Church in a Post-Pandemic Society: What if Nothing Changes? 1

I know. I know. It has been ages since I last posted. I promise I am not intentionally neglecting you. I have been writing, just not here. Two book deadlines have consumed my time. I just finished Theology of Mission and sent the manuscript to Lexham Press. It is a biblical theology of mission in a concise format. This fall, I plan to finish Apostolic Imagination: Rethinking Contemporary Missions with Baker Academic. So. . . my blogging may continue to be sporadic. 😔Regardless, I greatly desire your prayers with my writing projects.

I was recently interviewed by Seth Brown of the Biblical Recorder regarding COVID-19 challenges and churches. You may find the interview HERE. We have been faced with an unprecedented crisis. We are rightly asking, what now? Churches have responded in a variety of ways. Low tech churches have learned the value of social media and the simplicity of broadcasting worship gatherings on platforms such as Facebook. Churches have created drive-in worship gatherings (Do not tell them Robert Schuller did this in the mid-20th century at an actual drive-in movie theater! “Come as you are in the family car!”). Churches have responded with the use of on-line giving apps. Last week, I was in a meeting with several missiologists where we heard of new churches having fresh visions for outreach to neighbors in need. One church was doing care packages. Another church, released from a rental agreement, now has additional money for ministry and missions. Churches adjust, and the Kingdom advances even in crisis!

But what happens after the restrictions are removed? If we listen to the news, society is moving into a new state in which “everything changes.” While I do not know about all-things-in-society, I have thoughts regarding the Church on the other side of our present reality.

You should know I was voted “most optimistic” by my senior class. I do not want to come across as a pessimist. But, I think very little will change with the Church in North America. Certainly, there will be churches that will cease to exist due to financial hardships. Their systems and ministerial expectations will be unwilling to adjust, and they will disband. There are churches that have experienced loss of life. We must never underestimate the significant change that brings. However, I am referring to churches in general. They are likely to return to the familiar (pre-COVID-19).

Our present paradigm for Church is difficult to change. These cultural manifestations have existed for centuries in North America, and imported from Europe where they existed for centuries. The cultural parameters whereby we define proper church expression are extremely rigid. If a change agent applies enough force, the model will adjust somewhat, but once the agent is removed, it will return as closely as possible to the original shape. There will be some permanent change, but not a systemic shift. A slight warping to the model will occur but definitely not widespread distortion. For the most part, ministry and mission will flow back into the model and continue as before the crisis.

Consider the short-term missions movement. Millions of people and dollars have been applied to these annual endeavors (except this year). A hope was if church members would give a little time to go on a short-term trip, then the majority of their time (and lives), once they return home, would be significantly changed. While there have been many who have experienced seismic personal and ministry shifts since those initial trips, the majority have not.

So, what happened? We left the comfort of the status quo ministry model of home and placed ourselves in a strange environment. This cross-cultural context served as a change agent. No longer would the status quo work here. We had to adjust and contextualize in ways that pushed our culturally defined and preferred boundaries of ministry. We saw the Spirit work in powerful ways, both within ourselves and the people to whom we served. We returned home, fired-up for the Lord. And for the next few months, we served with fresh eyes and significant zeal. However, home allowed, even expected, ministry to occur within the status quo. The rigid boundaries would not accommodate ideas and desires that worked on the other side of the world. The system was too strong. Inertia from the system returned matters close to normal.

I see little widespread change in the future. COVID-19 has forced churches out of the preferred system. We are uncomfortable. Status quo is not working. We have had to adjust in ways that have pushed our culturally defined and preferred boundaries of ministry. We are seeing the Spirit work in fresh ways. We are experiencing new things, having visions of new possibilities, and, though uneasy, fired-up for the Lord. The change agent has arrived. Even in great tragedy, exciting things are happening. But the familiar system remains and eagerly awaits our return. And we will pour ourselves back into that mold as soon as we possibly can.

However, we do have an opportunity to venture into new endeavors for Kingdom advancement. As mentioned, not everyone who returns from the novel context of ministry to the status quo remains the same. There are many brothers and sisters who have been radically transformed from that short-term trip. They have experienced systemic shifts and led the Church in new and amazing mission endeavors at home and abroad.

Church leaders have the opportunity to steward well this moment. The few are ready to be equipped and sent in ways never considered before the virus. Will leaders be sensitive to what the Spirit is doing among those church members? Will they take the initiative and create space to talk with those ready to run in new directions? Will they challenge the majority to see the possibility even when ministry becomes routine again.

Fresh expressions have been with the Church since the beginning. The Lord has used change agents to advance His gospel beyond the norm. Persecution resulted in the birth of the Church in Antioch (Acts 11:19-21). It was made clear the Gentiles could be saved without circumcision (Acts 15:1). Closed doors in Asia Minor and Bithynia were part of the process that brought about the Church in Philippi (Acts 16:6-10). What will Kingdom life look like for your church when restrictions are lifted? We are at a historic crossroads. Will we be wise Kingdom citizens? The five billion remain.