Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Few people would debate that we’re in a time of crisis. And while we wouldn’t say the crisis is “good,” it’s worth reflecting on the statement.

Before covid, many churches and ministries had trouble breaking out of the mindset of “this is how we’ve always done things.” Needless to say, that’s less of a challenge today. And yet, status quo thinking lurks in the shadows every time someone talks about “getting back to normal.” 

That is why we shouldn’t waste the crisis. Our current challenges are an opportunity to break out of our ruts and be more creative. This may be the right time to make a long overdue change or try something out-of-the-box. For example, you may want to: 

• Rethink the way that you’re fostering spiritual growth in your congregation, with increased emphasis on personal spiritual practices and relational discipleship.
• Create a more robust digital offering. (I realize that everyone has upped their digital game, but is it where it needs to be? If you’re not sure, ask the digital natives in your audience.)
• Eliminate a worship service or a program that has been struggling for years. 
• Restructure your staff, eliminating or adding positions based on emerging priorities. 
• Leverage volunteers whose traditional roles are on pause but who still have time and talents to offer.
• Streamline decision-making by eliminating bureaucratic obstacles that slow progress and preserve the status quo. 

Two notes of caution. First, any changes should be consistent with your church’s or ministry’s core identity. Second, you may be tempted to ignore your board (or whatever your governing body is called) in order to move quickly. The last bullet above says “streamline,” not disband. While this is the time to be bold and creative, playing the heroic lone ranger is a fool’s mission. 

What opportunity is the crisis placing at your doorstep?

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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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This strange time of isolation is surprisingly one of the loudest seasons I have ever experienced. The TV features a different “breaking news” story every few minutes that seems even more urgent than the last. If you turn the TV off, your phone will keep dinging with new alerts. And if that feature is disabled, we still have a mind-numbing amount of information at our fingertips. Then there are the many artists, entertainers, and religious leaders who, with the best of intentions, are releasing an overwhelming amount of content to help us get through the crisis.

Is there any space in your life right now where you experience silence? Where you can slow your breathing and listen for what God might be saying? I’m discovering that I need more of those moments, just when the outside forces are conspiring to take them away. I will confess to losing the battle and over-consuming content too frequently. What about you?

The second half of this blog’s title is “take note.” Because in the midst of crises, God is always present and always wants to teach us something. Of course there are large-scale lessons (global, national) to be learned, but I’m more interested in the local and personal ones. What might God be saying about your church or ministry? About you and your leadership?

As you carve out the space to be silent and to listen, I invite you to literally take notes. What are you hearing from God? What changes do you need to make? Perhaps “going back to normal” isn’t what God wants for us. Capturing your reflections in some form (paper or electronic) makes it much more likely that you will remember and act on them when we get to the other side of this crisis.

I recognize the irony of this blog: I’ve created more content for you to consume. So put your device aside and create the space to listen and take note(s). I don’t know what you’ll hear, but I’m certain you’ll be glad you did. 

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