The following interview formed part of City Bible Forum’s recent ‘Post-COVID Workplace’ event. We were delighted to chat with Jodie and James, colleagues from Queensland, and hear personal stories of their faith has helped them navigate COVID-19.
(NB Jodie and James refer to their EPT. An EPT is an Evangelistic Prayer Team).
Interviewer: Jodie, your workplace is a city-based medical practice. When COVID hit it halved your business. Tell us how this “Post-COVID Workplace” actually created a space to talk to your colleagues?
JODIE: Working in a large health facility (the Sunshine Coast University Hospital) means that we’re used to being busy: during COVID our activity would go from one extreme to another - incredibly busy to eerily quiet. It certainly caused a lot of unrest among my colleagues. Around the time COVID all started I was reflecting on Psalm 46, “God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change”. After reading this I was reminded just how sovereign our God is - it gave me a sense of peace which I carried with me the whole way through. I was able to share this with one of my colleagues and when I could see anxiety creeping up, I would take the opportunity to calm them, remind them of the actual facts and reflect on what we could do to be safe and at peace.
Interviewer: In our last City Bible Forum newsletter, we featured a story where one of your colleagues wanted to know more about your faith, and has since become a Christian. What’s happened since then?
JODIE: This was such a blessing for me to be a part of! Also a little mind blowing. My new colleague, Hadrian, had been feeling that it was ‘time’ for him to find “the truth”: through the Christianity breadcrumbs I’d scatter throughout our daily conversations it sparked the question one day of him asking about what I believe. Now the beautiful thing about the timing of that question was; the evening before was my second ever session with James in our EPT, and we had gone through two strategies that made me be able to answer that question so clearly. The first was being able to share a bible verse that meant something to me and how it had impacted my life, and the second was how to share the gospel. That evening James had actually recommended the ‘Two Ways to Live’ video which I watched. I think my jaw hit the floor the next day when Hadrian asked me what I believe - God had prepared me so well! I did try to hide the excitement.
We talked it through and he indicated that it all made sense and he was keen to begin a relationship with God. We actually got to the point where I offered to pray the sinner's prayer with him, however he stated he wanted to have a little more time to think, so I left him with an example and silently prayed that God would work in his heart to “get him across the line”. The next day he messaged me in the evening to say that he had thought it through and had become a Christian! The next best part was that he had sat down and discussed this with his family and they all prayed together!
One of the following EPTs was on how to support new believers and get them planted into a church. Now, since COVID put a bit of a spanner in the works, I invited Hadrian to listen to the online sermons of the church I attend. The best part is that these sermons then have a follow up booklet which we work through in our home groups: I was able to share these booklets with Hadrian and we were able to go through them together on our lunch breaks. It was just such a wonderful opportunity to reflect, read scripture and pray together.
Interviewer: Now James, if I understand correctly, you’ve only ever met Jodie three times in person before this interview?
JAMES: I think so, maybe fourth now.
Interviewer: So what’s your part in this? How do “you” relate to this story?
JAMES: Our EPT had only been running for about 1-2 months prior to COVID-19 lock down. We switched to a virtual platform and eventually settled on Zoom like most other people. Between 4-6 of us would meet weekly and continued to pray, finishing off the 'Coffee Dinner Gospel' booklet. Jodie joined soon after we went virtual. I was stunned at the development and God’s work through her enthusiasm and obedience. God is still at work. We’re still on mission together despite COVID-19.
Interviewer: And Jodie? How did doing this as a group help?
JODIE: I think one of the greatest benefits I have received from being part of this group is knowing how to confidently share the Gospel, and I don’t just mean knowing how to articulate it, I also mean knowing how to build safe and trusting relationships and conversations with people so that I can share my beliefs. Something else that has been quite powerful is that every week in our online EPT we would share the interactions we’ve had with others and our evangelism stories: it really inspires me and spurs me on when I hear what everyone else is doing!
Interviewer: Was this your plan all along James? How’d the group form?
JAMES: It formed in an informal way! I had started studying ‘The Word 1-to-1’ book with a colleague at work. I found I loved it. So beautifully pure and it kept me from ‘getting in the way’ of the word of God. I shared my delight with our pastor and he organised a meeting with City Bible Forum. I was astounded to find I was not the only one, but there was this amazing supportive organisation that formalised, streamlined, and connected Christians with like minds across the country. I immediately began to pray and make preparations to start an EPT at the biggest workplace I could be part of.
The Brisbane branch of City Bible Forum and local CMDFA (Christian Medical & Dental Fellowship of Australia) combined forces to help gather an initial group of people and by WhatsApp it soon grew.
I did not expect COVID but we made the most of it and now we are trying to figure out how to go hybrid, as Queenslander’s can for the moment still meet, provided we keep physical distancing rules.
Interviewer: Our thanks to you both for sharing your experience with us. We pray for you both and the rest of the staff at Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
