A Return to Normalcy

In his 1920 presidential candidacy, Warren G. Harding coined the campaign slogan “a return to normalcy.”  The idea was to allow the country to get back to the place it was before World War One.   Although hardly the same as recovering from a world war, I think I can speak for all of us when I say we long for a “return to normalcy” for our Sunday morning meetings from our very abnormal experiences because of COVID–19.  When all of this began, we published a series of articles on how to help your local church cope with and hopefully even thrive during the pandemic.  Although there is no clear end in sight to the restrictions we are having to work with, we thought it would be good to send some thoughts on how to begin thinking through what’s next for our Sunday gatherings.

As I’ve talked to various guys, I understand that we are still all over the map when it comes to how we are thinking about and conducting our meetings.  Some churches are back to meeting all together while following social distancing and mask protocols.    Some are meeting with attendance restrictions while continuing to live stream services for those who can’t or don’t feel comfortable to return to services.  Some are meeting outdoors.  Some have gone to two services in order to meet gathering size restrictions.  Almost no one is providing children’s ministry as normal.  In other words, this isn’t a “one size fits all” season.

Unity

In past articles, we have acknowledged that there is no “one size fits all” solution to how to go about carrying out the church’s mission, especially our mission to meet.  And it remains true that there is no “one size fits all” solution regarding transitioning back to normalcy not only as churches but for individuals in our churches.  Some people won’t come if they have to wear a mask.  Some people won’t come if others aren’t wearing masks.  Some may not want to come until a vaccine is available.  Some can’t fathom a way to come with young children when there is no children’s ministry.  Some think we need to defy government mandates.  

But more important than the decisions we make as elders and our members’ response to those decisions is the heart attitude we all must maintain.  I think Ephesians 4:1-4 captures that heart attitude - “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  As we strive to do what we believe is best for our local church in the coming months, let’s make sure we even more so strive to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” in both our decisions and in our attitudes.  And let’s do all we can to help our members to do the same.

2 Big Decisions

From the guys I’ve talked to it seems that there are two big and related decisions that loom.  First, when or if to stop live streaming?  Second, what to do about children’s ministry (CM)? 

First, live streaming.  I think most of us probably agree that live streaming is a temporary exigency for an unusual time and, while grateful for how it has served us, that we don’t want to continue with it any longer than we have to.  It is our theological conviction that the church is intended to meet together and in person.  So, when do we stop?  Some think live streaming should cease as soon as local restrictions are such that the church could meet all together in person.   And that is a reasonable goal.  As pastors we should graciously help our members wean themselves off of the live stream when meeting in person is entirely possible for them.

But we must balance that with consideration for those who might not feel comfortable returning to a live meeting.  Some may believe live streams are the only way to safely and fruitfully participate in the life of the church.  We certainly don’t want people to use live streaming as a mere convenience but neither do we want to cut members off from their source of participation because of a few who misuse the technology.  That lead to the second big decision, children’s ministry.

Many young families can’t envision their younger children sitting through a meeting that tests their ability to sit quietly and not distract parents and others.  They can’t imagine benefitting from the meeting because they are having to spend so much time dealing with the kids.  So they may see live streaming as their only alternative.  I frankly sympathize.

But there are some options.  Come alongside parents by providing quiet activities (coloring, puzzles) for kids to do during the meeting. Enlist the talents of gifted and creative servants in CM to create ways to engage the kids and serve the parents. Consider doing some limited CM for pre-school age kids as well as a nursery for babies.  

You might even consider offering parents “self-serve” CM: a dedicated room, perhaps with a video feed, where parents can sit with, play with, or hold their children without fearing disruption. This is also an opportunity to encourage and equip parents with school-age kids, most of whom should be capable of sitting through a normal Sunday meeting. But whatever you do make sure that you continue to keep all safety protocols in place. 

Patient Endurance

I spent a good bit of time this summer studying and preparing for a Sunday class on Revelation. I was struck by what is perhaps the main exhortation enjoined on the church throughout the ages: “patient endurance.”  I think that’s a good takeaway for us as well.  If you’re like me you thought this COVID thing would last a few months and we would be done with it.  Obviously not.  It looks like we could be facing restrictions on a return to normalcy for quite some time.  So it’s a time for patient endurance. 

When I first considered patient endurance I thought it was redundant.  But the more I thought about it the more I saw the wisdom in that translation.  Sometimes we have no choice but to endure.  But we can endure in various ways.  We can have complaining endurance where we gripe about our trial.  We can have angry endurance where we rage against it.  Frustrated endurance where we feel thwarted at every turn.  Or resigned endurance with a passive, “oh well” attitude.  Patient endurance is different.  It bears with the thing that must be endured trusting God for his perfect timing and His good purpose for the trial.

People often ask me, “What do you think God is trying to accomplish through this COVID trial.”  My stock answer is – “I have no idea.”  But if nothing else, if as individual Christians, local churches, and a denomination we learn to patiently endure our trials we will at least have learned a very valuable lesson - one that will serve us well even when COVID is a distant memory.