Five Sundays and counting.
Depending on where you live, that’s how many Sundays your congregation has been prevented from gathering together for its worship and programming. And, depending on where you live, this may only be the beginning. It’s a disruption to say the least. We don’t like it. We will be so thankful when it’s finally over and we can go back to normal.
But here’s a question. Are we supposed to?
Are we supposed to go back to normal? Or does the Father have something else He is up to? Is there something He wants us to recognize and respond to? Is the disruption simply a disruption or an opportunity the Father is redeeming for ongoing reformation?
Only time will tell, of course. But in the meantime, as leaders of our congregations, it is our job to pray, reflect and plan for our congregation’s future.
So, what’s your plan?
To wait this thing out and hope we survive so we can go back to normal.
To start working on a plan that takes advantage of what we are being forced to learn, and prepare to launch into a new season of mission effectiveness and Kingdom expansion going forward.
No matter what you believe about the source and purpose of the pandemic or the appropriateness of the government’s response, we can all agree that God is redeeming this moment for His purposes (Romans 8:28) and inviting us to join Him in fulfilling His purposes in this moment (2 Corinthians 6:1). So, what is the Father giving you and your congregation the opportunity to learn? What is He giving you to review, re-think and reform?
In this article, we will look at three things leaders are learning so far.
Online Worship: a month ago, providing online worship was an afterthought for most of us. Now it could be a key part of our strategy going forward. But what part should it have?
Christian Community: What is it really? What is the pandemic exposing and, moving forward, how do we do a better job of fostering authentic Christian Community among our members?
Christian Care: What have we learned about the importance of intentionality in caring for each other as a congregation and for our neighbors as individual Christ-followers?
Online Worship
A month ago, providing online worship was an afterthought. Having an online presence was something only millennial church planters fussed with. Not anymore. The pandemic has caused a majority of congregations to become much more familiar and even comfortable with online technology and worship.
And what are leaders finding out?
For many congregations, they are surprised to find that the number of people viewing their online services on Sunday morning is 2x to 5x greater than their average on-campus attendance was pre-pandemic. Amazing! Then, once the recording is posted online and members start sharing it on their social media, the total number of people viewing throughout the rest of the week skyrockets even more. Wow!
On the other hand, who are these people tuning-in? And what good is their tuning-in if we can’t follow up? Are we simply fostering another version of attractional ministry? People tune-in and tune-out at will, with no commitment to the local congregation. How can we responsibly disciple a person if we don’t even know their name or what they look like?
This is a legitimate concern IF we confuse attending a worship service for Jesus’ full discipling process. However, according to Jesus in the gospels, while hearing His Word is first, hearing His Word is not all there is to discipling a person. (see Matthew 7:24-27)
Understanding this important distinction helps leaders to place online worship into its proper place in their mission and discipleship strategy. Here’s what I mean…
In the gospels, Jesus shows us that His discipling process starts with proclamation to whoever has ears to hear but then moves on to inviting those who are ready into a personal relationship with Him so He can personally train them.
In the same way, leaders are now seeing how online worship can be a key part of their ongoing strategy for proclaiming Jesus’ Words far and wide to whoever has ears to hear. They realize that their congregation’s “proclamation-footprint” can now be so much bigger than when they only offered services in their building on Sunday mornings. They also understand that this is not an either/or choice but a both/and opportunity. When the stay-at-home orders are eased, we can BOTH proclaim Jesus’ Words in the building AND online.
Next, the strategy moves on to inviting those who are ready to come into a personal relationship with someone who will train the person in the ways of Jesus. Here’s how: Both at the beginning and ending of every message, an invitation is extended to the people who are watching that, if they are ready to take their next step, they are invited to contact the congregation so they can be introduced to a discipling mentor. How many online viewers will take advantage of this opportunity? Many more than if we did not offer it at all. Eventually, the same invitation can be consistently offered when we are gathering again for worship in our buildings.
If this strategy is followed, many more people will hear Jesus’ Words throughout the week and many more people will be invited to come into a discipling relationship, as well.
Christian Community
The U.S. church has long confused worship attendance for Christian Community.
While certainly being together in worship is part of what we mean by the “communion of saints,” authentic Christian Community is most deeply experienced when we regularly connect with friends who are fellow believers.
