The Effect of COVID-19 on Christian Community

COVID-19 hit like an unexpected storm. The effects of COVID-19 on Christian community have been different depending on church size, location and congregation.

COVID- 19 hit us like an unexpected hail storm; nobody was anticipating this when we laid out our dreams and vision for 2020. The effects of COVID 19 on Christian community have been huge. There doesn’t seem to be a one size fits all approach for the church. The impact of COVID 19 on the church and response has been very different depending on church size and location.

The Response of Christian Communities

The effect of Covid-19 on Christian communities has been different from church to church. Some churches already had creative departments in place and were in a strong position to adapt their online programs to the needs of their church community. Others have had to quickly scramble and create an online program out of nothing. Then there are the few that have struggled to adapt to the new normal and have sadly adopted a wait and see policy until things get back to the old normal.

Christians haven’t agreed as to whether the effect of COVID-19 on Christian community means they should meet or not? Is meeting important? There have been some churches whom as early as June halted their entire in-person meetings until January 2021. Then there have been other churches who have defiantly kept meeting in person despite the wishes of the state.

What does the Bible say about this? Hebrews 10:25 says that Christians shouldn’t neglect to meet together as believers. Christians need to be in some form of church community to thrive. Believers were never created to do to do life in isolation. The bible refers to us as his sheep. In nature, sheep tend to follow one another due to their desire to stay amongst the flock, as humans are no different we thrive when we are amongst our Christian community. Whether it is in a building or online we need each other and we are always stronger together.

The Effect of COVID-19 on Church Community

The most overlooked people in the Christian community are the children. Online church and Zoom calls are far more effortless for adults to adapt to than children. Many of our children have been required to adapt to online school or home school. There are only so many YouTube videos our children can watch. I think we can learn a lot from the children they have rolled with the punches and walked with a sense of calm and maturity that is often lacking amongst adults.

Has it Impacted youth ministries?

Youth pastors have been able to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the church. Adapting to the technology aspect of the new normal has been easier for teenagers. Generation Z teenagers have lived through the entire technology revolution. A smartphone has been viewed as an extension of a teenager’s self, so with so many online events, webinars, zoom meetings, etc. I am sure youth pastors have been able to adapt and provide programs to bring the church community to the teenagers.

That doesn’t mean everyone is thriving, youth ministers need to be paying extra attention to the wellbeing of their teenagers because not all of them have the best relationships with their parents who may not always be believers. The lack of structure in their lives may be harming their emotional well being

What about elderly church members?

The church group that seems to be most in danger during this time is the elderly, especially those who are residing in assisted living homes. They have the highest risk of suffering the harmful effects of COVID-19. They are the least tech-savvy people around. The community needs to regularly check-in and adapts to how they can meet their needs.

Helping to assist with the set up of their devices may be the best thing you can do. If they are unwilling to embrace the tech lifestyle, making use of old fashioned phone calls and letters may be the best option going for the foreseeable future. To mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the church some communities have designed programs where they focus on meeting the needs of the elderly; this could mean purchasing groceries to mowing the lawn.

Don’t forget the single adults

One group that has seen the effect of COVID-19 on church community is single adults. They are not navigating COVID-19 with a partner and may often be living alone. This time alone may lead hyper introspection as to what they have achieved in their lives, and where they should be in terms of their achievements. A sense of comparison may have crept into their thinking, and we know that comparison is the thief of all joy.

As the Church, we cannot assume that they are dealing with the situation because they don’t have the responsibility of a family to burden them. To lessen the impact of COVID-19 on the church, members need to keep in regular contact and always there to listen. A care package could make somebody’s day. People love to know that they feel valued. Remember, single adults are not all alike they are at different stages of their lives and have different values, so the way you interact with them will always be contrasting.

Impact of COVID-19 on church giving

One major factor that we should look at is how COVID-19 has effected church giving. Some have lost jobs and others have taken pay cuts, so that will naturally affect the amount of income that the church is receiving. Due to the effect of COVID-19 on church community, leaders may need to restructure how they run their programs to meet the needs of the church. There are varying reports about church giving in the media, some churches are receiving more money than ever before and others are struggling.

We can be encouraged by the word of God: the Philippian Church was able to give to Paul and partner in his ministry regularly. This is very surprising as they weren’t the most affluent church community. As a church we can also be encouraged by Psalms 50:10, We know that everything on the earth belongs to God and that we can trust in him to provide for us.

The Church may not be having the year it had imagined due to the effect of COVID-19 on church community. However, we can feel optimistic about the future. God is always up to something and is moving in our midst. We can be sure that the Church will come out of this stronger and more like him, ready to continue its mission of hope to the nations.