4 Ways to Make the Best of the Next Crisis

4 Ways to Make the Best of the Next Crisis

The past four years have forever put to rest the notion that churches can’t flex and adapt. In fact, the pandemic showed that churches could successfully pivot on a dime. Increased adaptability, resilience, and creativity were all positive outcomes. For this reason, many churches did not suffer the losses that might have been expected during such drastic change. We’re not done with crisis, though. We have a contentious presidential election before us, the impacts of AI, and ongoing structural inequities. The second largest Protestant denomination in the US (the UMC) recently lost 25% of its churches during a split. How can you be ready for the next calamity? Read on for the 4 ways to make the best of the next crisis.

 

Are the Best Days Behind You?

Before I share the 4 ways to make the best of the next crisis, let’s address one persistent stumbling block, head on. This stumbling block is the belief that crisis means the best days are behind you. That the future is no longer hopeful. And that it’s all downhill from here. This belief becomes a roadblock to recovery. It prevents you from seeing new opportunities and unexpected openings, or to sense God’s blessing around you.

 

We Had Entered Into the Best Days of Our Ministry Yet

I hate to admit it, but when the pandemic shutdowns first began it felt like the end of the world to me. How will we get through this when community is what we most need, I wondered? How will my ministry survive when we have depended on in-person gatherings? I was quickly losing heart. But I began to speak to friends who were starting new jobs, getting promotions, and even moving across country. It was a jarring sense of abundance amidst a narrowing of my own vision. It prompted me to catalogue the following guidelines. My team and I met, and figured out a way to put everything online. And we had entered into the best days of our ministry yet.

Here are the four guidelines that we followed, that allowed us to not only survive, but thrive, in the midst of very tough times.

 

4 Ways to Make the Best of the Next Crisis

1) Learn from The Past

During the pandemic, many churches quickly moved online. They distinguished between owning a building and being the church. Church leaders and members expanded their sense of agency and acted quickly in the face of need. In fact, the pandemic did for congregations what they could not do for themselves. In a pinch, churches finally made the changes that they had needed to make for decades.

 

 2) Reframe the Negative

A pandemic seems like a negative. Same with waves of disaffiliations and the loss of congregations. Same with contentious presidential politics. And AI. And persistent inequities. But what if each of these crises actually carry the seeds of innovation? What if each of these challenges carry within them the genesis of blessing? When you actively choose to reframe the negative, the positive can appear that much sooner. Being on the lookout for blessings allows you to innovate with speed. This is part of tapping into Jesus’ miracle mindset.

 

3) Build on New Strengths

A leader that I coach had to navigate lawsuits, file appeals, and appear in court as disaffiliations took on dimensions he couldn’t have anticipated. This leader is tired, yes, but stronger and smarter than ever. Each crisis will draw on skills you already have, even as you build new strengths.

 

 4) Take Ownership

In a crisis, it can be easy to feel like a victim. Especially when things aren’t going your way. The best way to get through a crisis is to take ownership of what is yours to do. No, you can’t change all the circumstances around you. But you can take ownership of your feelings, your mindset, your reactions, and your prayer life. This will take you a long way toward being more effective and more resilient.

 

Next Steps

As we look towards Holy Week, remember the God of miracles. Jesus caused the blind to see, healed the leper, and cast out demons. Your crisis is not big enough to stop the God of miracles. Unless you insist on staying stuck.

As we approach the days ahead, let us grow in resilience as we practice 4 ways to make the best of the next crisis. Cultivating resilience in your congregation and your life is possible. It calls for conscious leadership. Come to Elevate Your Ministry: An Introduction to Conscious Leadership to learn about the importance of mastering your mindset, awakening your spirituality, and becoming an intentional visionary.

 

If you want input on your ministry, click here for a free one-on-one 45-minute Discovery Session with me.

 

 

Copyright © 2024 rebekahsimonpeter.com.  All Rights Reserved.

The Hidden Healing Power of Serving Others

The Hidden Healing Power of Serving Others

Many of our communities have been fractured by contentious issues: politics, immigration, abortion laws, gun rights, issues of human sexuality, and racial justice. The church used to be a place where healing could happen. Yet these days even churches have been caught up in the crossfire.

What does it take to rebuild community in light of post-pandemic and post-disaffiliation realities? In this article I want to explore the hidden healing power of serving others for fractured communities and congregations.

