Seven lessons I've learned while ministering in a pandemic
COVID is an accelerant speeding change along. Online education, online platforms and multi-mode communication already existed, but now they are present everywhere. In addition, the pandemic has amplified the stresses that we faced daily and exposed fissures in our homes, relationships and ministries.
Here are random thoughts on ministry in the pandemic:
The strength of relationships is being tested.
People are discerning for themselves what is best for… them. Relationships are stressed as interaction and communication look different. In the same moment, family time is both increased and, in some cases, takes on a diminished value as family members work or study from home and are always present around each other. We are seeing first-hand that physical proximity does not equal emotional proximity.
Our experiences are different.
The mental health repercussions of this pandemic will be seen among the next generation for years. Anxiety was increasing, but COVID has accelerated it. One of my children called their great-grandparents to research WWII via phone interviews. The experience of each one was drastically different on Pearl Harbor Day, though that day impacted each of their lives. The same is true of this pandemic. Depending on living situations, ages, and geography, our experiences are drastically different. Culture will want that to divide us, but the church has a chance to show unity in amazing ways as we step forward together.
Perfection is still impossible, so just keep moving.
Perfection was never possible, but during the pandemic it feels as though the wake of each decision is larger. All of us striving to make choices in step with the Spirit, seeking God’s will, must take one step at a time.
College ministry is wicked creative.
If you want to hear about some crazy adjustments, talk to a college minister trying to connect with students who are now mostly virtual. I am hearing from BCNE collegiate missionaries who are faced daily with new obstacles to reaching students. Their tenacity to spread the Gospel and make disciples in unprecedented circumstances will yield fruit for the church for decades to come. Take time this Sunday to pray for a BCNE collegiate missionary.
Focus on the mission.
At the beginning, everything slowed down. We adapted, amped up communication and contact, and went online. Months later we face new decisions, and now is the time to implement healthy assessment processes. Are we living and breathing the Great Commission and empowering others to do the same? We need to continue moving forward with the mission as we become used to life during COVID.
We must guard our hearts.
We’ve listened to people who are hurting, ministered to those who are unable to gather and spent more hours in emergency mode than before. Exhaustion, whether physical or emotional, makes us more vulnerable to temptation than ever. Friend, seek the Lord. He is our refuge and strength, and the Gospel is our hope. Let’s live and breathe this hope!
The promises of God are true.
God is sovereign, and He is working toward something awesome. The promises of God remain true today, no matter your circumstances, because God is true and faithful. Remind yourself of the promises of God and your identity as a child of God. Jesus reigns!
Andy Haynes serves as the Next Generation Co-Director of Collegiate Ministries at the Baptist Convention of New England and as pastor of The Church on Seven Hills in Worcester, MA.