Right now the church faces a more acute, immediate challenge than any it has faced in a long time: how to "do church" during the coronavirus pandemic. We are literally doing church on the fly. After the President's announcement yesterday most churches are now preparing for at least eight weeks of no worship gatherings or programs of any kind at the church. This includes 2020 Easter services!
In the last week we have been bombarded with fear and uncertainty. Rightly so, the church has collectively voiced its "faith over fear" message. In responsive fashion many churches went to streaming and online services last weekend. We don't know how long this dislocation will last. So as each day unfolds with continuing uncertainty, how does the church leader think beyond initial panic control and online tactics?
By the way, most of our content platforms will hover there for a while. Each day you will continue to receive "leading in crisis wisdom," much of which is either simplistic advice or generic bravado. Opportunistically all of the technology solutions will stay front and center as we update, improve and implement digital gathering and giving practices. But, I ask again, how do we think well through the short-term and midterm implications of our disciple-making mission amidst the COVID-19 virus crisis?
The problem could be stated this way: since church involves getting together, how do we do church when we can't get together?
On top of leaders' concerns for the physical health of their people, the crisis raises ominous challenges for the church's welfare like dark thunderclouds on the horizon:
To overcome these challenges, leaders are putting all the creativity they can muster into devising tactics that solve the problem. They're looking at how to shape their services and spaces to assure attenders that they need not fear infection. They're looking at how to use technology to send the worship experience into people's homes, to keep small groups running virtually, and to keep giving flowing.
This tactical planning is essential. But I want to suggest something more. What if COVID-19 is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for leaders to think more strategically about doing church? What if this is the perfect time to think about the church's disciple-making mission at a higher level for a longer term future?
A few additional questions raise our sights to a higher place:
How do you even begin to approach big questions like these?
That's why I wrote Innovating Discipleship 10 years ago.
The original context was to help churches innovate after they created their Vision Frame. After years of good implementation how do you keep things fresh? How do you adapt ministry to reach more people? How do you infuse outdated programs with new meaning? How do you create totally new ministry initiatives from scratch?
But the current moment requires this thinking like never before. Now everyone is forced to innovate, whether or not you wanted to or were prepared for it.
Therefore to encourage leaders at this pivotal time, I am offering my book Innovating Discipleship—my highest-rated book ever on Amazon—free in the post-Covid season.
Now that we are well out of Covid, you can buy a copy for only $9.99
Innovating Discipleship provides a simple but powerful master tool for rethinking your church's ministry strategy in two dimensions—first, the results you're aiming at and second, the engagement strategy you use to produce them.
If for no other reason, download this resource for the list of 16 super questions for ministry innovation. These questions alone will add value to your leadership.
Talk it over as a team, and advance the mission of Jesus in this cultural moment. If you prefer a hard copy of the book, you may purchase one on Amazon.
