Where Your Church Should Invest in 2021

Where will your church invest its energy in 2021?

You can’t be awesome at everything.

In fact, you may only be able to make a significant impact in one or two areas.  

I believe this is a critical question as there is so much uncertainty.

Are our people still engaged? How many people will come back? Is virtual the future, or will people gather in person once again?  

The direction we take in this moment is important.

So, where are you going to invest in 2021?  

Here’s where I’d like our staff to focus energy…

In-Person & Online

I’ve been wrong plenty of times before, but here’s my hot take: People will gather again.

In time, we will be back on airplanes, attending concerts, and the day is coming when I will gladly stand shoulder to shoulder in the Big House to watch my beloved Wolverines.

I fully expect a day when our churches will be full of people shaking hands, hugging friends, and passing offering plates again.

It might not be for a year or two, but I believe it will happen.  

Because of this, I want to invest resources into in-person worship services in 2021.

I’m unwilling to make our in-person services a secondary consideration.

I want our in-person services to be a fantastic experience where our people would gladly invite a friend.  

With all that said, virtual church is here to stay.

There is a segment of your congregation who won’t come back, not because they’ve walked away from Jesus or our church but because they’ve formed a new habit called “watching church in their PJs.”

People have been attending your services this way for almost a year.

Not only do they like it, but it’s now a habit, and habits are notoriously difficult to break.  

Also, virtual church has greatly broadened our reach.

We regularly hear from people in other states, and even countries, who have been impacted by our worship services.

I’m very interested in investing in ministry with such a wide reach.  

I recently heard Craig Groeschel say that Life Church is investing 100% in in-person services and 100% in online church. I believe this is a wise approach.

Both are here to stay. Both are incredibly important for the future of your church.

I want to invest in both in 2021.
  

Flexibility & Creativity 

While I’m confident that both virtual and in-person worship services will be part of our future, I’m less sure how we’ll effectively minister to the people in our congregations.

Some of our ministries are losing ground right now.

What used to work isn’t working.  

The world has changed because of COVID.

I think how we used to do ministry won’t always work going forward.

Some of our ministries will need to be shut down and rebooted.  

There is a type of person I want on my team as we move toward the post-COVID world.

I want flexible and creative people. I want innovators.

We will need people who can envision a different way.

We will need creative problem solvers.

We will need people who aren’t afraid of change and who are skilled in leading change.  

What I’m suggesting is we may need to position ourselves effectively by making sure we have the right people on board as we turn the corner toward fully reopening or church building once again.

This doesn’t mean fire all your veteran ministry leaders.

However, it does mean identifying and investing in creative thinkers.

If you’ve been in ministry a long time and have set ideas on how to structure effective ministry, you may need to invite fresh voices into your life.

I believe a critical question to ask in this season is this: Who am I investing in?

Choosing to invest in creative and innovative leaders could be a strategic use of your energy and focus.

Wrap Up

As your church looks ahead, I hope these thoughts challenge you to be intentional about where you invest your energy in 2021.