But first, let’s examine a problematic dynamic that keeps churches from employing this hidden healing power of serving others.

 

When You Lose the Connection To Your Community

When churches lose momentum, they become increasingly inward focused. A great deal of energy is focused on simply surviving. There is little energy left for outreach or meaningful engagement with the community. Perhaps they feel they don’t have the people, the right age group, or the resources to truly engage their communities. However, when a church keeps its inward focus, it loses its raison d’être, its call, and its mission. It loses a connection with the community it is called to serve.

 

You Can’t Be All Things to All People

While even small churches are eager to be of service, they are up against one dangerous myth. That is the myth that churches have to be all things to all people. Therefore, they don’t try. Or they spread themselves too thin. I want to relieve you of this dangerous myth. Choose one way of being of service and stick to it. You’ll have a much bigger impact this way.

 

I Had to Choose One Thing and Do it Well  

After I left local church ministry and started my own teaching ministry, I tried to be all things to all people. I wanted to lead workshops on every single thing I knew anything about: healing from trauma, recovery from addiction, creating multi-cultural relationships and community, the Jewish roots of Christian practice, emotional intelligence, and leadership development. I don’t need to tell you that this approach to serving others was not sustainable. Physically, I was worn out. Emotionally, I was stretched too thin. Spiritually, I didn’t have a cohesive mission. The bottom line was that I couldn’t be all things to all people. I was on the edge of the burnout that I left the local church to avoid! Instead of trying to be all things to all people, I had to choose one thing and do it well.

Now that I have learned to focus on where I can have the most impact, each and every year dozens of big, bold visions come to life through Creating a Culture of Renewal®. I get to minister to church leaders and watch them come together to build these visions and be of surprising service to their communities.

 

Put Out the Welcome Bench

My local church, First United Methodist Church in Casper, WY, has found the hidden healing power of serving others.

First UMC is located downtown in an area where many unhoused or unemployed people congregate. Instead of pushing these folks away, as many downtown businesses and city councils do, First UMC put out the welcome bench instead. The Trustees placed first one, then a second, park bench next to an external electrical outlet so others could easily re-charge their cell phones. Without feeling like they were stealing or loitering. Now, with working cell phones they can stay connected to loved ones, job opportunities, and the world at large.

Next, First UMC invited the Salvation Army to set up its mobile healthcare clinic in the church parking lot twice a month. The church has also repurposed a second location to launch a navigation center, Kind Grounds, to connects people and resources. Their end goal? Homelessness itself is a transient phase of life, not a long-term lifestyle.

Meanwhile, classrooms in the church basement are filled many nights each week with 12-step meetings. Recovering addicts, and those who love them, have a safe and welcoming place to get off drugs, deepen their spirituality, and rebuild their lives.

The hidden healing power of serving others is spreading out into the larger community. Instead of feeling invisible, unwanted, or pushed away, the unhoused folks are building a stronger sense of belonging to the community, Meanwhile, the church is building a stronger commitment to hospitality. Compassion for those with different life experiences is more present than ever.

As a result, worship attendance has not only increased, it has diversified.  As has its community mindset.

And to think, it all started with serving others who needed easier access to an electrical outlet.

 

How You Can Tap into the Hidden Healing Power of Serving Others

Building community around the hidden healing power of serving others takes a new kind of leadership ethos. It takes Conscious Leadership.  Conscious leadership is the capacity to master yourself in relationship to others, tap into your soul’s spiritual intelligence, and employ the courage of vision. If you want to discover how you can become a more conscious leader, then please join me in a free 60-minute seminar, Elevate Your Ministry: An Invitation to the Power of Conscious Leadership. Or, if you want input on your ministry, click here for a Discovery Session.

 

Copyright © 2024 rebekahsimonpeter.com.  All Rights Reserved.

How the Church Can End the Loneliness Pandemic

How the Church Can End the Loneliness Pandemic

We live in one of the loneliest times in human history. Even as we have more ways to connect, we are increasingly less connected to each other. We have many platforms for being “social”, but they don’t always provide a deep sense of belonging. In fact studies show that too much time spent on popular social media platforms increases the sense of disconnect, isolation and loneliness. Mental health struggles seem to be at an all-time high. The good news is that the church can respond to the loneliness pandemic.

