In 2020 The Kingdom of God Int'l Embassy (KOGIE) launched its premier "Virtual Live Streaming Embassy Session" in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
COVID-19 came with much controversy and disbelief, some argued about where it came from and others whether it was as potent as claimed. The truth could hardly be revealed until people began to die in the Asian Continent provoking other countries to take precautions on all borders starting with airplane flights. Companies that once frequented business globally began to cut back on their travels and business meetings which in turn affected profits.
Incidentally, COVID-19 took the headlines by storm in the U.S. as the virus had been discovered in several professionals who had traveled abroad. While folks were still disproving the virus people were dying and there was not a clue of its finding nor a U.S. , not to mention a cure. With all that was taking place, corporations began to strategize how they would conduct business, the government began to establish a few mandates, and the church seemed to have no voice or direction.
Consequently, a national mandate went out and corporations, small businesses, schools, hospitals, and even churches had to prepare for an inevitable shutdown. For the church, faith is where everything hangs, but faith without works is dead, and literally many faith-based leaders and ministries that were not cognizant of COVID-19 suffered not only financial loss but also the lives of prominent members. While KOGIE took into account all that was taking place, the approach was not to challenge the pandemic and risk lives but to seek viable solutions that would enable the church to continue to grow spiritually. KOGIE perceived COVID-19 as a test more so for believers to discover where their relationship stood with the LORD while He allowed His wrath to touch the world. The good news was that true believers would be covered under the blood of Jesus during this sudden calamity if they simply obeyed. So, KOGIE's position was simply to share the Good News so that the believers would hear the voice of God in the midst of the storm.
Moreover, while it was a struggle for many ministries to transition from face-to-face to virtual live stream, our leader Dr. Mercury Thomas-Ha had just completed his Master's Degree in Instructional Design and Technology in 2019 and was well aware and prepared for this undertaking. In 2018, he launched his pilot School of Purpose Leadership Academy (SOPLA) in Tampa Bay soliciting the prophetic theme, Transitioning the Local Church for an Emerging Culture. Meeting with pastors and leaders in Tampa Bay and Vicinity, he shared the impending shifts and needs required by the church. While Dr. Thomas-Ha was disappointed at the time with the death ear of many leaders, he better understood why he had returned to school and was equipped to launch the premier of KOGIE's Virtual Livestream Embassy Session that carried out from 2020 to 2022, the closing of the pandemic.
