Nobody prepared you for this, right? How to do ministry in a once in a lifetime (hopefully) pandemic is not something found on any seminary syllabus. So, what do we do now in 2022? How can I meet the challenges presented through my ministry? How can I gain traction again? These are just some of the questions you might be asking yourself today. There seems to be a sense of anxiety or mini depression with regard to what has happened (and with good reason). However, I propose that the one entity designed for such a time as this, is the Church. We have the opportunity to bring something to our communities that everyone is searching for… hope. But what if there are some keys to reimagine ministry in the midst of this pandemic?
3 Ways to Gain Momentum in Ministry in 2022
#1: Prune Your Ministry
A good gardener understands that the way to see continuous growth in certain flowers or plants is to prune them consistently. Many of our ministries haven’t been pruned in a very long time (if ever). If there are healthy principles you have always wanted within your ministry, but never felt you could implement (due to fill in the blank reasons), this is the time.
To begin, you might choose to evaluate your volunteer environment. Do they understand and own your vision? Are they inspiring others to join your ministry team? Do they add value to your ministry? Many ministries are losing valuable volunteers due to the pandemic. The most successful ministries create healthy environments where volunteers feel valued and useful. This pandemic has given everyone the permission to make changes to their ministries. What are the unhealthy areas? To reimagine ministry, it’s time to prune them. Then, the healthiest volunteers will stay connected while growing and thriving with what we ask them to do.
#2: Stop the Drift
Over time, we have a tendency to drift from the core principles that make our ministries successful. As ministries grow, we add processes, events, and activities that seem successful. To a certain point, they are successful. However, these added elements to our ministries can pull us away and cause us to drift from our core principles. Our first priority as ministry leaders is to shepherd the people in our care to health. We do this by creating environments to foster growth with God, growth with others, and growth by serving others. It’s time to reimagine ministry in how we’re doing in these areas.
If you have events or activities that are your favorites, but are not meeting your core priorities, then it’s time to cut them. Many people fall in love with an event that returns every year. In 2022, we don’t have the luxury of repeating events purely because we like them. If they don’t move people to where you want them to be, then it’s time to stop them. It’s time to stop drifting from our priorities and start moving boldly back toward them. Speaking of boldly…
#3: Be Bold
The tendency for all our ministries during the pandemic was to retreat. Stop meeting, stop activities, and hunker down for good reason. However, as we enter 2022, it’s time to dream. There has never been a better time in our life to cast a bold vision for our ministries. People are more aware of spiritual things than ever before. This pandemic reminded all of us that we are not in control, and this life can change in an instant. People are looking to invest in hope and help. So many families are hurting, and aware of the needs we are all facing. In order to reimagine ministry and the ways we will work moving forward, we must be bold. Whether it’s making an environment redesign, changing your schedules, or adding a process that you’ve always wanted, it’s time to be bold and make the move. If you don’t do it now, then when? I promise, you will be thankful that you did.
God was not surprised by this pandemic. He’s not surprised by the current state of 2022. Let’s prune our ministries for growth, stop the drift away from our core priorities, and cast a bold vision that moves our ministries to a new and fresh post-pandemic world.
