COVID-19 and Controlling Our Responses
I picked a really weird time to transition.
Recently I began a new ministry position in a new city. My ministry job now includes overseeing things like Bible classes, small groups, and new member integration – things that are almost non-existent in this current age of COVID! And my family has struggled with moving at a time in which we aren’t really able to build very many relationships or friendships because of social distancing. This has been an incredibly challenging time in my life, for sure! Especially since I am one who loves to live with the illusion of control. So I’ve had moments of frustration, doubt, loneliness, and struggle. Can anyone else relate?
You see, I am a control addict. You know that Carries Underwood song “Jesus, Take the Wheel”? That would be incredibly difficult for me to sing truthfully! I plan things out to a T, and then get slightly frustrated when my agenda gets thrown off. Some individuals “go with the flow;” I would much rather direct the flow to where I want it to go! I plan, over-plan, and then try to plan for the contingencies that may possibly arise to throw off my plan.
Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men! Or, to spiritualize it, “the best way to make God laugh is to tell him your plans.” This is definitely not the ideal way to begin a new ministry.
Many of us feel the same way in our lives and congregations, don’t we? Very few of us would have imagined what 2020 held in store! If you are a person who likes to plan or live with the illusion of control, this year has been incredibly challenging. In the Churches of Christ, COVID-19 has changed many of the things we hold dear:
Assembly: Some churches are back to meeting in person, but that looks different in each place. Some churches are meeting indoors and masked. Others are choosing to meet outside to have more flexibility. Some are meeting via video conferencing. Many small groups are on hold, Bible classes are dwindling, and people are experiencing Zoom fatigue as this continues.
Worship: Because of the possibility of increased infection rates, many churches are opting to change worship. Some are choosing not to sing in order to protect one another. Others are singing while masked. Others are using recorded music and asking us to make melody in our hearts.
Communion: Meant to be a community experience, communion is now very individualized. We no longer pass trays or get up to take communion together.
Many of us are struggling. Our buildings sit empty, people feel lonely, and a number of friends are struggling with spiritual stagnation and isolation.
A few weeks ago I spent some time in prayer, laying out all of these frustrations to God. And then I picked up the book I had just started reading and ran across this quote: “You don’t always control your circumstances, but you can always control your response.” [1] This quote hit me right between the eyes. I can’t control anything … but myself.
It reminded me of one of these verses close to my heart:
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. (Prov. 3:5-7)
In essence, stop trying to control it all myself. Instead, lean into trust.
Our idea of control is an illusion. We have very little say in what happens around us or to us; we only have a say in how we react and respond to the challenges that we face. This could be anything from COVID to church membership decline to Christianity losing the “culture wars.” Honestly, we have very little control over the challenges that we face; we can only control how we will respond to those challenges.
In the military we are taught a leadership technique: the OODA Loop. Developed by Air Force Colonel John Boyd, it encourages leaders facing challenges to react well. The OODA Loop contains four steps: observe, orient, decide, and act. I am nuancing them below for how I think about them in a congregational setting.
Observe: What is the challenge that we are facing? How does it disrupt “business as usual”? What do we stand to lose if we don’t respond or respond poorly? How is this affecting our people?
Orient: What strengths and skills do we have to meet this challenge? What new innovations and imaginations might help us minister in a unique way during this time? What does our spiritual history and heritage bring to bear on this situation? This is also where I add prayer: What is God leading us to do? Putting on our heart? Revealing to us at this time?
Decide: At some point a decision must be reached. What should I/we/the church do in order to be faithful to God and meet the challenge we’re facing? Seeking the wisdom of other leaders, elders, ministers, and mentors is prudent, but at some point a decision must be reached on how to move ahead.
Act: Move forward with the plan, assessing and evaluating as you go. Make observations, and do the loop again as you learn new things or encounter new challenges. If you fail, that’s okay; adapt and try again. If you succeed, wonderful; share what you know, and prepare for the next challenge.
The truth is, we don’t have control over what’s happening in the world around us. We simply need to trust that God is good, that God is faithful, and that God can do great things even in the midst of challenging times. Our response is simply to trust in him and do what we can to respond well to the challenges we’re facing.
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[1] Jim Mattis, Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead. New York: Random House, 2019; 6.
