WHEATON COLLEGE BILLY GRAHAM CENTER DR JOSH LAXTON

WHEATON COLLEGE BILLY GRAHAM CENTER DR. JOSH LAXTON & DR. ED STETZER

PHASE 4 RECOVER AND REEMERGE COVID-19

Relaunching the Church COVID-19 Crisis

Relaunching the Church COVID-19 Crisis DON'T SEEK TO RETURN TO NORMAL, SEEK TO RETURN TO A NEW NORMAL

Relaunching the Church COVID-19 Crisis ASK: • WHAT DO WE NEED TO IMPROVE? • HOW CAN WE IMPROVE? • WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE? • WHAT CAN WE CHANGE? • WHAT DO WE NEED TO ADD? • WHAT DO WE NEED TO STOP? ELIMINATE?

Relaunching the Church Learning the COVID-19 DANCE Graph from Tomas Pueyo’s Article, “Coronavirus: The Hammer and the Dance”

Relaunching the Church Learning the COVID-19 DANCE I call the months-long period between the Hammer and a vaccine the Dance because it won’t be a period during which measures are always the same harsh ones. Some regions will see outbreaks again, others won’t for long periods of time. Depending on how cases evolve, we will need to tighten up social distancing measures or we will be able to release them. Tomas Pueyo, “Coronavirus: The Hammer and the Dance” er time, Pueyo explained it would be dance time until there is a vaccine. He explained,

Relaunching the Church The COVID-19 Dance 01 1– 3 Months Learning the rhythm, rules, and dance moves of the COVID-19 Dance

PHASE 1 RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS RELATED TO CHURCHES

PHASE 2 RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS RELATED TO CHURCHES

PHASE 3 RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS RELATED TO CHURCHES

CO OM UP E LE TO OF TH E M ON NE TH XT S

Large People's Gatherings Mental State Finances Loss/Grief Sporting Events Businesses Nonprofits Family Budgets PTSD Concerts Cautious Conferences Normal Churches What has COVID-19 effected in the shortterm? How People Gather Live Give

Relaunching the Church COVID-19 Crisis 02 01 3– 6 Months 1– 3 Months Dancing the new dance Learning the rhythm, rules, and dance moves to the rhythm of COVID-19

CHURCHES WILL NEED TO THINK THROUGH. . . Practical Stuff Policies and procedures regarding safety precautions Communication about new protocols CDC—Guidelines Learning, Practicing, and Dancing the New Dance

CHURCHES WILL NEED TO THINK THROUGH. . . Practical Stuff Policies and procedures regarding safety precautions Finances Mission is the church's mandate People reach people Communication to congregants Facilities facilitate ministry (tech) Benevolence is beautiful Learning, Practicing, and Dancing the New Dance

CHURCHES WILL NEED TO THINK THROUGH. . . Practical Stuff Policies and procedures regarding safety precautions Communication to congregants Finances Mission is the church's mandate Ministry Models Corporate worship Small groups People reach people Facilities facilitate ministry (tech) Next Generation (children/youth) Volunteering in new normal Benevolence is beautiful Learning, Practicing, and Dancing the New Dance

Phases of Corporate Worship As restrictions on #s of people are lifted 1 2 3 4 50 250 500 1000+ Or or or Or 25% capacity 50% capacity 75% capacity 100% capacity How many gatherings? Back to normal for most How do they gather? churches. . .

CHURCHES WILL NEED TO THINK THROUGH. . . Red is blocked out Yellow is open seating 36 inches from back of a chair to the back of the chair behind it

01 Send a form out to parents Send a question form to parents asking the following “Which of the following would you deem absolutely necessary before you consider bringing your child to church. ” Statements could include: Next Generation Children’s (and Student) Ministry Options - An official all-clear from the national government (or CDC) - Lifting of state guidelines or recommendations of group size - Temperature and symptom checks of all volunteers and attendees - Guidelines limiting the number of children in a room - Stringent cleaning protocols for all rooms, furniture, and toys - There is nothing that will make me feel safe to send my child to church

Send a question form to parents asking the following, “Which of the following would you deem absolutely necessary before you consider bringing your child to church”: 01 Next Generation 02 Send a form out to parents Family Worship - An official all-clear from the national government (or CDC Certified COVID-19 testing of all volunteers Lifting of state guidelines or recommendations of group size Temperature and symptom checks of all volunteers and attendees Guidelines limiting the number of children in a room Stringent cleaning protocols for all rooms, furniture, and toys There is nothing that will make me feel safe to send my child to church Other (please specify) Rather than holding children’s ministry—especially with restrictions on size of gatherings—it may be best to hold Family Worship style gatherings Children’s (and Student) Ministry Options 03 Offer Limited Ministry Maybe only offer nursery through Pre-K (still have them sign up so that you are prepared)

