A recent Wall Street Journal article recounts the upheaval in the world of small businesses. According to the article, 1.4 million small businesses have closed or quit during the past five months. Twenty-five percent of those remaining have added products or services to survive. Another 12% have pivoted to provide new or different products or services. A crisis creates opportunity for innovation.

Before the pandemic, most congregations in the U.S. were in decline. The pandemic only accelerates the challenges most congregations face. If small businesses in America can learn to innovate in order to survive, what opportunities might exist in this environment for congregations to re-imagine ways to pursue God’s purposes? Actually, I believe God is prepared to do remarkable and transformative things in this season – if leaders will pray, discern, and act. To do otherwise is to acquiesce to increased decline in our nation.

Let me say this another way. In the various interactions I am having with church leaders, three broad categories of responses are emerging.

First is the “let’s hold on and wish that it goes away soon” response. These are churches and leaders that are wishfully holding on to the increasingly slim idea that all of this turmoil in our world will go away, allowing us to go back to doing church like we did in 2019. I heard from such a leader just a few weeks ago. After some brief words of greeting, he said that they are still just waiting until this “bug” clears up so they can open the church and get back to business. This posture has several severe limitations. Since when is the church something that opens and closes? And, it seems increasingly certain that COVID-19 is not going away soon. That reality leads to a second category.

Second is the perspective that we are in the middle of a crisis, and our job is to maintain the status quo of our churches to the degree that we can do so with all of the technological means at our disposal. It’s not uncommon to get a call from a minister asking for help with livestreaming or wanting insight on how to keep Sunday morning Bible classes alive. And, of course, as churches find the capacity to resume services, they are moving quickly to do so. Certainly, that is a good thing. Yet, I’m often left wondering whether church leaders are actively responding to the reality that perhaps 50% or more of their congregations are not coming back to a face-to-face service anytime soon!

The third point of view is the one that intrigues me the most. I wish I could report that I see it frequently, but I don’t. This third point of view claims, “Let’s use this interruption as a time to re-imagine how we pursue God’s preferred future!” These churches are encouraging small groups within the congregation to host outdoor face-to-face meetings in neighborhoods and backyards – and with nearly everyone home, non-churched neighbors are showing up! These churches are being led by elders and ministers who are actively making house-to-house front porch visits and finding great meaning in pastoral care. These churches are retooling formation and education to raise up congregational members to lead studies and worship in their homes. These churches are re-positioning parents on the front lines of forming children in the faith. These churches are inviting their members into ministry in their communities and neighborhoods to address poverty, unemployment, and racial injustice.

No one knows when a vaccine will emerge and when the damaging impact of the coronavirus will dissipate. But I do know that God is present in our world, and God’s interest in transformation and renewal does not get quarantined.

I am concerned that many leaders are simply asking, “How do we get by?” instead of, “How do we leverage what we have and know for God’s purposes?” God is active and ready. Are we prepared to adapt and pivot? Although the kingdom of God will not fail, there will be congregations left in the dust. What will be the future for your congregation?

Live into hope!