In God we trust is at the heart of our country. We have heard it so many times. Even license plates show it all over the country, in twenty states! Our nation has a deep foundation in God –a text from President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address is depicted on that same stained glass, saying "This Nation Under God". But I wonder, is this a firm conviction in our minds?

The changes over the last month have occurred at breakneck speed. We have moved from a virus that was not a threat, to a nationwide shut down, with governments at all levels issuing unprecedented orders that impact all aspects of our lives. Fear and uncertainty were the not-unexpected result, manifested by panic buying and the hoarding of toilet paper. And concerns were raised that the shutdown would lead to a recession, and possibly worse.

When your team is enduring a crisis, it’s easy to lose perspective as you find yourself putting out fires left and right. Perhaps your planning is no longer by month or quarter, but day-by-day as you fight to make payroll or keep your operations afloat. Consequently, you might find yourself losing perspective as your line of vision is lowered to doing what you must with what you can.

When you're leading a faith-based organization through a crisis, priorities can turn upside down as you work to respond to the immediate needs of the moment. Perhaps you're faced with a sudden cash flow shortage? Maybe a difficult personnel decision? Perhaps a long-term project suddenly collapses?

The CARES Act contains two loan programs which could potentially impact faith-based organizations. As of this writing, there are significant unanswered questions about the impact acceptance of these funds would have on a recipient's ability to pursue its mission and maintain its religious identity. We are praying that the SBA will issue guidance for religious organizations within the next day or so to favorably address these concerns, so that religious organizations can make an informed decision regarding whether to pursue available government assistance.