spiritual space at the same time.  But it is likewise true that God felt the need to encourage us to actively seek after wisdom (James 1:5)—suggesting that His masterpiece creation often times abandons wisdom for the sake of passion and emotion.  I do not believe that any decision to remain open has been driven by greed or hubris, but such a decision nonetheless is absent of sound judgment, wisdom and reason.  

Following the common sense guidelines for public health and safety is not a forfeiture of faith or a compromise with respect to allegiance to the Word of God.  And borrowing from the Mayor of Seattle, WA in his response to his mandate that churches close their doors during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, his contention was that any religion that could not sustain itself beyond the walls of the building was, in fact, no religion at all.  

In fact, God’s Word specifically defines religion that ‘He accepts’ as practices that allow God's people to 'look after people in need in their distress and to keep themselves from being polluted by the world (James 1:27).  In other words, we are to take care of people and distance ourselves from the ‘sicknesses’ of the world.  Now obviously ‘sickness’ in this context is sin, but the sentiment is nonetheless relevant.  

God’s Word gives us access to the wisdom required to allow our faith-connection to God to give us the common sense to override our emotion-driven flawed thought-process.  Even though many Believers will not be at serious risk of dangerous illness if infected, the evidence is clear that our churches are also filled with others whose risk is great.  

Our inability to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 now will jeopardize countless others both inside and outside of the church building.  It will then overwhelm our community and hospital-based medical infrastructure; placing those with other non-COVID-related conditions at greater risk as well.  Who will care for the non-COVID but nevertheless chronically ill patient when all resources have been consumed treating COVID-19 patients who could have been spared infection had we only heeded God’s call for the wise and sound response?

Social distancing is logical and in no way should undermine the power of God’s people or their ability to meet the mandate to reach His people with the most powerful message on earth—the Gospel.  

As the church-- the 'ecclesia'-- the 'called-out' body of Believers-- we must resist the urge to view church closure as a ‘black’ or ‘white’ issue—as a matter of ‘faith’ or ‘failure’.  The truth is, this season which has been intentionally scripted by our all-knowing God, has moved His church into the grey-areas of ministry, where we must navigate in the fog of danger and uncertainty while still consistently, creatively, unapologetically, faithfully and courageously  working to engage, encourage and empower people to want to connect to the awesomeness of God!

_{^{Rev Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}} 

  - Pslam 118:17 (NIV)

God's intent is not for you to simply 'make it'.  God desires for you to be victorious.  His will for your victory is so strong that He will prepare, position and equip you with all that you need so that you can endure the often difficult journey from your painful 'now' to your promised 'next' in order to receive the full manifestation of that victory.  

God will align people and circumstance in order for you to arrive at the place and space where His will and promises are manifested because your victory matters to God.  Your victory matters because it is attached to His glory.  In other words, God does not gain the same amount of glory from your failure as He does from your victory and God will not compromise His glory for anyone or anything.

God will push, pull and carry you through the moments and seasons of storm, strife and distraction in order to deliver you to your place of destiny.  In order words, in order to deliver you to that place of triumph, He must first make certain that you survive.  

The word survive literally means, 'super-liver', meaning that survivors are able to rise above those people, places and things that were intended to defeat and dismantle destiny.   Survivors are not held down by circumstance or defeated by disaster, but rather, survivors are able to be lifted above and beyond those things that might otherwise keep them bound and shackled to weight of defeat and discouragement.  

You can be encouraged to know that God will not let you fall, but you can be strengthened and empowered by the even more profound truth that God will ensure your survival.  

Gain strength in His power and keep moving onward and upward, above and beyond the chaos or calamity that might be in your path.  God has designated you as a 'super-liver' and given you power and authority to walk-out His ordered steps with this bold and faithful confidence that His victory, destiny and promises all belong to you.  

^{_{Rev Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

     - Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

It’s amazing how the brain works during times of fight–or–flight stress.  Often survivors will report that “it was like things were moving in slow motion“.  In cognitive interviews following trauma, this phenomenon allows for a recounting of even the smallest of details and differences despite the intensity of the trauma.

During this times of uncertainty, God encourages each of us to slow ourselves down. Take a breath and take inventory of all of the resources that God has placed at our disposal.  Remind ourselves daily of the power that we have and the protection that He has promised.

During times of trouble and turmoil, where often we find ourselves in places of self–isolation and self -quarantine, and social distancing,  His Word empowers us to draw closer to God and get more in tune with His voice.  The intensity of uncomfortable moments and seasons urge us to press-on quickly and often aimlessly; driven by emotion-driven responses.  Instead, God's Word suggests that it is 'stillness' and 'slowness' that often provide the greatest strength, comfort, insight and wisdom. 