In fact, in my next three blogs, I will be exploring the 3 S’s of post-pandemic community-building. These include being social, being spiritual, and being of service. But before we discuss how the church can participate in ending the loneliness pandemic, there is one myth we have to dispel first.

 

The Myth of Church Lite

There is a myth that churches which focus on social events are missing the mark. That they are “church lite.” That these socially oriented churches are too inward-focused and don’t care about the community at large. You may think that social events undermine the church’s core mission and will attract the wrong crowd who aren’t serious about faith. But here’s the reality: social events complement and enrich spiritual life. Shared experiences build bonds, foster support, and create a welcoming atmosphere where faith can more easily grow.

 

True Confessions: I Used to Be One of Those People

I used to be one of those people who believed the myth of church lite. I used to think that we didn’t have time to be social. That being too social in church was a sin. But the pandemic has really changed my mind on this. I saw how much I missed people and how the social aspect of church helped me grow spiritually. Now I think being social is an absolutely essential part of re-building spiritual community!

Think about it. If we aren’t social together, can we really be spiritual together? Can we do well at being of service? Jesus and his people hung out together for 3 years. That’s a big part of what made them so effective. We need that type of social connection too.

 

The Power of Weak Social Ties

Combatting loneliness doesn’t require five best friends. In fact, one of the strongest indicators of happiness is the number of weak social ties a person has. A weak social tie is someone you recognize and acknowledge and who recognizes and acknowledges you. But you likely don’t have their phone number in your phone, nor are you friends on Facebook. You may not even know their name. However, the power of being recognized and acknowledged in public goes a long way toward creating a sense of belonging.

The church can make use of weak social ties throughout worship–especially during passing of the peace, communion, welcoming new members, and children’s time. Also weak social ties are built during outreach ministries, choir practice, and even during the coffee hour. Special care must be taken to building weak social ties with online worshipers. One of the best ways to do this is to have an online worship greeter or pastor. This person would cultivate online engagement during worship, as well as at other times of the week. Being recognized and acknowledged online feels as good as being recognized and acknowledged in person.

In an age when people participate in congregational life more sporadically, weak social ties are an important aspect of what makes attending church feel worthwhile. Weak social ties keep you connected to the world at large and are vital for happiness measures, health, and longevity.

The church can also cultivate strong social ties. These relationships, while rarer these days, are not impossible to form. Look for them to build during small group meetings, Bible Studies, or study or mission trips. They require more time to maintain than weak social ties.

 

Create Multiple Ways to Be Part Of Things

In addition to welcoming people into a life-giving network of weak social ties, there is another powerful way that the church can end the loneliness pandemic. This is by giving people multiple opportunities to belong within the life of the church. The more sub-groups a person belongs to, the more connected they are, and the less lonely they feel. For instance, being a greeter once a quarter, attending a weekly online prayer group, and sitting in the same row amidst some familiar faces once a month are three different ways to create a sense of belonging. Here are some more ideas.

 

IN-PERSON CONNECTION

By planning social events together, you build the sense of social belonging that combats loneliness and isolation. You can offer diverse small group options based on the hobbies, interests, or life stages of your congregation. This will open people to deeper connections with each other. Volunteering together also helps to establish a sense of camaraderie and allows people to connect with the larger community in a meaningful way. Take your sense of social connection a step further and collaborate with other religious groups, charities, or community centers to build relationships and broaden impact.

 

ONLINE CONNECTION

Seek to develop deeper social connection by hosting online events: Book clubs, Bible studies, game nights, or even virtual coffee hours to keep the community connected, regardless of location. Online support groups provide virtual spaces for individuals looking for spiritual fellowship and encouragement throughout the week.

 

A Warning

Churches must also actively seek to remove barriers between themselves and newcomers or community members. No matter how many wonderful social activities you have, people won’t want to be part of your church if they sense they are being judged, evaluated, or censored. Social activities must be accompanied by a theology of a loving and welcoming God. People simply don’t want to be part of a church if they sense they or their families are not accepted or welcomed. 

 

Take Your Next Step

By embracing these ideas, churches can move beyond simple survival to thrive in a changed world. By fostering genuine connection, inclusivity, and a welcoming atmosphere, you can not only create spaces for newcomers and build a vibrant community that extends far beyond Sunday services, but you can end the loneliness pandemic. Remember this is just a starting point. Tailor these strategies to your specific community and values, and always keep an open mind to feedback and new ideas. Reach out for a discovery session for specific input on your situation.