Send a question form to parents asking the following, “Which of the following would you deem absolutely necessary before you consider bringing your child to church”: 01 Next Generation 02 Send a form out to parents Family Worship - An official all-clear from the national government (or CDC Certified COVID-19 testing of all volunteers Lifting of state guidelines or recommendations of group size Temperature and symptom checks of all volunteers and attendees Guidelines limiting the number of children in a room Stringent cleaning protocols for all rooms, furniture, and toys There is nothing that will make me feel safe to send my child to church Other (please specify) Rather than holding children’s ministry—especially with restrictions on size of gatherings—it may be best to hold Family Worship style gatherings Children’s (and Student) Ministry Options 03 Offer Limited Ministry Have parents sign 04 up for slots Maybe only offer nursery through Pre-K (still have them sign up so that you are prepared) So that you are prepared, , have parents sign up to bring their child(ren)—regardless if there is or isn’t a size restriction In signing up, provide red, yellow, and green light guidelines that communicate to parents when it is safe to bring their child(ren)

CHURCHES WILL NEED TO THINK THROUGH. . . Practical Stuff Policies and procedures regarding safety precautions Communication to congregants Finances Mission is the church's mandate People reach people Facilities facilitate ministry (tech) Benevolence is beautiful Ministry Models Learning, Practicing, and Dancing the New Dance Mission Corporate worship Spiritually Small groups Socially Next Generation (children/youth) Culturally Volunteering in new normal

01 Missional Engagement Spiritually In addition to Personal Evangelism… Online as the New Mars Hill Don't lose the momentum from the pivot to online, refocus it as the new medium to engage those far from God Launching 02 virtual small Grief share, Alpha, Explore God groups 03 Sermon Series Mission to 04 Vulnerable Populations Church 05 Planting/ Revitalizing Be strategic in the sermon series you do Think through how to conduct ministry or services to vulnerable populations (ex: launch a satellite campus at a senior assisted center) Leverage this crisis to plant a church or revitalize your church (adopting or fostering a struggling church)

Missional Engagement Partner with Sister Churches 5 Find ways to show the solidarity and unity of the Big "C” Church Socially 4 3 2 1 Become a Resource Hub Use facilities as a donation center, make face masks, etc. Caring for the Vulnerable How can you serve the sick, seniors, poor, and homeless? Assist those in Need Financial assistance, free-child care, home delivery, etc. Group Counseling—&Partner with a Professional Counseling Organization Launch a Grief Share (virtual group), support group for those facing unemployment , Provide resources and contact information for people in need of professional counseling

1 2 Missional Engagement Leverage Facilities for Missional Use Rent out your commercial kitchen; partner with a daycare/preschool Host Job Fairs Partner with other churches and businesses in the area to do a job fair 3 Support Local Businesses Look for ways to serve local businesses and their owners Culturally 4 5 Partner with Local Schools Ask how you can help support them as they re-launch in the fall Be Available to Local (State) Government Offer to be of assistance and help to government officials

Relaunching the Church COVID-19 Crisis 03 02 01 6– 9 Months 3– 6 Months 1– 3 Months Perfecting the new dance Dancing the new dance Learning the rhythm, rules, and dance moves to the rhythm of COVID-19

Relaunching the Church COVID-19 Crisis 04 03 02 01 Months 6– 9 Months 3– 6 Months 1– 3 Months 9– 12+ Thriving after the COVID-19 dance Perfecting the new dance Dancing the new dance Learning the rhythm, rules, and dance moves to the rhythm of COVID-19

5 Takeaways from the COVID-19 Dance that Will Help Churches Thrive in the 21 st Century External Utilizing Leveraging Small Groups/ Restructuring Focus Tech Facilities Equipping Families Finances Hopefully, churches, or This crisis has changed Leverage facilities in a Churches need to move Churches will need to be at least biblical and in one month a tool missional and also from being a church leaner and be fiscally missional churches will churches should have economical should be with small groups to frugal in order to endure turn their attention been using all along thought through being a church of small and thrive in future crises outward groups. Online should be seen as the new “Mars Hill” Focus on Family Discipleship

1 KINGS 19: 5– 21 How to make it through the dance without the dance wearing you out

STEPS. . . Rest and Eat Get Perspective Be Real “Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, ‘Get up and eat. ’… So he ate and drank and lay down again. ” (v 5, “Then on the strength from that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. ” (v 8– 9) “‘What are you doing here, Elijah? ’ … I have been very zealous for the Lord. . I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life. ” (v 10) 6)

STEPS. . . Listen for & to God's Voice “Then God said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence’. . And after the fire there was a voice, a small whisper. ” (v 11, 12) Find Community “But I will leave seven thousand in Israel—[who have not worshipped Baal]. . Elijah left there and found Elisha. . Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him. ” (v 18, 19, 21)

RESOURCES www. coronavirusandthechurch. com Email: Joshua. laxton@wheaton. edu