God’s ways are always higher than man’s way.   What some mean for evil, God is able to use for good.

COVID-19 has changed the landscape for the Church.   The Church never was a building or a program.   The Church never was about ‘the weekend.’

The Church is the presence of Jesus among His people, called out as a spiritual family to pursue His mission in our world.

What then is the mission of God?   The mission of Jesus is the Church, therefore His mission should be accomplished ‘through’ the local church.  God has chosen to accomplish His mission through the church.

The mission of God embraces in believe and in practice that the worship of God and the mercy of God be everywhere.  When the Church gets comfortable in its glorious buildings and becomes entitled to the services it provides rather than carries out the mission of the ‘Great Commission’ that begins with ‘go’ out and into the world and tell everyone, everwhere the Good News, it has lost her mission.

What the world is experiencing today is not a hiccup that will soon pass.  God is speaking.  The time is now to create a completely different category, experience or expression of the Church.  Let’s embrace the opportunity to engage with our audience and put all of our efforts and interests in the engagement of those we are now privileged to journey with, whether that be physical touch presence of digital mission.

Doing Church digitally is not a second tier approach to ministry.  It is unhealthy for Church leaders to say, “well, this is better than nothing.”   This is an awakening.   Real relationship ‘can’ and in fact does happen digitally.   God’s movement is growing at alarming rates.

Pastors, be encouraged.   Your ‘reach’ is not determined by your weekend attendance.   Your reach is determined by who you choose to reach out to and strategically serve.

What a great opportunity to explore and do some research and theological study on how God can use Digital for His honor and His glory.   Let’s not view this as a ‘season’ but as God saying I am giving you a new mission field.  There is a new harvest.  Study the soil, where can the seed be best planted?  Do you believe there can be a harvest that is plentiful?   Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Let’s embrace some new terms:

  • Digital Mission
  • Digital Mobilization
  • Digital Discipleship
  • Digital Neighborhood

Are you comfortable being confident in times of uncertainty?   Does your theology allow you to say, “I don’t know?”  We don’t have all the answers to the complexities of all that we are experiencing.  That is ok!  Let’s lean into God.  Let’s explore the mission of God which has not changed, but the opportunity is constantly changing.

What are the opportunities?  What are the challenges?  How can we continue to place value on the Old Wineskins while we created New Wineskins?