Every Crisis is a Teachable Moment
The coronavirus COVID-19 has created a crisis for old people like me, cruise lines, airlines, restaurants, the gig economy, schools, camps and churches who can’t meet for corporate worship.
This is a “Who Moved My Cheese?” moment. How do we respond now and in the future, knowing that change is inevitable? There is much to learn about human nature in this simple story about “Sniff” and “Scurry”, “Hem” and “Haw”. It is worth the investment of a half hour…Ultimately the moral of the story is about dealing with change:
Be Ready To Change QuicklyAnd Enjoy It Again & AgainThey Keep Moving The Cheese
Great coaches aren’t sitting at home binge watching “The Gilmore Girls” or the “Marvel Comic Movie” series. They are dreaming and strategizing and making the most of the opportunity to improve their team’s chances to win the championship, once the team can come together again.[bctt tweet="Martin Luther King Jr had a dream that was percolating in his heart long before the speech became a reality." username="stanlubeck"]When his time came, he was ready!John Adams had a dream in 1774 and a passion to see it become reality. No one saw it as clearly:
“Someday, I see a union of thirteen states, a new nation, independent from the Parliament and the King of England.”
A group of friends gathered in the 1940s and dreamed of filling stadiums to present the Gospel. 215 million people eventually heard that message in person and over a billion heard it through TV and radio. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Team saw their dream become reality.In the 1970s, two men were driving in a car, one man dreamed of stadiums filled with men, worshiping God. Bill McCartney was that man and that dream became the Promise Keepers movement impacting millions of men.
What Should Churches Be Doing in this Teachable Moment?
It is Time to Prepare
Prepare online leadership development tools. Check out these 30 videos on everything a small group leader needs to know.
Consider what you want your leaders to “know, be and do,” and prepare lessons to equip them for the task.Organize online leadership networks for leaders and leaders of leaders, using Zoom, Skype or Google Hangouts and develop your skills at leading discussions online using PowerPoint, Keynote and Blackboard.Now is the perfect time for training and developing new skills. Assign staff members to identify one new skill to develop, then hold them accountable online using Trello or 15five.
It is Time to Eliminate
The good is the enemy of the best. This is the time to practice “essentialism, the disciplined pursuit of less but better.” It is prime time to eliminate sub-standard ministries and replace them with new, improved, properly aligned ministries.
Launch Properly Aligned Ministries
Determine to launch strategic ministries when the quarantine period is removed. This is the time to check out where God is moving most powerfully in the world and learn and consider how you can join in on what the Spirit of God is doing.I’m a big fan of Mariners church’s disciple making strategy called “Rooted”. It is a strategy for resetting the spiritual growth trajectory in any church around connecting with God, one another and God’s purpose. This has become Mariners’ one door to enter for new people because it sets the spiritual foundation for making more and better disciples of Jesus. If you are looking for a coach to help you, let’s talk. I was the point man for leading this transition that launched 1200 people into Rooted.
It is Time to Plan
A budget is simply a plan to use finances as a tool to move the ministry forward. Churches should be developing financial plans to increase weekly giving that will help in moving the ministry forward to help the homeless, the under-resourced, those Un-employed. Good works produces good will that opens the door for the Good News.
It is Time to Re-align the Staff
Evaluate where your staff is investing time and energy and redirect them for greater impact. Make sure that they are building ministry teams and have a plan for training, equipping and mobilizing that team to carry out the vision for their existence.
It is Time to Give Honor
The medical community is on the front lines of the coronavirus battle. Consider how your church might honor those in your church who are serving so sacrificially. Mobilize volunteers who might safely minister to the children of medical workers. Mobilize volunteers to mow the lawn or trim the hedges as a way of saying, “we know you are serving tirelessly and we want to lighten your load.”
Don’t Waste This Teachable Moment
Develop leadership training tools
Eliminate dead ministries
Launch New and Better Ministries
Prepare budgets and strategies for post quarantine
Re-align staff
Honor the medical community
OK, what is your next step?