The past several months have been a most interesting time - in fact, this has been an unprecedented and historical time. We are experiencing a “new normal” in many ways. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every sector and organization in ways that most of us could not have imagined as recently as early March of this year. The violent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have resulted in a global movement to end violence against Black Americans and to end systemic racism and injustices that remain pervasive in our country and worldwide - and presents a real challenge for the church in 2020. You are well aware where I stand as a Christian, a pastor, and a citizen in terms of the absolute need to end racism and injustice, to work for racial equity and reconciliation among all people - all of whom are made in God’s image - we are Galatians 3:28 Christians: “There is no Jew nor Gentile, male nor female...in Jesus Christ.” The church cannot be silent - we must take the lead - and speak prophetically in 2020 on these matters. So you know clearly what I think - and I am thankful that our church is one that stands for reconciliation and the oneness of all people in Christ!
The new normal resulting from COVID-19 is more unclear at this time. We have experienced some of the new normal at Saloma Baptist Church as we have regathered for in person worship in late June. It was a new experience to worship wearing a mask and with people socially distanced at least six feet away in all directions. It was new to have my temperature taken as I entered into the foyer area of the church building. As the pastor of a congregation where fellowship is important and love of our Christian family is so important, it was a challenge to not shake hands and give hugs to people as they entered into the sanctuary for worship. While it was a real blessing to be back in our church building and sanctuary at 1505 West Saloma Road, Campbellsville, it was evident from the moment I walked in that things were truly different and possibly would not return to the pre-COVID-19 normal anytime soon - if ever! While we pray that the virus will not remain a significant threat for an extended period, the way we do church will not return to the “old normal.”
Dr. Bill Wilson, director of the Center for Health Churches which is a ministry of Belmont University, a very fine Christian university, in the Baptist tradition in Nashville, wrote a column titled “What will we see less of and more of in churches in the 2020s?” The article is a discussion of the post-COVID-19 impacts upon the church, and his summary is very eye-opening for those of us in the pastoral ministry. Dr. Wilson, with whom I am acquainted, first presents “what we will see less of...” Some of the key points he makes: there will continue to be a decline of full-time ministry positions (a trend that has been in process for a few decades); the tradition of engaging a majority of our church members in Sunday worship is rapidly going away; the clear boundaries for ministers between work and home/family are increasingly blurred and will increase pressure for pastors; denominational structures and employees will decline dramatically as church budgets decline; the percentage of walk-in newcomers on Sundays will decrease dramatically because more people feel unsafe in crowds; church facilities will become less important in a church’s ministry; seminary trained pastors and staff members will become a rarity; most ministers and staff will wear multiple hats and churches will have to depend more on volunteers; churches that ignore “cultural context and events of the day” will decline, and even disappear, as people seek a way to “engage their Sunday life with the reality of the life they lead Monday through Saturday.” He then presented a very interesting summary of “what we will see more of...” Some of what we see more of: major increase of part-time contract staff to meet the needs and opportunities of the 2020’s; the new norm for a thriving church will be a 7-day-a-week model of engagement of people - knowing that much of the most important work of the church occurs on days other than Sundays; home offices, fatigue, and boundary violations among clergy and their families will require more guardrails and protections; the rise of networks of advisors, consultants, and providers who may be hired will increase as denominational bodies decline and are unable to provide assistance; engaging initially with newcomers to a church will become more online and based on personal relationships - at least one person in the church will need to focus on the church’s online presence; facilities will become less and less important; the manner of doing faith formation will become more dependent on the options offered by virtual sources; local churches will become more vital in providing sound theological training - possibly in partnership with divinity schools; lay members will increasingly lead as program and ministry coordinators; and churches will be expected to allow the Gospel to speak to the challenging issues of the day such as those of racial justice and reconciliation, hunger and poverty, ministry to the lost and least, etc.
Dr. Wilson presents some very interesting thoughts on ways that our churches may change in the 2020’s. I happen to agree with much of what he has to say. The demand to have a virtual, or active online presence and involvement with social medial, will be increasingly expected if a church is to remain vibrant and relevant. We see this at Saloma Baptist Church as we have experienced a significant increase in our outreach and external ministry and mission during the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding our virtual, internet, and social media presence. We are today reaching substantially more people with the Gospel message than ever before in the history of our church. And we will have to continue these innovations and expand and refine them in the days ahead. We must stay current and relevant in the way we deliver the Gospel - the truth of the Gospel never changes - the way we deliver it changes with each generation.