God's people should be the most innovative people. God is the creator. It only makes sense that people made in the image of God would be the most creative people.
Not my experience.
Christian circles tend to be the epitomy of play it safe, take no risks, be predictable, even boring.
Church people get together every week. Clockwork. 3 songs, offering with emotional song meant to make you give more, sermon, and then closing song meant to send you out feeling better about yourself. If there are small groups they are usually boringly predictable. No risk. No danger. No adventure. Same thing, week after week.
Welp, along came COVID. Here's your OUT. Try crazy things you sense the Holy Spirit inspiring you to try. Try the things you feel that God has been nudging you to try for a long time but you've held back because you didn't want to lose people, lose your job, or lose your givers.
Gather in smaller settings. Make your time of learning a time of group dialogue where everyone participates in a conversation about faith. Ask lots of questions and listen. Spend extended times in prayer. Identify each persons spiritual gifting and then give them permission to use it. Include outsiders. Plan and take action together as a group. Meet in unusual places. Intentionally reach out to people that wouldn't come to your large group lecture and concert environments. Eat lots of delicious food. Gather groups of various sizes to play music on a porch, serve your community in creative ways. Keep local businesses alive by ordering takeout. Take prayer walks at the park.
When your non-creatives get upset because church isn't "back to normal" don't curse them under your breath. Don't tell them to get with the program. Blame Covid. Blame covid and be creative. Try the things you've been putting off for years. This is your chance. Don't waste it by taking the same conventional approach to ministry and just putting it on zoom. If you are on zoom try different things. Have discussion groups, virtual pubs or cafe's, and extended times of prayer and training.
Experiment. Innovate. Create. Play. Attempt things. Put on a helmet and some knee pads and go on mission.
Mike Jarrell oversees coaching, vision and training at Narrow Road Communities in Harrisburg, PA. He also serves as director of the Creo Collective.