The rub, of course, is that if we are not able to participate in our congregation’s programming – at the church building – on the day or night it is offered – we have no context for forming friendships with fellow members. That is why so few people in our congregations have experienced meaningful Christian Community. Before the pandemic, most LCMS congregations had approximately 30% of their membership showing up for weekly worship. Therefore, an optimistic estimate for the percentage of members previously experiencing meaningful Christian Community in your congregation is probably less than 10%. Not great. But normal in America.
Perhaps surprisingly, because of online tools like Zoom, in many congregations we are now seeing Christian Community significantly INCREASE even though we are not able to meet physically.
And what are leaders finding out?
We are being reminded, especially by our young adults, that authentic Christian Community is about being connected in relationship, not just physical proximity. Ask anyone who is using a video conferencing platform like Zoom to enjoy reconnecting with their family or college friends or fellow employees or small groups from church and you will hear stories of much-needed community. (By the way, the claim of some of our theologians that there can be no real community where we are not able to meet together physically, falls apart in the clear light of these experiences.)
We are being reminded that authentic Christian Community is created between us by having a common baptism, a common Savior, and a common Spirit within us (Ephesians 4:4-6) AND by being able to share our stories and experiences with each other in unhurried conversations. We certainly experience this when we are together physically, but we don’t lose it when we are not together because we don’t lose Jesus or our friends.
For many congregations, the number of people benefiting from Christian Community is actually increasing because tools like Zoom make it easier for their people to connect.
For example, it is much less stressful for a mom and dad to click on a link at 7:00 p.m. and join a gathering of their friends online, than it is for them to grab dinner, change their clothes, find a sitter and then drive 40-50 minutes round trip to their friend’s home.
Leaders are reporting that because of this improvement, their small groups have more of their members participating more consistently and that many groups are meeting more frequently than when they gathered in person.
When the stay-at-home orders ease, there will certainly be a happy return to our face-to-face gatherings, but many are planning to maintain the online options, too. For instance, leaders envision groups where some are able to attend in person and others join the gathering online.
Because members have become much more familiar with online meeting tools, and have discovered the advantages of it, congregational leaders are planning to continue using such tools for personal discipleship, Bible Studies and various administrative meetings wherever it makes sense.
Christian Care
What are leaders learning about the importance of “intentionality” in caring for each other as a congregation and for their neighbors as individual Christ-followers?
A little intentionality goes a long way.
More members, especially those who are at-risk, are getting more care because leaders are intentionally asking their membership to help. Using simple tools like a phone call, a hand written note, and regular visits (following local rules for social-distancing, of course), leaders are reporting that their members are caring for other members in much larger numbers than before the pandemic. Relationships are deepening and care is expanding. The leaders believe that with a little intentionality after the pandemic passes, these caring relationships will continue to build.
Congregations who have been through Dwelling 1:14’s training process, report that their Missional Community leaders have started regularly checking in with all the other members who are living in their zones. They ask how the person is doing, if they need any help, and then offer to pray with them. Conversations are becoming more comfortable between people who used to be strangers even though they belong to the same congregation. As conversations become more comfortable, Christian Care is flowing more naturally. When I ask leaders if they would have ever guessed their congregation would come out on the other side of a stay-at-home order being MORE relationally connected, the unanimous answer is, “No way.”
Leaders also report an INCREASE in their members’ intentionality for reaching out to neighbors during the pandemic. They report that their members are finding their neighbors more open than ever to conversation, prayer and encouragement from God’s Word.
Ideas include writing notes to neighbors introducing yourself, giving your address, email address and phone number, as well as an invitation to contact you if the neighbor needs anything or just would like to talk. Some even offer to accept prayer requests. Another simple but effective idea is to use sidewalk chalk to write encouraging Bible passages.
Many congregations are doing a great job of providing programs that help and serve the local community. However, these same congregations are also intentional about reminding their people to continue looking out for their personal neighbors. Like one leader said, “I don’t want our people to sit back and let our programs do their serving. Our programs may not be able to reach their neighbors with Jesus’ love and service, but they can. It’s a both/and.”
Conclusion
There is a new television series that recently debuted during the pandemic. It is about the life of Jesus called “The Chosen.” I highly recommend it.
There is a fascinating scene in episode #8 where Peter is complaining to Jesus about having called Matthew the Tax Collector to become part of His band of disciples. As Peter is protesting, Jesus reminds Peter that he wasn’t an obvious choice to be a disciple either. Peter responds, “But that’s different. Matthew is a tax collector.” To which Jesus turns to Peter and says, “Get used to different.”
Dear friends, we better get used to different, too. What’s your plan?