We’re entering year three of the COVID-19 pandemic. The disruption, uncertainty and loss have been life-altering. I was asked recently how churches can navigate this. None of us knows what the future holds. But we can focus on how we lead. Here are my thoughts.
Show compassion
I believe compassion is a key leadership competency, not only compassion for others but self-compassion. The last two years have taken their toll on everyone, and the fatigue can be crushing. To me, compassion is the result of grace. When we open ourselves to God’s grace, we are better able to accept ourselves and others without judgment. Any sense of hope for the future is impossible without this. The good news is that grace is not up to us. It’s God’s gift. I would say if there is one thing to focus on in our spiritual practices, whether prayer, meditation, journaling, etc., it is to ask for God’s grace to work in us, through us and in spite of us.
Hold the tension between vision and reflection
There is a paradox that leaders need to navigate. First, the primary role of a leader is vision. Leaders need to discern where God is calling their ministry to go. The pandemic has created new opportunities and a multitude of needs. No church can do everything, but every church can do something. Focus is critical. Spending time in prayer, in conversation with members of the community and in discussions with congregants can help leaders discern what to focus on that will re-vitalize the ministry. This will be different for most every church, but I believe that the common element is serving people outside of the congregation.
Second, leaders need to acknowledge pandemic grief. This goes beyond lost lives. It includes lost opportunities and experiences. Just about everyone I know has been affected by lost time in school, lost celebrations, i.e. graduations, weddings, even funerals, lost connections with loved ones and lost church activities. The list is long. Change is not possible unless people have a chance to grieve the loss and disruption of the last two years. Denying it exists will make things worse.
So the paradox is that leaders need to be looking forward, while encouraging those they lead to reflect on the last two years and lean into what’s been lost. I believe that’s how we move forward.
Build on what we’ve learned and look outward
I believe the pandemic has created a Kairos moment for our United Methodist Churches. It put a pause on our denominational squabbling while, at the same time, dragged us kicking and screaming into using technologies that have transformed how we connect with people. Most churches have maintained their financial stability and have demonstrated that they can reach people who are not likely to set foot in a church building. I’m asking several questions.
- How can we build on what we’ve learned to reach people virtually?
- What can we do to connect them to God and nurture them spiritually?
- What can we do to connect them to others in real life, knowing that this might mean they won’t connect directly with us?
- What need in the community could we meet that might bring all these things together?
I don’t believe we can go back to the way things were before. The only way is forward, and it won’t happen without leaders who can discern God’s leading AND show care and concern for those they lead. You ARE that leader.