What will your church look like after Covid-19? Within every crisis lies an opportunity:  How can you re-emerge stronger? How can you use this season to focus on something that will really make a difference? As churches begin to gather again it’s time to ask: Do you really want to go back to the status quo? This is your chance to hit the reset button.

This is your chance to re-tool and prepare for a preferred future.

In the midst of global pandemic, we have been given a gift—the ability to hit reset. Now is the time to renew and reset your vision for your church, to bring it back to the simplicity of God’s imperative call from the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. It can be boiled down to this: to live and love like Jesus. Love God, love others, and make disciples.

Of course, it’s not that easy. There are crises to manage, people who need shepherding, new people who started attending church via video that need meaningful connections… I can hear it now, “Bob, are you telling me you want me to catalyze organizational change right now? Is this really the time?”

Yes, this is the time. The non-gathering we have recently experienced has helped accentuate the realization that we need to focus on what really matters and what will last. Prep for re-entry isn’t just trying to get back to gatherings, but rather moving forward toward the mission and reemerging stronger. It’s time to reinvest in personal relationships that will really engage people in making disciples as they grow spiritually. Reset programming to get personal.

Prep for re-entry isn’t just trying to get back to gatherings, but rather moving forward toward the mission and reemerging stronger. Click To Tweet

How can we do that? There are innumerable ways. Talk through options with your coach. To provide you some food for thought as you consider what the future will look like for you, here is a thought…

Launch a Barnabas Ministry Team

The key to sustained growth is engagement. That engagement should include supportive relationships that enhance personal development and fruitful ministry involvement. We all need people who come alongside to help us pursue the calling God has given us. Barnabas was such a person (Acts 4:36) – the “son of encouragement” met people, like Paul and Mark, where they were at and came alongside them, helping them grow in their faith and into their calling.

Barnabas had a major impact on the early church by…

  • Listening to the Holy Spirit
  • Coming alongside others to meet them where they are at and help them:
    • Take the next steps in their spiritual formation
    • Discover their unique spiritual giftings
    • Develop skills to help them live into their calling
    • Cultivate redemptive relationships to make disciples

Imagine the impact a Barnabas can have on your church community.

Now imagine a team of Barnabases…. Leaders feeling seen, heard, and supported, taking greater ownership and growing in their roles. Volunteers that are confident in their contribution and thriving. Newcomers and new believers met where they are at and encouraged in their personal growth as a disciple of Jesus and reach out to others.

Do you see what I see? Communities equipped for and engaged in loving God, loving others, and making and growing disciples. Whether you decide a Barnabas Ministry is right for your context or you go with another avenue, I urge you to seize the day. Cast vision now so you’ll be ready to hit the ground running with fresh and renewed vigor surrounding the common mission of ministry.

Imagine communities equipped for and engaged in loving God, loving others, and making and growing disciples. This is the mission. Here is the means... Click To Tweet

Resources

Barnabas Ministry Training Kit- I’ve created a method to help you raise up a whole host of Barnabases in your ministry context. Each of the 8 learning units includes instruction, discussion, and practice. Included in this downloadable kit is:

  • Facilitator Guide
  • Participant Guides
  • Access to online video instruction by Dr. Bob Logan
  • Outline for delivery options that include
    • a 2-day intensive training
    • an 8-week training course
    • an online training course

You can find out more about my ready-to-use Barnabas Ministry Training Kit here.

Photo by Jose Antonio Gallego Vázquez on Unsplash