What's at the heart of effective ministry during isolation?
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While your ministry continues online, ensure it is effectively serving and loving others with these six practical tips.
If someone had told me six months ago that my diary would be full of cancelled meetings and ministry events, and that churches were no longer able to physically gather, I probably would have laughed and waited for the punchline. 2020 has been full of unexpected challenges and big changes.
Despite this some things remain the same. Our heavenly Father has not changed. He is still sovereign, perfect in love and faithfulness. The gospel is still powerful to save everyone who believes. Because of this ministry continues, though in different forms.
So, how can your ministry be effectively serving and loving others during this time of isolation and online ministry? Here are six key practices which have been working for churches across Sydney:
Focusing on relationships
While we rightly want to keep ministry of the Word central to all we do, this can never be separated from our relationships: our own relationship with God, with our families, ministry team, congregation and neighbours.
We can sometimes unintentionally categorise preaching and teaching as separate from pastoral care. The ability to pre-record a sermon or kids talk only adds to this division.
Yet, the ministries that are continuing to see growth now are those that are making space for relationships. As people respond in a variety of ways to the challenges of isolation, it is important we create systems and structures that make it possible for people to see each other, to talk, listen, laugh, cry and pray together.
Here’s what this looks like in different church contexts:
Prayer triplets or small group networks reimagined to encourage regular contact.
Social gatherings via Zoom (or similar) that include playing a game or sharing a meal together. Having a simple process for these can make them less tiring. For example, have ten minutes in breakout rooms and then reshuffle.
Phone calls networks that empower people to be reaching out to each other.
FaceTime calls with children and families. Seeing familiar faces can be reassuring for children and even a ‘normal’ call can be encouraging.
Related
Kids Pray Family Resource
Help families focus on our sovereign God with these prayer cards, specifically designed for young believers
Building routines
Change is exhausting and many families are tired from the unexpected challenges of working from home or losing work, having children doing school at home and the stress of previously easy tasks such as grocery shopping.
Ministry leaders now have a little more time to think about what is being asked of families and what is being sent home. Many have struggled with a lack of feedback or been discouraged to find that activities they so lovingly prepared have not been touched.
Strategies that are working are those that establish or continue with routines. When an activity becomes routine or habitual, it costs us less energy. Remember learning to drive a car? It was difficult and exhausting at first but with practice and time, it becomes a natural part of life. Spiritual routines work in the same way.
Encourage daily bible reading habits using a simple template (such as the Swedish method) or a resource. Chris Morphew’s ‘Best News Ever’ is great for kids in Years 4 - 8 and takes them through Mark’s gospel in 100 days. For families, the 555 Challenge is a discipleship resource that helps establish a rhythm of reading and praying together.
Encourage prayer habits.
Run your online meetings or make your calls at the same time each week.
Caring for whole families
Age segregation might have worked on Sunday mornings previously but during this time a whole family approach is more effective.
If you are calling children who usually attend church programs, you also have a perfect opportunity to hear how their parents are going. As these conversations are not happening on a Sunday morning amidst the pressure of juggling children and preparation, you can really listen and get to know parents better.
Beyond strengthening our relationships, other strategies that are working are:
Setting whole family challenges where not just the child but the whole family can do something together, such as Lego builds, scavenger hunts, neighbourhood walks or bike rides.
Opening a program to whole families rather than just kids. For example, in Katoomba there is a Friday afternoon program called KAPOW that is a family club rather than a kids club. What a great way for families to be encouraged to grow and share their faith both within their family and beyond!
Involving and training leaders
When we first moved to online church, it made sense for ministry staff to shoulder the load. Many are thankful for the ways our leaders led us through those challenging new weeks of the initial shutdown.
But as we find a new ‘normal’ for however long, we need to be empowering everyone to love others, serve, lead and hold out the gospel. We can involve our leaders by discussing ideas, brainstorming together and providing opportunities for them to take on responsibility. During this stressful time, some leaders might need to step back and that is okay, but we won’t know until we ask and listen. Delegate carefully and provide ongoing support. Think about what strengths your team has and how they might use these during this time.
Some ways this is working now:
Dividing up the contact list so that each leader is calling or writing to a small number of children rather than one leader calling fifty.
Creating reading groups or training sessions for your team over Zoom. You might even join a neighbouring church too.
Encouraging people to look outward
Major change and stress leads people to turn inward and think individually. The scramble for toilet paper is a clear example. But as Christians, we are people who think not only of our own interests, but the interests of others. We are called to love each other within the body of Christ and lovingly hold out the gospel to all around us. How can we encourage children and families to be looking beyond themselves?
Encourage them to make contact with another family at church once a week.
Encourage families to pray for others, both thanksgiving and petition.
Encourage service within the home. For example, you can share with kids how helpful it can be if we share our toys, do the washing up and help put the clothes away in your application as you catch up.
Finding time for laughter
This year has been pretty tough. Laughing together helps. Children’s ministry is often the place where there is laughter and joy, be it because of the comic kids spot in the service, or because of the way one child shouted out a slightly embarrassing answer, or simply the joy of seeing children in church. Keep finding ways to help children laugh together and help the congregation rejoice as they grow in faith.
Share some memories of what your church has done previously (for example, share last year’s kids club, camp or photos from Sunday mornings) in your church’s private Facebook group, email newsletter or at the end of the service video.
Ask parents to take and share photos and videos of their family doing church and other activities as an encouragement to everyone.
What could you try in your ministry this week?
