The door is open to physical gatherings
As physical gathering restrictions are relaxed, plan to safely gather and celebrate while launching new and refreshed ministries with young people.
There is nothing better than seeing the faces of people you have not seen for months. Before COVID-19, we’d pay exorbitant parking fees at the airport to welcome a loved one home. When restrictions first eased, we all treasured being able to see Mum, Dad, Grandma, a niece or nephew in person after weeks of separation. This week the prayers of little and big kids at bedtime were answered: “Thanks, God, that I got to see my friends again at school”.
Society has rediscovered the centrality of physical relationships after these were snatched away from us in March. Without the busyness of life, families have reconnected on their family walk. Christian families have launched new family discipleship patterns using the 555 tool.
As Christians we deeply treasure relationships and have mourned the separation from brothers and sisters. Our mourning stems from the truth that Christians are saved into community (Ephesians 3:18-19). We are not just individual forgiven Christians with a ticket to heaven. We are the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:27), the temple of our living God (2 Corinthians 6:16). Some of our deepest joy comes from gathering with diverse and different people to live out the unity of Christ each week. It is hard, messy, but so, so good. Our younger brothers and sisters have been mourning this too.
As physical gathering restrictions are relaxed, we have a momentous task in launching new and refreshed physical gatherings with young people.
Everyone is tired. We are not at the end of our summer break with leaders raring to go. We are leading through the single most disruptive event of our generation: 11 weeks of change, creativity, new strategies, communication, and persistent prayer.
The restrictions are tough. What do we do with the gathering limits of 50 or 100 or 150? How will we implement safety protocols at our different properties? How will we clean the property every week?
We don’t feel ready. Our plans are in pencil. We know it is going to be hard work resetting the culture, energising volunteers, and communicating clearly.
Related
The 555 Challenge
Helping families build a discipleship habit at home
Despite this, we can all testify to the faithfulness of our God over the last three months. He has sustained us and grown his Church as his Word has gone out in a myriad of ways. He will continue to sustain us as we launch our ministries. He will give us wisdom when we ask. He will help us to love and serve his church. COVID-19 has grown the faith of hundreds of youth and children’s leaders.
Every church will need to carefully make decisions on the timeline and shape of their relaunched physical gatherings. Some churches will pivot to a small group model, others will run their whole group, whilst others will wait till the start of Term 3. The challenge is to avoid looking over the hedge at others, and instead pray diligently to the Lord for wisdom and then make careful decisions for the people in your church.
As you make decisions, let the theme of celebration infuse your ministries. We are not celebrating that we are returning to the old ways. That is not true for most churches, nor is the goal. But there is much to celebrate as we return to seeing each other’s faces.
Celebrate being together
When you physically gather again it will be the answer to many young people’s prayers. God has taught young and old that every small group, kids’ club and youth group is a gift. The brief isolation we have experienced is the reality for some Christians throughout the world. Our prayer is that COVID-19 will create a generation of Christians who never consider gathering as God’s people as optional. It is the wonderful gift of God.
Celebrate social distancing
Social distancing has saved lives. Humanly, it may have saved the lives of your young people’s grandparents. Avoid complaining about having to maintain 1.5m in our gatherings. Instead boldly, and loudly celebrate the diocesan guidelines, as we have celebrated safe ministry over the last decades. Together we can work out how to gather in safe and effective ways.
Celebrate what God has done in your group over the last 11 weeks
God has not been on holidays for the last 11 weeks. He has been working in each young person’s life. Give significant time for young people to testify to how God has worked in their lives, especially what God has taught them, how they engaged with God and how God answered their prayers. This will be a key moment for Christians to show non-believers the difference trusting God made in a tough season.
Celebrate simple ministry
More than our programs and games, young people have been missing each other. Simple ministry happens when young people talk to one another around God’s Word. As we return to physical gatherings, prioritise the voices and participation of young people over our voices.
Celebrate the church down the road
The coronavirus pandemic has broken our tunnel vision for our own church and deepened the fellowship between churches and between ministry leaders. We have shared each other’s burdens, celebrated each other’s ideas, and prayed for each other. May this continue and grow. As we return to physical gatherings, lift people’s eyes beyond your own church to the churches of your area and celebrate God’s faithful work.
The door is slowly opening to physical gatherings. There is much to celebrate and give thanks to the Lord for.
