Reimagine Church: 5 Ways COVID Gives Licence to Change EVERYTHING
What if…
What if you and I had the ability to reach as many people as possible with the Good News of Jesus,
What if you and I had the opportunity to build disciples (discipleship journeys) who, in return, build disciples (leadership tracks),
What if you and I had the luxury to adapt quickly to the needs around us.
Well, we do.
Covid has given you and I the opportunity to reimagine EVERYTHING. Why? Well, because culture has been forced to adapt, embrace change, and become flexible.
In social sciences (and change management principles), people change for three reasons:
People change because there is something better,
People change because the present pain outweighs the promises of the future,
People change because they are tired of the same (OR feel stuck).
And in this reality, you and I should REIMAGINE everything. Outreach. Discipleship. How we do leadership development. Kingdom influence. Engagement in Community. Everything!
So, the question begs, “HOW?” Here are 5 practical ways to reimagine EVERYTHING:
Discern the NOW
Take time to discern your organization/ministry/community. Is it working? What needs to be pruned? What needs to be strengthened? What needs to die?
Keys discernment resources such as SWOT analysis, organizational/ministry/church wide surveys (feel free to reach out to DUCO for templates), and intentional prayer brings clarity in discerning God’s very best for your context.
What is God showing you in the discernment stage?
Discover the NOW
After key tools with SWOT’s, surveys, and prayer, important discoveries are revealed. The data could show the “gaps” you have in ministry, organizational blindspots, and/or the strengths your community has. Furthermore, data is SO important because it gives you permission to “reimagine”. Data doesn’t lie. Facts become our friends. Data helps communicate a better NOW.
How are you discovering a better NOW in your ministry/organization/community?
Develop a Better NOW
After gathering the key insights with SWOT’s, surveys, and prayer, this gives you the opportunity to develop a better NOW. To reimagine what “could be” OR “should be”. Many ministerial leaders do this stage on their own OR with a key few, but this stage NEEDS to be intentionally communicated to build community buy-in. Most people resist change because change surprises them. Communicate when you develop…
How are you developing a better now?
Deploy NOW, slowly but quickly
Change management has ALWAYS been about good, strong narrative. It is about painting a preferred reality; quickly and slowly (or strategically). Too many leaders are too eager and change everything too quickly. Due to this, change breeds mistrust, undue ministerial pain, and conflict. OR, leaders tend to do nothing and miss out on a great opportunity to leverage change and slip into ineffectiveness.
With that said, this stage helps implement change well WHEN leaders use key language. Language like, “lets try a pilot project,'“ OR “lets experiment with this” helps people process change better. If key areas in the deployment stage fail, that is ok because it was an “experiment”. If it succeeds, then share the “win(s)”.
How are you experimenting during COVID (for beyond COVID)?
Debrief
Last, good change management evaluates effectiveness. Change needs to be evaluated, adjusted, pivoted to reach the necessary outcomes. This is why change can be so positive.
When we are able to learn from experimentation/pilot projects, it gives you and the continued permission to reimagine everything.
How do you debrief effectiveness in your context?
I encourage you to reimagine EVERYTHING! You have a great opportunity during COVID to do this. In fact, feel free to reach out to DUCO here. We would be honoured to serve you and flesh this out in your ministerial context.
Enjoy the journey.