God would not script chaos and calamity without also writing-in moments of quietness.  This truth should shift your perspective when your order steps lead you to places of discomfort and uncertainty.  Let these moments and seasons of stress and apparent chaos spark quietness and stillness, so that you can take advantage of the time and space that God has set aside for the two of you to get to know each other better.

^{_{Rev Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Ephesians 3:20

This world has gotten so upside down, convoluted and dysfunctional, that playing “small“ and settling for victim status have become the rule and not the exception. You however have a “trump“ card, which is that God has made you a masterpiece. He even says so in His Word, and reaffirms it throughout Scripture. You are special, and endowed with certain Kingdom benefits and Kingdom 'superpowers'.

God has given you the authority and dominion to wear you’re worth with confidence and to walk-out the steps of your life according to the terms established by His Word. You are to take control, maintain control, and shape your air space and circumstance rather than having your airspace and circumstance shape you.

Every authoritative step you take, every confident thought you have and every empowered word you speak glorifies Him & affirms who God says that you are; all while positioning you as the apex masterpiece-creation of a perfect and sovereign God that has the power to do anything but fail.  Remember that no matter where you go, no matter how challenging the journey gets, you've got God on your side and He never makes mistakes and He always knows what He is doing!

_{^{Reverend Christopher Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian Life Coach.}}

— Hebrews 12:1-2

Athletes from every sport and at every level of competition will tell you that there are times when the competition does not go as planned.

Sometimes we are outmanned, outmaneuvered, and simply outcoached. In sports, there are sometimes critical moments that cause a series of events to unfold that force us to play from behind.

But any seasoned athlete or coach will tell you that the game is not over, until it’s over. This means that as long as there is time left on the clock, there is opportunity to re-focus, re-fuel, course-correct, and make the necessary strategic changes to turn the tide of competition.

Such is our work walk with God. Days do not always go well and at times we are overwhelmed, in over our heads and constantly playing from ‘behind’. But the blessing is that if you are reading this, it means you are still in the land of the living. And if you are still in the land o the living, it means that there is still time on your “clock“ to turn things around and begin moving again in God‘s direction. Remember, it’s not over until God deems that it is, so until that moment arises, keep living-for and working-for God knowing that He has gifted you with time and all of the necessary resources to make manifest the awesomeness of God at work in you and to complete the tasks that He has assigned to you.

_{^{Reverend Christopher Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian Life Coach}}

— Mark 6:46

There are moments, within the intensity of competition, we are the rules of play enable an athlete or team to call a time-out. This allows a brief moment where the competition is suspended and the individual or team is given a chance to re-group.  During this brief period of time and space, players are often able to confer directly with the coach.

As Kingdom workers and citizens, sometimes our work and walk become overwhelming, and we need a time-out-- time and space to re-tool and re-energize.   The blessing is that we serve a God who is not only always around, watching and paying attention, but He is also constantly in-tune and accessible.

We can call the time-out of prayer, where we can take moments out of our day and have conversation with God.

We can call the time-out of worship, when we can reflect on God's value and reset ourselves being reminded about how much God means to us.

We can call the time out of praise, where we celebrate the awesomeness of God regardless of the intensity of the current moment.

All of these moments-of-pause offer us opportunity to re-organize and re-commit ourselves to a God that is completely invested and in-love with us.

When life comes at you harder and faster than you anticipated, call a time-out, and let God get you ready to get back in the game of life, positioned to win.

_{^{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian Life Coach.}}

— Hebrews 12:2

The human eye is one of many marvelous and miraculous creations from a God who calls us His masterpiece. It is the divine combination of the complexity of the eye, and the intricacy of our brains that make human vision so incredibly unique.

There are elements of our memory that are tied to what we see such that we can visualize something in the physical, identify it as important or essential, and store it away in our minds so that we can access and apply that visual memory at some appropriate time in our future.

Additionally, the way our eyes are positioned in our heads, it allows us to see “just enough“ while making it very difficult and uncomfortable to look at what is behind us. When God created us as and established us as apex-creations, and He gave us a mandate to take control and subdue the earth, it was His reminder that there should be no ‘looking-back’ or ‘going-back’ for God’s forward-facing, forward-moving masterpiece. In fact even trying to move forward while looking back is as awkward as it is potentially dangerous.

