The calendar has flipped to 2021.
Many people are relieved to close the book on 2020 – a year that will forever be remembered for the COVID pandemic and a divisive election cycle.
But turning the page on the calendar has not turned the page on the challenges many people and churches are facing.
- The US continues to set daily records for new COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
- Many churches continue to be closed or meeting in limited capacity.
- Financial challenges continue for those whose businesses have closed or organizations have downsized.
- Emotional hardships continue for many who have lost loved ones, have had their lives disrupted, or are continuing to feel isolated.
If your plan for dealing with COVID was to hunker down for a few months and then re-emerge and go back to the way things were, it should be obvious by now…
That ain’t happening.
Even with vaccines being rolled out, I believe it’s going to take a long time before everyone who wants to be vaccinated is able to. And even once we reach that point, we don’t know how long the vaccines will be effective or if there might be new strains of COVID that the vaccines don’t protect against. Things will probably never go back to the way they were before the pandemic, and it certainly won’t happen this year.
January tends to be the month many people and organizations set new goals for the new year. It’s also the time when people and organizations launch new plans and initiatives designed to reach those goals.
Here are 3 questions to contemplate as you finalize and pursue your 2021 goals
1) In what ways do your 2021 goals and plans take into consideration that we’re probably not going to “snap back” to the way things were in a month or two?
2) In what ways do your 2021 goals and plans take into consideration that this is not just a hardship to be lamented, but an opportunity to bring help and hope to people in your church and your community who are hurting?
3) In what ways have you developed a strong communication plan to encourage people and point them to God, to organize people to help one another, and to restructure gatherings – online and offline – in ways that are safe and inclusive?
God is not hunkering down and putting his plans on hold until the pandemic passes. He is searching for people and churches who love Him, trust Him, and will boldly follow Him to advance his kingdom, bringing light into the darkness.
It’s the desire of our team here at OurChurch.Com to help you follow where God leads you, to live out your mission online.
5 ways OurChurch.Com can help you live out your mission online in 2021
- Join our Facebook group where you can ask questions and bounce ideas off of fellow communications people
- Get a complimentary website review that will commend you for the things you’re doing well with your website as well as provide suggestions for improvement. (Note if you received a website review last year, you’re now eligible to receive a free review in 2021)
- Build a website with our WP-EZ Website Builder – it’s WordPress made easy!
- Have us build a custom website for you. Fill out the form below to request a free phone consultation.
- Put our 15 years of Christian and church SEO experience to work for you and help you reach more people.
Comment and Discuss
- How are you adjusting your 2021 goals and plans because of the pandemic?