 

Copyright © 2024 rebekahsimonpeter.com.  All Rights Reserved.

Is This Church Ready for Rebuilding?

Is This Church Ready for Rebuilding?

As I worshiped on a recent Sunday morning, I couldn’t help but ponder the question of whether this church, which I’d been attending for over a decade, was ready for rebuilding.

I genuinely appreciate this church. It boasts an excellent downtown location and is filled with wonderful people. However, it has experienced numerous changes: the dismissal of long-time musicians, a well-liked pastor with a hidden addiction, frequent pastoral appointment changes, and the pandemic. While the church once held three services a week, it now only offers one. Many familiar faces have disappeared.

So, can this church rebuild? The answer is both yes and no.

Yes, this church can rebuild if:

  1. The church is willing to SIMPLIFY.

Cut the dead weight: ditch any church ministries without a leader. Lacking a champion, many ministries need help to survive. If the person in charge is no longer available or has lost interest, and nobody else is stepping up, it’s time to say goodbye. If that ministry isn’t serving the church’s purpose and vision, then you might be better off without it. Creating a Culture of Renewal® participant, Pastor Lisa Anderson, saw a boost in attendance just by choosing the right ministries for her church. Plus, she’s got a new Young Adults class in the works and a preschool program that’s already a bona fide hit. Sometimes simplifying is not about doing less, but more about doing something different that will have a better result.

 

  1. The church embraces SOCIETY.

Don’t let your church get stuck in isolation! Connecting with your community and drawing in those who haven’t heard of your church is crucial. Pastor Lisa took the initiative to open up events like mom group meet-ups, Valentine’s Day dinners, and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to everyone. Partnering with local businesses and organizations can help you spread the word beyond your walls. It’s all about creating an inclusive environment that welcomes people of all beliefs and backgrounds.

However, it is not just about embracing society; the quality of relationships within your church matters. Pastor Lisa had several significant conversations and interactions that marked a relationship shift. These included discussing disaffiliation, looking at where the church is currently, and celebrating successes together.

 

  1. The church cultivates SPIRITUALITY.

People are deeply hungry for spirituality that makes a difference. Let prayer and Bible study move you beyond a discussion about God, or a rehearsal of beliefs, into the realm of experiencing God. Getting out of the four walls and into nature can help, too. It’s easy for church life to stray into the mundane. Too much focus on budgets and buildings can tempt you to forget the miraculous. Don’t allow that to happen.

Pastor Lisa focused on prayer, making the church more intentional in writing prayers out and opening the church every week for people to come and pray, providing scripture for reflection.

 

Ready for Rebuilding?

If the church is willing to simplify its activities, embrace society, and cultivate spirituality, it has a good chance of rebuilding.

However, rebuilding will only be attainable with one more crucial element in place.

It’s not money, younger people, or an ideal location.

The most critical element for rebuilding is a willingness to dream like Jesus. To rebuild sustainably, the church needs a big, bold, God-sized vision – compelling and risky enough to require growth in faith, interdependence, and partnership with God. Only a vision of this magnitude will draw people into the rebuilding phase.

If you are ready to rebuild, join me for my upcoming seminar, “How Christian Ministries are Achieving Success: An Introduction to Creating a Culture of Renewal®,” where, together, we’ll look at what it takes to build a sustainable ministry and create an atmosphere where renewal can occur.

Or join me for a personal consultation and learn how you, like Pastor Lisa, can become a vital part of our Creating a Culture of Renewal® journey. Let the transformation begin!

 

Copyright © 2023 rebekahsimonpeter.com.  All Rights Reserved.

The Role of the Church in Gun Violence

The Role of the Church in Gun Violence

In 1999, I was co-pastoring a church in Parker, Colorado when the Columbine shooting happened in the community next door. At that time, school shootings were relatively infrequent. It was wholly unbelievable that it had happened in our community. Even more unthinkable was that it would be the beginning of a decades-long battle, where these kinds of events became increasingly frequent.

The church was flooded with broken-hearted people who wanted to know why such a tragic event had taken place. We led a series of healing services in an attempt to deal with this devastating reality.

