Reopening Church: 15 Questions Church Leaders Must Ask
If you’re a pastor or church leader you’ve made decisions this past year you never thought you’d face. Many, if not most, churches across the country have been gathering for weekend services for some time now as hope increases for the “end” of this COVID pandemic. There are some that are still cautiously waiting for more restrictions to be lifted and more people vaccinated. Regardless you’ve been forced to consider decisions about reopening that you’ve never had to wrestling with before.
The challenges churches have faced over the past year have been many. Unable to provide space for their people to experience community, pastors and church leaders have worked hard to create virtual opportunities to connect. Mostly virtually.
At the same time, this past year has given churches abundant opportunities. The chance to pause and ask:
Why do we exist? Really. When was the last time we asked the question and spent time wrestling with why our particular church is here?
Why have we been “doing church” the way we have for the past year, decade, generation?
How do we include and engage new people who have begun to watch our services online during the past year?
How do we reengage those who have not returned yet, but continue to watch online?
What have we begun during the pandemic that we need to continue to do? And do we know why?
Are these things sustainable? What are the implications to our team? Are staff and/or volunteers feeling fatigued, even exhausted? What will we do about it?
Are we structured and organized in a way that best serves our mission and our people going forward? What shifts and changes need to be made?
What should not be resumed that we stopped doing during COVID? And why?
Having lived through this pandemic what is our responsibility to our neighbors? How are we understanding our role in the community differently?
What do we really mean when we talk about community? About connection? About belonging?
What do people need and desire related to community, connection and belonging?
How do we address the severe isolation people have endured - in our church and in our community?
Are we equipped to care for those who have and are suffering depression, anxiety and other mental disorders?
How do we continue or begin to address racial injustice and societal divisiveness, knowing our church is made up of people, real people who don’t see their own bias or worldview?
What’s our range of effective planning? A month? 3 months? 6 months? A year? Or more?
If you’re a church leader you’ve wrestled with some of these questions. Maybe you’re still rumbling (a word Brené Brown uses for tough conversations) with your team about them. It’s hard work to get perspective, to forge new paths and step forward unsure of what normal will mean in another year or six months. Some pastors and church leaders will rush to get back to normal without thinking or praying too much, if at all, about the questions above. Brave leaders won’t stop rumbling about these and more.
I’d like to know which of the above questions have you engaged over the past year?
And what questions would you add to the above?
