Restart?

How many times have you heard the word “restart” in the last week? In the last 24 hours? Restarting seems to be on everyone’s mind right now. But I think it’s the wrong word.

Language has power. The words we use shape how we think about our context. Human beings are the only species with the ability to plan for the future, and our choice of words deeply influences those plans.

What meaning does “restart” convey? I think it suggests that we’ll return to the way things were in the past. Few leaders actually believe that our churches and ministries will return to “normal” in the near term. Even though the picture is still unfolding and will vary based on geography and other factors, some sort of gradual reduction in social distancing rules seems inevitable. 

So if no one expects us to flip a switch and go back to the way we were, does the word matter? I think it does because of the subtle ways it shapes our thinking. Talking about a restart anchors our expectations around the patterns of the past. We then talk about slight deviations from that norm. For example, the restart mindset implies that we’ll definitely have live worship at 11am on Sunday (the norm) but we might have to limit attendance for a while (the deviation). Or that my Sunday school class will resume its weekly meetings in our familiar location and format (the norm) as soon as we open the building (the deviation). 

This kind of thinking limits the creativity and exploration of new opportunities that is possible in the current crisis. What if 11am is not the best time for worship? What if the current Sunday school structure isn’t attractive for visitors or doesn’t help people grow deeper in their faith? 

You’re probably wondering what word I propose using instead of “restart,” and I’ve struggled to find a replacement. Words like reinvent, reimagine, renew, and launch all have merit. But perhaps the most helpful step you can take is to name the tensions around the idea of “restarting.” Then engage your leadership team in a conversation about what your new normal should look like. That’s a conversation that you can start today.

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