Church Revitalization: Watershed Moment
When I was a kid, my family would take vacations, piling into a car and driving somewhere special. In third grade, we took a trip to Texas over Christmas break. Another year, we went through the Badlands of South Dakota, visited Mount Rushmore, and toured Yellowstone National Park. Still another, we visited the Grand Canyon. On at least a couple of these trips, I remember crossing over the continental divide. To the east of this line, water flows ultimately to the Atlantic Ocean. To the west, it flows to the Pacific. It is North America’s greatest watershed, a high point which separates waters flowing to different destinations
Watersheds are not just a geographical feature. History has been filled with watershed moments as well. The Exodus, the rise and fall of Rome, the American Declaration of Independence, the Wright brothers’ first flight, and the advent of the personal computer have all been moments when history changed direction for good. Interestingly, some of these moments have passed with little fanfare. For instance, the Wright brothers’ first powered flight was not attended by press or even heralded in the media, partly because Orville and Wilbur went to some lengths to avoid press coverage and partly because there were so many others claiming to have solved the problem of flight at the same time. Others, however, have been obvious to all. The Declaration of Independence, for example, was a moment when everyone in the room knew they had reached the watershed and there was no going back.
COVID-19 is a watershed for churches. Normalcy has been so profoundly disrupted that there can be no business as usual during this time. Churches that have met in the same place, at the same time, in the same way for decades have been thrust into online worship, and we are all grappling with the ramifications. Indeed, the other day, I met with one of my mentors for our monthly videoconference, and he remarked that, when we met a month ago, neither of us had heard of COVID-19. So in some ways, we are all reacting to this virus, scrambling after the ball that just sailed past us. It is understandable, then, that we feel distressed and overwhelmed. Times like these are distressing and overwhelming.
Leaders of revitalizing churches, however, cannot afford to remain in reactionary mode. It is imperative that we begin to recognize the disruption of COVID-19 as a watershed for our congregations: we have right now a rare opportunity to introduce change without the risk of revolt.
Two weeks ago, I began a document entitled simply, “Things That Need to Change.” In it, I have begun jotting down things that must not be allowed to return to normal when everything else does. Among the items on this list, I have resolved that online must be a top priority. Prior to COVID-19, our website had been neglected, our Facebook page was updated sporadically, and we posted sermons online every couple of months. Social distancing made that neglected website our front, back, and side doors; our Facebook page became the primary means of communicating with the flock and community; and online sermons became the only sermons. The result has been more people than ever checking out our church online. We must never again neglect this important ministry!
Another example of something in our church that needs to change is that we need to become serious about saving. In the past, we have been content with money to pay the bills for this month. Thus, we have never in the 18 years I have pastored had a significant amount of savings. This season has highlighted the need for a contingency or “rainy day” fund. Our board will be talking about how large this fund should be. I will be advocating for no less than 6 weeks.
Finally, and probably most importantly, we need to get serious about equipping parishioners to shepherd themselves and the people around them. That means that they should be able to dig into Scripture on their own. They should be able to lead their families in Bible study and prayer. They should be able to apply biblical truths to their lives, and they should be able to share their faith with a neighbor and help them do the same things. I cannot be content being the mother who feeds infant Christians truth purée.
What are some things that need to change in your church? More importantly, what will you be doing to effect that change during this season of social distancing so that, when we can finally gather once again, you will be able to hit the ground running? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments!