4 long-term negative church effects of a quarantine
In a previous article I described what leaders must do if their church services are canceled. In this article I will examine long-term negative effects of a viral quarantine and what church leaders can do about each.
People will get out of the habit of regular church attendance.
Though most churches are offering online options, many people consider online services a poor substitute for face-to-face meetings. Yet, this may be because in North America we have for years focused mostly on large “event” gatherings. However, this wasn’t always the case.
In New Testament times the large gathering was the exception, not the rule. Churches in this period grew by meeting in the more intimate confines of homes. Pastors today often worry that if smaller gatherings are emphasized then orthodoxy and theology will suffer.
But in New Testament times, where did orthodoxy come from? It came from the letters of the apostles that were read, passed around and copied. In that regard, the teaching was not apostle-to-person, but letter-to-person. The letter was the medium and the Word was the message.
The listeners then were to take that message and live it out as “living letters.” Paul wrote, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3).
The New Testament practice of communicating through letters on papyri is not too dissimilar to online church services and teachings today. People can gather in small groups and read (or listen) to leaders parse the Scriptures and impart biblical truths.
Resisting today’s online communication methods might be analogous to rejecting a letter from Paul, Peter or John because the author was not physically present. Church history is filled with examples of the Good News traveling through pen-and-papyrus in a similar fashion to how it travels today through an online gathering
But as mentioned above, people today have a long history of enjoying the “event” status of a large church gathering. Still, we forget that in the New Testament period (and in some parts of the world today) the church survives and thrives by being underground in small groupings. It is at these times that the small groupings often derive much of their encouragement, insight and community by dwelling on the Scriptures rather than celebrating a large event.
Keeping in mind these factors, we must balance our energies, resources and time between big events and smaller, intimate gatherings. Most churches spend most of their time, money and person-power on large events. But the significance of large events may be dwindling in a post-quarantine world where online avenues of community are beginning to grow.
The church of the future will no longer primarily emphasize the attraction of a weekly church “event,” but rather balance that with an emphasis on connecting with God (which can happen at a big event, but may happen more often in a smaller, intimate environment).
Thus, tomorrow’s churches must create a balance by offering more and better online worship, teaching and fellowshipping opportunities. This means spending more time planning the liturgy and theology of our online environments. And it means spending more effort, staff and assets in creating supernatural online gatherings.
And, with people traveling so much today and with extended families in far off places, online communities/worship can connect people in our increasingly fluid culture. Rebecca and I have found it enjoyable to watch the online streaming service of our church while traveling. We hear the latest news and feel like we’re part of the community, even though on many Sunday mornings I’ll be preaching at a church somewhere around the nation.
People will find alternative online communities, if the church doesn’t step up.
The second negative is that people will increasingly look to online forums such as Facebook groups and chat groups for their community. Many of these smaller group formats may not be spiritual, but secular. This can cause people to find their fellowship in smaller affinity groups, but which do not have a spiritual nurturing component. Recently Facebook has stepped up its advertisements about Facebook groups, most likely to provide community in times physical distancing.
God has an even stronger desire to connect with his offspring. Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
And, he created his offspring with a desire for this spiritual connection. As Jesus said in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).
To address God’s desire to connect with his people, their desire to connect with him and the increasing online modes of communication, the future church will increasingly emphasize its small network of smaller, spiritually-oriented groups.
People will increasingly fear outsiders.
Fear of outsiders, sometimes called xenophobia, may increase when a virus is spreading through close proximity. People will practice social distancing as a reaction, but this can easily escalate into suspicion of the stranger. One result can be that people will be drawn deeper into factional “safe” groups that reflect their own opinions and outlook on outsiders. This polarization can make it hard for outsiders to find a group into which they can fit. And, it can make outsiders feel suspect.
The prescription is to remind people that Christ calls us to reach out to the outsider, even at our own personal peril. The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) is a well-known example, for the Samaritan went against tradition, using his own monies to care for a stranger.
The Bible reminds us over and over, that though the Jews were ostracized, they were to reach out to the stranger:
You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.” ~Matthew 5:43-47, MSG
Workers will increasingly work online and from home.
A final aspect of a viral quarantine will be that more workers will move online and home to complete their work. This must be true of the church staff as well. Churches typically cannot pay staff members as much as they would receive in the secular world. And so the church should compensate by offering benefits.
One benefit is remote work, which allows employees to spend more time with family and/or travel environments. This should extend to pastors in their counseling and leadership meetings as well. Counseling and management can be conducted via video conference calls.
Church leaders should embrace online opportunities and work flexibly to partner with people who are increasingly discovering the flexibility of working remotely. They can make more effective use of their time by utilizing online tools, which may also result in an ability to help more people.
Photo source: istock
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Bob Whitesel (D.Min., Ph.D.) is a foresight coach, professor, and award-winning author of 14 books. For over 30 years, he has guided leaders and churches to pivot and engage what’s next. He holds two earned doctorates from Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches on leadership foresight, church health, and organizational change. His website is www.ChurchForesight.com. Learn More » |
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