But in addition to our eyes and our visual memory, we also have the ability to focus due to a complex relationship between the various parts of our eye. This enables us to hone in on some of the smallest and most significant of details and literally block out elements that are less important or non-essential at all.

Our lives as Believers also require elements of spiritual eyesight and vision, where memory and focus are equally important.

The world is filled with so much noise, dysfunction and distraction, that it can sometimes easily shift our attention and get us off track. God’s Word reminds us that if we remain focused on the Word the will, the way, the essence and the attributes of God, though we might stray, we will never get lost.

Let your focus remain on the promises of God because the promises of God trump troubles, chaos, confusion and problems— every time. Keeping our sights fixed on God assures our on-time arrival to our destiny snd our full-receipt of His promises. So trust God, stay focused, and blessings and destiny are your’s!

_{^{Reverend Christopher Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

God spoke most of creation into being, but when it came to us, He got His hands dirty and shaped us from the dirt into something spectacular.

When He finished His work, He called it “very good“ and established you and I as His prized workmanship— His masterpiece. And as premier pieces in His gallery and His apex-creation, it is no surprise that He is engaged, invested, in-tuned, and in life in love with each of us.

God knows all about you. He knows your strengths, weaknesses, tragedies, triumphs. He knows your dreams, aspirations, hidden thoughts, and even the skeletons buried deep in your closet.

Despite all of that, there is awesome news, because His love and investment will not allow Him to remember or hold grudges Against us for the “mess” that we allow ourselves to become.

Instead, He gifts us with grace, mercy and patience— in order to allow us to remain God–access-eligible and miracle and dream-accessible.

God also has a track record of calling, preparing, positioning, and equipping anyone He chooses to be used for His Kingdom and His glory— in spite of our flaws and moments of faith-fatigue and seasons of faith-failure.

You have been called to do great, Kingdom-strengthening and God-affirming things by a God who absolutely knows exactly what He is doing.

In fact, before He even formed you, He was already crafting a call and a script for your life. His Word is clear that He does not merely ‘plan’, but because He is invested, He is also willing to both work and fight in order to make His promises come to pass so that you will be properly prepared and positioned to intersect with His atmosphere-shifting call on your life.

It becomes your task, to remain focused on the voice of God in order to remain headed in the direction that He charted for your life. Promise and prosperity have been set-aside just for you at the end of this journey, if you rise-up, remain forward-moving, shed your emotional baggage and other distractions, and answer the awesome and trajectory-changing call of a perfect God!

_{^{Reverend Christopher Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

In tennis, when the score indicates that a player is one-point away from victory, they are said to have 'advantage'.  There are many parallels between competition in sports and every day life.. Both involve hard work, practice, determination, and stamina. Both require an appreciation for technical ability, successful implementation of a tactical plan, and the ability to course-correct win the game plan is not working.

Perhaps nowhere are these similarities more apparent than when it comes to our ability to recognize and then take optimal advantage of opportunities when they our.

At every level of sport and life, success and victory are often separated by the smallest of intervals. The difference between victory and defeat is almost always found in the details.

One of the most insidious tactics of the enemy is to shift our focus to what we don’t have and what we believe we ‘need’ so as to distract us from using what we already have. This “needs any assessment“ mindset sets us up for disappointment and frustration while also providing a convenient excuse for why success eluded us.

God, as the source of our every end resource, would like to suggest an approach that hones in on inventory-analysis, because close inspection with this mindset reveals that he has already given us everything required for victory and success.

This does not imply that we should be content with where we are or that we should not strive for further improvement. It merely reminds and empowers us to know that we have been gifted with the advantage of having an undisputed, undefeated, all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere, all the time, at the same time God on our side!

With this advantage, there are no limits to where we can go nor are there boundaries to what we can achieve!

^{_{Reverend Christopher Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Proverbs 23:7

The mind is an extremely potent and powerful element in our life-arsenal.  When we are able to effectively and consistently “get” and “keep“ our minds “right“, there are no limits to what we can’t overcome or what we can accomplish.

Our thinking frames both our speech and our actions, such that we can very easily talk ourselves into or out of anything.

Humans are one of only a handful of creatures created by God, with the capacity of higher thought and speech. These two higher-order components of our position as God's masterpiece creation are essential for our apex-status within God's Kingdom.  When we are able to harness the power of our minds, it is then that we were able to meet God‘s genesis mandate which is to take control of the earth and take control.  How and what we think enables us to accomplish the tasks and assignments that God has specially set-aside.  And it is in accomplishing the work of God that we gain access to all of God's awesomeness put His glory one full-display.

