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It is hard to believe on one hand that one year has passed since our COVID lock-down and social distancing lifestyle started. On the other hand, it has felt like 2020 would never end.

So, what has changed in this unforgettable year? There are several data points to examine and some questions to ask ourselves as leaders. To start with churches are now seeing approximately 65% of pre-covid attendance returning. This percentage must be guarded, because geographical location and local politics is playing a large role in governing local assemblies. Approximately 35% of people are still connecting with online church services.

The reality pre-covid was that Millennial’s were exiting American worship centers and opting for multiple ways to experience faith expressions – I.e.Podcasts, online sermons/teaching, and specialized religious content sites.

The truth about COVID is that 1-n-5 people have bailed out of churches in 2020. This single data point should cause all to reconsider how we are doing groups, discipleship, and building community. There must be a transformation! This is a key thought that I will re-visit again later in this podcast.

Consider the following data points church activity and spiritual leaders…..

•29% of Pastors have or are considering leaving their calling•1-n-5 Pastors are very concerned about their retirement or even if they can retire

•1-n-6 churches and church leaders are not prepared for an emergency

•The IDOL of church attendance has been exposed. Truthfully, we were never in charge and never in control in the way we thought about our personal significance.

•There has been an erosion of confidence among spiritual leaders – second guessing themselves and their ability to lead at all.

•The addiction to control as a leader has been exposed. The rate of change has exposed this idol. It is amazing at the shallowness of relationships – we are not as deep as we think.

•We are all facing the challenge of relationship gaps. Life on life must berebuilt. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in his book, Judaism’s Life-Changing Ideas, writes about how churches see themselves in the marketplace of thought. First of all we must embrace the notion that church is nothing more than a place to consume spiritual content – It is a place to belong! Sack’s writes that churches see themselves either State Drive (Central governance) or Marketplace (Latest attractional bling). He argues that church should be none of that – It should be about sacred space that is transformational – life on life!

•The data is showing that online services are here to stay. Weacknowledge that online church is necessary, is not sufficient! Nothingtakes the place of presence. 

•At the same time church is not in the convening business alone 1.7x per month. We are more than sermons – we are learning – living community that seeks transformation. We are not consumers!•Online Church is not merely the measurement of algorithms, but we must understand there are people on the other side of the screen.

COVID Leadership Detox

At Shepherds we are offering church leadership teams an opportunity to experience a COVID Leadership Detox. It is painfully obvious that we all are coming out of this pandemic a bit shaky and wobblily. This is a 90-minute virtual experience that is rooted in reacquainting ourselves with our core values. We have been shaken by COVID. It is time to reconnect ourselves and our teams with our Core Values.

Contact me at shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com. Your leadership teamcan experience this  at a cost of $124.90.

LINKS

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FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!