The COVID-19 pandemic has left a permanent impact on everyone over the past year. The Christian church is no exception to this. In the midst of isolation, loneliness, and fear — Elevation Church has been a ray of hope.
Elevation Church is a protestant online platform that brings people closer to God and shows them that everything is achievable with faith. It is about active faith, valuing people, taking action, and promoting unity. Based in the US, the church was founded by Pastor Steven Furtick and his wife, Holly Furtick. The couples are dedicated followers of Jesus, and part of their mission is to have an online platform wherein they could teach, preach, and model Christianity.
Over the years, Pastor Steven has met many individuals in dire need of guidance. They needed to hear the word of God to cleanse their minds from doubts and bring them to the right path. This led to the creation of Elevation Church. The couple aimed to create a global community of believers and to help them strengthen and restore their faith in God. Today, Elevation Church is a global community of thousands of people who are connected to God and the Bible through the sermons and activities conducted by the church.
COVID-19 has confined people to their homes over the past year. This has affected everyone throughout the world, and our understanding of its effect on mental health is still developing. There are no doubt mental health issues have significantly increased worldwide during the pandemic. Staying inside of your house, disconnected from the world, is going to negatively affect any sane person. People were advised to avoid crowded and public places, which included churches. This was another reason for the increased number of mental health cases. During such testing times, Elevation Church helped many individuals cope with their issues through the word of God.
“Cast All Your Anxiety On Him Because He Cares For You”
1 Peter 5:7
Being a pastor with great knowledge about the Bible and the teachings of God and a skilled communicator, Pastor Steven addressed the issue of mental health, specifically anxiety, through his sermons. He believes that sermons have the power to influence and impact a person’s beliefs and behavior. In his sermons, ‘When Anxiety Attacks’ and ‘Why Am I Anxious,’ he brings to light the pressing problem of people dealing with these issues. He highlights how the enemy can influence our thinking and challenges us to stand against the enemy’s attempts to lead us astray through our thoughts. He also strongly advises believers to have firm faith in God and to develop a growing understanding of the Bible. He encourages an active prayer life and staying connected to the Lord no matter the circumstances.
Another important aspect of his sermons is that they are highly motivating. He puts in his best to make people value and love themselves first. He also incorporates verses and quotes from the Bible as a reference to support his thoughts. All of his advice is solely based on the word of God.
Elevation Church through their Outreach Ministry, Elevation Outreach, delivers hope and help meet the needs of communities all around the world. They do this by partnering and serving with over 300 organizations to provide help in six key areas, one of which is Education and Personal Development. They support various activities and events that help people overcome their weaknesses and shortcomings in a manner that heals them spiritually and practically. To expand their platform and reach a wider audience, Elevation Church has collaborated with Charlamagne tha God and produced a short film named ‘Come Out of Your Corner.’ In this short film, pastor Steven Furtick and Charlamagne tha God go back to their hometown for a conversation on roots, race, religion, and more. This film has inspired many to take pride and embrace their identity without the fear of being judged. They have also collaborated with a number of artists such as Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, Tauren Wells, Brandon Lake, Maverick City Music, and many more to release songs and albums that connect people with God.