Let your thoughts be consistently on the things of God so that your execution of tasks and completion of assignments are consistent with the Word and will of God which is consistently working in, around and through you.

You are what you think, and you act as your mind directs. Let all that you think and do be consistent with the movement of an awesome God in your life confidently knowing that He wants nothing but His best for you.

^{_{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed Emergency Medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Matthew 17:20

Yes, it is true that God makes tangibly demonstrating and executing our faith as easy as possible. His love and level of investment in us and our success is so deep, that He assumes the bulk of the heavy-lifting with respect to our life's journey.   Perhaps this is because He knows that He is the only one trustworthy enough to handle it.

His Word is clear that we need only have mustard seed-sized faith in order to speak to our mountains, in order to engage God to move them.  The power of that statement is incomprehensible and it raises the question that if mustard seed-sized faith can move mountains, what might mountain-sized faith accomplish?

But within the context of this powerful Biblical truth, also lies the reality that sometimes, regardless of the size of our faith-declaration, the mountain remains.  And it is in those moments, that God is motivating us to transition from faithful mountain-mover to faith-fueled mountain climber.  The same God that responds to your faith declaration and moves the mountain, is the same God who will be there with you through every step of your journey up the mountain.

Remember that there is nothing that we are made to confront that God has not already prepared, positioned and equipped us to deal with. These mountain climbing moments grant us the blessing of an isolated period of time and space to travel with God as a climbing companion.

And when the climb is over, and we’ve reached the mountain top, we will have learned more about ourselves and about God then we could have ever learned by simply watching God move the mountainy Himself!  The work and faith required to scale the mountains in our lives affirm that with God there is nothing in the universe that can deny us access to what God has for us!

_{^{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Psalm 91:1

God's intent is that we might rise and soar above the mess and the fray of this world.  There are times, however, when unexpected in-flight events occur that if not managed properly, can jeopardize the remainder of the journey as well as the on-time arrival at our intended destination.

Once the in-flight emergency is recognized by the flight crew, the pilot will often request a vector (roadmap) to a specific location and altitude  where the pilot can have both time and unoccupied  and uncluttered airspace in order to 'work' the issue and manage the emergency.  

When scripted moments of unexpected distress occur, don’t be so quick to seek the tangible and palpable assistance of others.  Though family, friends and others can and should pray for you because their fervent and faith-driven prayers are powerful and effective, not even the prayers of the righteous are comparable to having access to uninterrupted and uninhibited time and space where there is only you and God.

The most effective emergency management strategy to employ while soaring above the mess of the journey is to find your 'clean airspace' and 'work' the problem with God, knowing that He is both a flight expert who knows what He is doing and an unmatched navigator who knows how to get you through the emergency and back on the road to your final destination!

^{_{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Matthew 7:26-27 (NIV)

We are the masterpiece product of a perfect God. He is a meticulous artisan with an unparalleled attention to detail. He never makes mistakes, and His Word promises that we are always in His hands because we are always at the wheel being molded and reshaped. Despite the perfect planning of God, we have been placed in a deeply flawed world and surrounded by imperfection.  

Our free will gives us the opportunity to make choices and often in our impatience and faithlessness, we opt to skip steps, when God purposes us to accomplish specific tasks.

Despite cutting corners and skipping necessary steps, often times, our work product appears as flawless as the perfect God who crafted and charged us with an assignment. It is only through God-scripted struggles and storms, do the flaws of our disorganized plan manifest.

Because God wants to grow us and move us to the point of intersection with His destiny and promises, and because His promises are so awesome that He must be certain that we are ready to receive them, scripted storms are often necessary to reveal the flaws that must be corrected before we step into our promised destiny. When God reveals your flaws, embrace those moments as reminders that God is always watching and working in order to position you to receive all that He has for you!

^{_{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Romans 5:8

There is no doubt that we all have issues, flaws, dysfunction and failure as part of our personal narrative. We all have dirt that we would rather leave concealed and skeletons we’d like to remain closeted.

But not only do our flaws and failures frame our testimony, but they also provide a constant reminder that grace and mercy are real, alive and active in the lives of God’s beloved. All that we are and all that we have are gifts from God for which we have done nothing to deserve. Redemption’s power stems from the truth that God’s love and investment in us are unmerited. Once you accept and embrace the purpose and power of redemption, it will become a source of an unending fuel that keeps you moving in His direction toward the purpose and promises that have been set aside just for you.

_{^{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Numbers 23:19

There is no doubt that God is slow to anger and that He possesses an abundance of grace, mercy, patience and forgiveness. These truths encourage and empower us, while reminding us that perfection is not God's expectation nor is it a pre-requisite for God-access.

