Can you remember the feeling in the atmosphere after 9/11? People were concerned about their safety and curious about important life questions such as meaning & purpose and life after death. In the weeks following 9/11 troubled folks streamed into church services. According to the Wall Street Journal, churches saw an increase in attendance of 25%. As fears continue to grow concerning our current global pandemic, the atmosphere in society feels very similar to the aftermath of 9/11. It all started out pretty light-hearted - late night talk show jokes and Corona beer memes passed around social media. Things began to heat up slightly, but who couldn’t use a week off of work to get things done around the house? But after a month of quarantine and no end in sight, concern is growing. We all know a number of people who have lost their jobs – not just retail temp jobs, but long tenured careers. And we’re starting to hear of acquaintances who have contracted COVID-19. The Dow Jones lost one-third of its value in a month and people are wondering if it’s possible for the economy to bounce back after the smoke clears. Social media is littered with posts of people asking if this is a sign of the end times. We’ve reached the point in this crisis where people would normally be streaming into church services, but everywhere they turn they’re met with “closed for business” signs on the front door of America’s church buildings. Church leaders are scrambling, not to meet the needs of society, but just to stay relevant to their own people. Video conference tutorials, live streaming trainings, on-line giving platforms – just to figure out how to reach our own congregations. But let’s be honest, it all rings hollow to an unchurched society that’s looking for real answers and personal interaction. The traditional church is wholly ill-equipped to respond to a crisis that has in effect rendered “Superstar Pastors” and building-centered, programed ministry obsolete. Most church leaders have reinforced the traditional mindset, defining Christian maturity in terms of spectating – sitting in rows watching a few superstars use their gifts. Therefore, most Christians are unprepared to step out of the pew and be the church. And yet during this crisis, church leaders have no bigger platform to live out the Great Commission than any other follower of Jesus.
The author of Hebrews addressed this very dilemma. He said, “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong” (Hebrews 5:12-14).
This could have easily been written about 21st century Christian America. However, the Missional Church has been tearing down the clergy/laity divide for years. This is our time to put into practice everything for which God has been preparing us. Missional churches have been activating “normal” Christians to live out their calling/gifts and not just relying on superstars to feed them milk. Now is your moment in history to step up and bring hope to the hopeless, light to the darkness, and peace to distressed victims of this global pandemic. Today I am calling on Missionally- minded believers everywhere to start online huddle (DNA) groups, not with each other, but with unchurched friends, family, and acquaintances that are seeking answers during this crisis. Choose one Christian friend to partner with in leading the group through the R.E.A.C.H. weekly rhythms (contact us for more info), highs & lows, prayer requests and a studying through the Gospel of John. We can supply you with generic study guide questions that will assist you in leading a discussion on any Bible passage. If you are unsure how to use video conferencing technology, we can provide basic tutorials. It’s time for Christians, who seriously love Jesus, to step up and answer the call to live out God’s mission at such a time as this.
Here are some additional Missional ideas we’ve used over the last few weeks:
We dropped “well-being” cards in the mailboxes of elderly neighbors offering to pick up groceries, pray, or just a friendly phone call to chat. One elderly neighbor, whose husband passed away last year, immediately called to thank us. The night prior her security alarm was triggered for the first time in 20 years at 2:00am. She felt relieved knowing there were neighbors she could count on in a pinch.
We set up a portable campfire in the front yard and invited neighbors to join us. It’s an effective way to engage with neighbors while maintaining social distance. Make sure to check quarantine regulations in your town or county. Our neighbors roasted hotdogs with us, complete with a toppings bar. Another neighbor who chose not to join us, stopped by with dessert for the group.
We purchased assorted snacks on our last grocery run. We tracked down all those old Christmas and birthday gift bags in the attic and filled them with goodies to encourage neighbors. We added a gift tag that said, “Coronavirus Apocalypse Survival Kit” and signed our names. We included a roll of toilet paper just for fun. We were sure to take precautions to sterilize our environment when packing food. Leah and I played ding dong ditch together for the first time in 20 years of marriage. We placed gift bags on neighbor’s porches, rang the doorbell and ran away.
We dragged those yard games out of the shed and are planning to invite our neighbors to a friendly competition. What better way to maintain social distance than a game of Corn Hole. We’ll keep some hand sanitizer nearby.
We dropped off Easter flowers to our neighbors.
We initiated a brief neighborhood prayer event through video conferencing. We
used the “Nextdoor” app to publicize it with neighbors in our specific community.
Joining God in the Neighborhood,
Jason Heim
Sozo Communities