Coronavirus: HCPN Updates

Don’t expect that doing online church using the same approaches/strategies/assumptions/philosophies that you used inside our building will yield great results.

Engagement and serving will decrease if you approach your online ministry the same way you have approached ministry in the building.

1. In light of COVID-19, the question we have to ask is: How can we now INCREASE our engagement and service?
2. Lean heavily into ministry through LifeGroups. Encourage your LifeGroup leaders (and that includes children’s SS teachers) to call their people, to connect, to text, to stay in touch.
3. Allow different church leaders to provide short devotionals that are broadcast via the internet.
4. Every staff member has both operational and relational responsibilities. Operationally, the staff will have to minister differently. Relationally, the staff can step it up and even do more. People matter. So, call your people. Connect. Text. Stay even more in touch.
5. Make sure you have a moderator who can interact with the people during live online sessions.
6. Conduct meetings virtually via Skype, Zoom. RingCentral.
7. Communicate more by saying less. A 30 minute message on Sundays is probably not a good idea. Try 15 minutes instead. People just typically don’t listen to a 35-40 minute message online. Say more with less.
8. Don’t do a full worship service online. 1 opening song. A 15 minute message. A story to re-engage the mind. 1 closing song.
9. Follow your steam-lined worship service with some immediate conversation guides and action steps that people can take… right then and right there!
10. Share stories. Have people send stories in on their iPhones. 90 seconds.
11. Leverage watch parties with less than 10 people. It’s easier (unless things change) to walk into a home than into a church service.
12. People that open up homes for watch parties might be the ones who can launch a new LifeGroup or a house church. Look for those leaders who are stepping up in this crisis.
13. Leverage this as a huge opportunity for children’s ministry. How can we provide (even if it’s low production quality) children’s programming for families to use at home with leaders and teachers they are familiar with? Little kids like to dance and interact with other little kids on the TV.
14. Redefine worship. It’s more than just singing. Why not add a guided prayer time? Give people and opportunity to vocalize their gratitude and their requests.
15. When you are online, create some 2-3 neighborhood/coronovirus scenarios. Then ask your listeners, “What would you do?” Give the people some time to respond to one another.
16. Encourage your people to give gifts to friends and neighbors who are serving in the medical arena. They are doing heroic service.
17. Look out for the elderly and the health challenged in your community.
18. Do not forsake leadership development. Invest in your leaders via Skype, Zoom, RingCentral. This will likely reveal shepherding opportunities for staff to engage in.
19. Have your classes – membership, baptism, etc. – online. People are at home and, perhaps, even more available for church meetings.

I encourage you to do a few things; PRAY for the city. SHARE resources and strategic plans with each other  that are serving your church community. And finally, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, at this time of unrest and uncertainty for our community, I pray we can enter into those spaces with the love of Jesus and the peace and confidence in His will.