7 ways churches can flourish after Covid

Bob Whitesel Feb. 24, 2022

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Flourish is a popular metaphor today, and rightly so. It envisions health, growth, wellbeing and purpose. And so, it can apply to a church that has emerged from Covid with new life. Here are seven ways this flourishing may appear.

Finances of a church can flourish after Covid, but you must offer online giving options.

Barna reports that giving increases when online giving is available. A pledge or donation online may allow the giver to consider more carefully their actions, rather than spontaneously putting something in the offering plate as it passes. Paul urged the Corinthians, "give what you have decided in your heart to give" (1 Corinthians 9:7 NIV). The word "heart" for Paul meant, in part, to evaluate the emotional purpose of your giving. Praying over and considering our giving at home, and then declaring it online, can facilitate heartfelt generosity.

Small groups can flourish, but you must offer online small groups too.

Everyone knows that colleges and universities have flourished because they've added online education. Today online chat rooms are a feature in almost all college courses. It is in these small discussion groups that students have time to think about and discuss difficult concepts. And reticent students, who might not speak up in class, often carefully and thoughtfully posit their questions in such an environment. Jesus regularly took aside three of his disciples during remarkable events to answer their deepest questions (e.g. his transfiguration, Mark 9:2-3; when he raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, Luke 8:49-56; and when he prayed in the Garden, Matthew 26:36-38).

Relationships can flourish over longer distances, because people can remain part of a congregation after they move away.

There has always been an almost insurmountable barrier to church health. And that is how far people will drive to a church. Baylor University researchers found that 68% of church attendees drive 15 minutes or less to church. When attendees get more involved, they discover driving back and forth several times a week cuts into family time. Others move away because of careers, family and/or economic issues. Though they may find a church nearby, they may miss the friends they made at the church farther away.

Yet today, a church can offer online fellowship worldwide. The apostle Paul gives us a guide to leading remotely,after initially visiting a church he might never return to. Yet he would pen deeply personal letters to them, in which he would personally greet leaders, talk about his personal transformation (Galatians 2:7-10) while encouraging them to be authentic (1 Corinthians 15:8-9) and humble (Ephesians 3:7-8).

Distance no longer remains a barrier to church fellowship and spiritual growth, if a congregation offers on-site and online opportunities for fellowship, discipleship and outreach.

New life can flourish when people investigate the claims of Christ online.

Skepticism about organized church has increased in the past two decades according to researcher George Barna. Yet Barna also found people remain inquisitive about spiritual matters. To help inquisitive seekers inquire with a degree of anonymity, organizations such as Alpha USA now offer online groups. Nicky Gumbel, the leader of Alpha internationally, once said "Alpha online won't work." But in 2021, Gumbel recorded a video to say he had been wrong about online Alpha Groups and now "Alpha Online works wonderfully." Online opportunities continue to be helpful for delving into the foundations of Christianity.

Intercultural relationships can flourish when we get to know people who don't live or work near you.

It takes intentionality to make friends online. But the friendships you make are not limited to those who geographically or culturally surround you. Though online groups can create echo chambers and division, the church must work to offer groups that bridge the gaps rather than dig them deeper. Chat rooms offer excellent opportunities for people of different cultures to get to know each other and to learn about other cultures. In years past, churches took mission trips to acquaint congregants with other cultures. With intentionality, the Internet can become a church's conduit for easily reaching across cultural boundaries and learning about the other.

An economy of scale can flourish.

When more people identify with a faith community and they in turn support that community, then the faith community will have more resources to help others. This is an increase in the scale or number of people supporting a church. Additionally, online worship/discipleship can be less expensive (i.e. lower overhead) and more accessible. Not surprisingly, most churches have reported that though face-to-face attendance has dropped, overall attendance has increased when online attendance is added.

The Good News is flourishing

Communication channels have always been changing. Jesus wrote nothing down that we know of. Yet his disciples wrote down his words, so the message could be carried across the empire on papyri letters. Martin Luther's protestations coincided with the invention of a communication channel called the printing press. John Wesley trained lay preachers, often people from the working class with little options for advancement. They were the engine behind the Methodist movement. George Whitfield took advantage of early newspapers to encourage the news of his preaching events to sweep across a young America. Charles E. Fuller took advantage of the new medium of radio to broadcast the Good News across America from an auditorium in Southern California. Billy Graham, previously pioneering the 20th Century crusade event, then pioneered motion pictures through which the Good News spread. And today's online innovators, such as Craig Groeschel and Danny Fusco, are sharing the Good News through online Bible resources and social media.

Most churches can flourish in the future, but not if they rely solely on communication tools that worked best in the past. We must be faithful to an orthodox theology, but we must be willing to evaluate and as warranted, embrace new communication tools. This is the history of the Church.

Will there be holographic worship services in your future? Will there be computer-generated virtual worship? Maybe. Probably. Experimental younger generations and creative types have always flocked to new communication methods. But when I need an afternoon praise break, I think I'll stick to listening to worship music on my vinyl LPs. I grew up listening to music that way. And perhaps because of that, for me there is just something organic about it.

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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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