Pictures of the victims were in every newspaper and on every broadcast. I aimed to remember the name and story of each student and teacher who had been killed. I never thought I’d see the day where non-stop shootings made it impossible to remember all who have been lost. And now, here we are.

After the recent mass shooting at a Tulsa, OK medical clinic I texted my clergy colleague, James, who pastors in that community and asked what I could do to help. James replied with such a clear and powerful response that I promised to take action. I invite you to do so as well. But first, let me give you some background.

 

The Intensifying Problem of Gun Violence

In the last 3 months alone, there have been mass shootings at a Taiwanese church (Laguna Woods, California), a grocery store in a primarily black neighborhood (Buffalo, New York), an elementary school (Uvalde, Texas), and a medical center (Tulsa, Oklahoma). Sadly, this list is not comprehensive. These are just the stories that have made the national news.

Gun violence is at a higher rate than ever, even with stay-at-home orders being imposed for the greater part of 2020. According to the Pew Research Center, “The 2020 total [number of gun murders] represented a 34% increase from the year before, a 49% increase over five years and a 75% increase over 10 years.”

Yet, our methods of coping have not kept pace with the rise in gun violence. The pandemic badly disrupted our normal means of belonging, further worsening the situation. The government is often at a standstill on this matter. Churches struggling with dwindling attendance often feel overwhelmed with the idea of taking on potentially divisive issues. Thus we are left in a reactive mode when it comes to gun violence.

 

The Myth Behind Mass Shootings

With this background in mind, let me next dispel a common myth. That is, that there is only one kind of mass shooting and one kind of answer. But we can already see that schools, stores, medical clinics, and churches represent a range of public spaces. Add to that nightclubs, festivals, synagogues, mosques, homes, and places of work, and the list of where gun violence takes place goes on and on.

When it comes to fixing the problem—answers range there as well. Should we find help for the single, young, disturbed white male with poor mental health? Should we be concerned about the radical White supremacists that have infiltrated every corner of the internet and are spreading prejudice and intolerance to anyone who will listen? Should we get better gun policies?  Should we promote better school safety? Your answer may depend on your political leanings, or simply on your knowledge of the situation. Yet as much as we know, we seem to have taken action on precious little.

 

The Church’s Role in Gun Violence

James reminded me that the church does have a positive role to play in gun violence. One that goes beyond comforting victims and actually gets to root causes. “Prayers are appreciated, but the best thing we can do is to put pressure on politicians to get real about addressing the root problems. Mental health, common sense gun policies, the pervasive culture of hate and violence, and the deflection of responsibility. As a clergy leader, I am preaching, leading, and encouraging members of my community to take action.”

I love this list because it’s not either/or. It’s not us vs. them. And, it’s not beyond our reach. After all, our baptismal vows call us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves, and to be a witness for the gospel of good.

 

Next Steps

As part of my commitment to take action, I’ll be addressing each of these components in turn through the lens of the church. As we continue to heal ourselves, our congregations, and our communities, I’d like to offer some suggestions for next steps you can take today or in the coming week:

  • Create space for conversation in your ministry setting. Gun violence impacts everybody, and everybody is concerned, no matter what their answers are for how to deal with it.
  • Plan to preach a series on these topics.
  • Tune into my upcoming Leadership Mojo broadcasts on Facebook Live, where I’ll discuss these topics with some special guests.
  • Join me for the next three blogs in this series for a more in-depth look into the four components that need to be addressed to impact gun violence.

I want to leave you with the following thought, which was published in a recent editorial featured in Intermountain Jewish News:

“There is no single answer to mass shootings. But there are answers. There is an all hands on deck approach. There is: both/and. Yes to better gun laws (as we have urged repeatedly). And, yes to additional mental health services (as we have also urged repeatedly). And, yes to federal standards of safety for schools (and, yes to Democrats and Republicans working together on this). And, yes to a painful process of national introspection on the decline in our personal mores and on the social media obsession that leaves so many isolated. And, yes to anti-bullying efforts… We owe it to [our children] ‘to do something.’ But, in our simplistic world ‘to do something’ has come to mean, ‘to find the solution.’ Which has also come to mean: to reject an opponent’s solution. Which means: do nothing.”

Copyright © 2022 rebekahsimonpeter.com, All Rights Reserved.