Gather your Core group,
...your most faithful leadership...
to Study and discuss:
(By Zoom or in person)
“Can our Church
be Re-born After Covid?”
A Plan of action for Church Leadership
(#3 of 3 articles)
Begin with prayer: "Fill our hearts, Lord, with an unconditional love for you and for your kingdom/realm here on earth."
1. Share with each other: "What have we learned recently about our church?....."
- ....During this last year of the Covid Shutdown?
- ....During this last decade of ministry in a rapidly changing society?
- ....What has been the larger church role in transforming society?
- ... Have have we shared our insights, teachings and understandings of God?
HOW are we as people and a church are dealing with: Widespread Loneliness & Isolation, Racism and Systemic Racial bias, Global Climate Change, the Tech revolution & job loss, Homelessness & Poverty, Consumerism and the shift to a goods and greed lifestyle, the Sexualization & Sexual revolution of the last 50 years, and current major Political upheaval & hardening of opinions?
Every one of these issues could be a major ministry of your church. Who in your congregation has a heart for addressing any one of these?)
2. Study #1: Have we been true to our highest calling?
- Consider these scriptures as a group: Mark 1:14-15, Phil 3:20, Luke 17:21, Isa 61:1-2, Luke 4:21, 2 Cor 4:16-18, Matt 6:10.
- Discuss: How have we embodied the Heavenly presence of Jesus in our lives, our church well?
- Discuss: How have we let people know what it means to be a Citizen of Heaven above all else?
- Discuss: How have we ourselves grown as Disciples? (... or have we "let slide" seeking perfect love? -God’s unconditional love and forgiveness in Christ.
3. Discover: “What are our neighbor’s deepest needs in this new season of the church?
- Where are people hurting, grieving, depressed, alone and lonely?
- Where are people worried, struggling financially, food insecure, homeless, need medical information and/or care?
- Where are people more introspective, questioning the meaning of life after such a close encounter with death?
- Where are they searching for understanding, direction and hope in living their life?
4. Evaluate #1: What are the good and effective things that we have done during the lockdown?
- What can we celebrate as we begin to gather face-to-face again?
- What have we learned about our ourselves and our church during this time of great dissociation?
- What do we need to learn more about?
5. Evaluate #2: How well are we serving our online church members and visitors?
- Are we regularly calling them, listening to them, responding honestly and authentically to them?
- Where are we helping people see the church community as a help to them in living a fulfilled life?
6. Reflect #1: How recently have we as a congregation deeply explored questions about God and our Spiritual life such as:
- What is the Role of Worship in a disciple’s life?
- What is the role of Silence, Devotions and Praying for others?
- Where does worship fit in the life journey of a newcomer's exploration, questioning, sharing, learning and commitment to Christ?
7. Reflect #2: How is our Spiritual Life nurtured in our church?
- How have we as leaders grown in our understanding of God's presence in our lives? .... God's presence in our world? .....Our changed behavior in prayer and action as disciples?
- What is the reliable measure of the spiritual effectiveness of our efforts?
- How does our participation in classes, small groups and workshops (that discuss theology and the many issues of living, social concerns, etc.) strengthen and deepen our spiritual journey?
- How are such classes, small groups and workshops a better measure of the vitality of our congregation than worship attendance or church membership, which is often out of date and filled with non-active people.
- How can our "church business committees" be even more spiritual?
8. Brainstorm #1: Given the resources we have at hand, what can we do to help newcomers, returning members and our neighbors living within walking distance of the church? (a 20 min. walk from your church.)
- How can we be more neighborly and welcoming?
- What activities can we offer to improve the neighborhood?
- What enrichment activities can we offer the children and parents?
9. Brainstorm #2: What can we do to serve better those who may visit us in person looking for something more in their lives?
- Will new, personally supportive groups and current issue exploring spiritual growth groups be starting regularly? (Don't forget the spiritual component to all the groups you start. See our "Resurrection Families" at www.agapejourneys.com for how to start and easily maintain small groups.)
- What workshops on Prayer, Forgiveness, Living with Unconditional Love and Getting closer to God (among others) will offered as follow ups to big events? What will be the follow up to those workshops?
- Are there helpful materials displayed and easily at hand for church members to share?
10. Brainstorm #3: How can we offer the presence of Christ, God’s heaven right now in the congregation more effectively in their home?
- What devotionals, social media broadcasts, regular mailings, emails, texts and phone calls are we doing?
- How can we help those around us to live a more spiritual, God filled and faithful life every day? (not just on Sundays.)
11. Brainstorm #4: What are our ideas for our congregation in the next 6 to 18 months:
- When can we offer New classes, Topics and New small groups, (i.e see “Resurrection Families on the www.agapejourneys.com website)
- What Special Community Events (Picnics, Movies on Lawn) as well as unique church celebrations...etc.
- How best can we publicize them to our immediate, walkable neighborhoods?
12. Take Action: What is our specific and measurable STRATEGIC PLAN for the next 6 to 18 months?
- How will we help our members and those who live around us within walking distance to enter into an active heavenly relationship with God right now and then grow into their God-given potential of Christ's unconditional love, forgiveness, prayer and service?
- How are the parts of this plan assigned and to whom are they assigned, and how will we keep ourselves accountable?
- Is all this in writing? Is it shared with the whole congregation? Is it explained and reflected on regularly?
End with Prayer: "Thank you Lord, for bringing us into your presence, your realm, your holy kingdom. Empower us with your Holy Spirit to do your will every day as we pray your prayer: 'Our Father in heaven, Holy is your name...."
Conclusion:
This post-pandemic time can be an exciting time to gather core leaders: the most committed, most faithful leaders of the congregation, and think through the purpose and future of the church. It’s a perfect time to go deeper into the scripture, reason, experience and tradition of the faith.
Perhaps a full-blown “re-starting” of the church can happen. A time when ALL it’s activities and ministries are evaluated and ended/continued on how effective they are in bringing us closer to the Gospel of God’s realm. (This includes Administrative functions as well as “traditional ministries.”)
New small groups and new small group leaders usually need to be identified, trained and supported. The spiritual content of the existing outreach efforts may need to be heightened. Everything needs to be evaluated by the basic mission of the church: “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” (both spiritual and temporal/physical) What do we offer that’s unique to the world? ....to our neighborhood?
Churches need to be more than “just another social service agency with a job to do.” The excitement of the 1stCentury Christians needs to be rediscovered as they proclaimed “God is with us!” They knew that we are “citizens of heaven”right now! (Phil 3:20).
New life needs to be lived right now with Godly hope as well as promise, invitation and response that makes a real difference in hearts and minds of those around us.
And perhaps, just perhaps, another “Great Awakening” of the Christian movement in our society will take place.
(P.S. It you would rather have someone from the "outside" come and ask these difficult questions, Rev. Dr. Terry Van Hook would be happy to talk with you and arrange a zoom and/or personal visit.
The Agapé Journeys Ministry is committed to developing local church leadership within each individual local church. The only expectation is a free will offering of those individuals participating.
Please check out the ministry website at www.agapejourneys.com or contact Pastor Terry directly at [email protected] in order to develop your personalized plan of action. We'd love to tailor some renewal activities for your specific situation.)
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