God is also the essence and epitome of truth. His Word is true, absolute, uncompromising and completely dependable and His will and promises are physical manifestations of the undeniable accuracy and sovereignty of that Word.

As a result, despite the fact that God consistently establishes “ways of escape” and mechanisms for rebound, resuscitation and reconciliation, the fact remains that He will always be completely honest with us— even if the truth is painful or in some other way uncomfortable.

God’s often painful honesty is not intended to serve as an indictment, but rather as a mirror so that we might see ourselves as He sees us.  God's honesty is intended to show us where course-correction is required.  After all, our destiny is also tied to the absolute honest nature of His completely trustworthy Word, meaning that the temporary discomfort that arises when God confronts us with the truth cannot compare to the back-end awesomeness that is attached to His already promised victory!

^{_{Reverend Christopher Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— 2 Timothy 1:7

Though we were made by perfection, we inhabit an imperfect world and personally “own“ a multitude of flaws. We all can admit that moments and seasons of dysfunction, mistakes and mis-steps litter the story that is our lives. One blessing is that in spite of our flaws and shortcomings, God does not require perfection as a prerequisite to remain God-accessible and miracle-eligible,.

This truth enables us to walk through life confidently without anxiety or fear of failure.

In fact, God will often call us to take faith-steps in order to get from our “now“ to our “next“ where His destiny and promises await. Because fear and faith cannot occupy the same space at the same time, it is our trust and reliance on God that allows us to move forward even when our flesh would want us to stop or turn back.

True faith requires risk, and with risk, there is always the possibility of failure. Do not let the fear of failure paralyze your progress because the promises of God are attached to His power and purpose at work in and through every moment of your life.

Moments of failure are often your only indication that you are headed in God’s direction, because it is in and through failure that we are empowered to turn to and trust completely in a God who never fails and is always faithful.

^{_{Reverend Christopher T Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— Matthew 17:20

Faith gives us access to the power and presence of a God who never loses in battle and who is never surprised or caught off guard. His Word is clear that faith gives us the power and the authority to speak to our issues, challenges, struggles, fears, failures and dysfunction; with the confident assurance that God will hear what we say and respond according to His will.

How often, however, do we limit ourselves by dumbing-down the power of the faith that is at work within us?  If mustard seed-sized faith has the power to move mountains, then imagine what mountain-size faith can accomplish?  Do not ever let the world or the culture convince you that you are limited in the amount of faith that you can mobilize in the face of your circumstance.  Just because God's faith requirement is small, does not mean that He won’t respond when we stretch our faith capacity.

Challenge yourself as you move though the moments and seasons of your life, to meet your mountains with mountain-sized faith because when you do, His Word guarantees that His response will not only meet you at the point of your need, but the results will blow your mind.

_{^{Reverend Christopher Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}

— 1 Chronicles 16:35

God’s Word suggests that our gratitude is manifested in our praise, and our praise is a logical, appropriate and expected response to His awesomeness. Priase mobilizes the power and the spiritual assets of God. Praise gets God’s attention and confounds the enemy as well as those charged with doing his bidding on earth.

Praise is a weapon that the faithful can wield in the face of overwhelming opposition and seemingly insurmountable odds that has the power to remove shackles, vanquished enemies, tear down walls, heal, set-free and deliver. Praise is a game-changer, A difference-maker and an atmosphere-shifter.

With all of that truth, it is amazing how infrequently we fully mobilize the power and capacity of praise, particularly in the midst of moments and seasons of struggle and challenge.

This verse is a reminder from God to make the conscious and consistent effort to resist the urge to limit the awesomeness of God. Why limit God to being “good all the time“, when His Word is clear that He is not good, but He is great.

When we acknowledge and then celebrate the greatness of God, we become empowered and inspired to give God a level of praise that is proportional to His level of greatness.

If God has done a “good thing”for you, then a “good“ praise would be an appropriate response, but if God has done the amazing, the incredible, the unmerited, or the awesome, then He should receive praise worthy of and proportional to His awesomeness.

When our praise is proportional to His awesomeness, it bears witness to others to the truth that our God operates without limits and that He can do anything but fail. Our God is in the business of superlatives and each incredible and supernatural act is worthy of an unrestricted level of gratitude and praise. The more we praise God, the more He responds. And the more He responds, the more His awesomeness is revealed.

_{^{Reverend Christopher Conti, MD is the Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Pittsburgh, and a licensed emergency medicine physician, author and Christian life coach.}}