A year after the start of the pandemic, where are we now?

Stay home for 14 days to help “flatten the curve” will be a line we’ll never forget.

Here we are one year after we entered into a global pandemic and we’re beginning to see signs of the the other side. What that looks like varies among us, as some live in states that have little to no restrictions left in place, while I write this in a state that is still maintaining it’s highest level of restrictions.

Needless to say COVID-19 interrupted all of our lives more deeply and far longer than most anticipated.

Some say it has been a year of being in “limbo,” but it was really a year of opportunity. But like most opportunities, many of us didn’t see the “opportunity” part and, as usual, so many of the opportunities that we’re tucked into the pandemic were missed.

We’re not out of the pandemic yet, but since it’s a year later, let’s look at where we’re at now and what has been some of our experiences. Let’s start with looking at where we’re at spiritually and as the church. Please note, these are observations Scott Free Clinic has noted or experienced, and/or insights from several surveys and other research conducted by a variety of outlets. What stands out to me is there are several contradictions or extremes, which indicates we’ve been reactionary rather than more mindful of our choices:

– We had the opportunity to see how we had been taking advantage of (for a very long time) the opportunity we previously had for fellowship, and just what a rich blessing it is. We’ve learned a little better the truth that we need each other. We miss each other.

– The church has lost many people. Probably mostly those who were already more out the door than in, but there will be many who won’t be coming back. At the same time, some churches have experienced an increase in evangelism resulting in the making of new disciples and increased baptisms (but this has not been the experience of most churches). This is an opportunity to put to death “consumeristic Christianity” and to finally learn the attractional model fails to make new disciples. Still, many ministers are just itching for things to “get back to normal” so they can once again depend on their buildings for any evangelism; most churches have not responded to the pandemic by equipping their members to share the Gospel since their usual dependence on the attractional model couldn’t be relied on due to COVID-19 restrictions.

– During the last year, many pastors have been wondering if their church members were watching the online services they were providing. The answer was more often no, they weren’t. Surveys of church members reveal most had watched an online service, but didn’t watch them consistently. Many tuned out after the initial curiosity of checking them out when they were first offered. This certainly has been an opportunity for every disciple of Jesus to measure just how committed they are to serving in and supporting their local church.

– There has been an uptick in sales of Bibles. Some research reveals more people initially included opening their Bibles — often for the first time, or the first time in a very long time — as something they did early in the pandemic (likely in response to fear early in the pandemic), but other research reveals church members were reading their Bibles less often. So what was the number one way church members responded to the pandemic? The top response was watching TV and streaming movies. While reading and studying scripture should be the primary way we seek God and His direction, this past year was a unique time we needed to do that; instead, we often reached for the remote.

– For many, there has been an increase in “bad habits” including things like viewing pornography, weight gain, and increased consumption of alcohol. In contradiction to that, there has been an increase in demand for at-home fitness equipment (whether that equipment has been used consistently is something not yet known).

– America was already experiencing a mental health crisis prior to the onset of COVID-19, and the pandemic has exacerbated that significantly. For Scott Free Clinic, that meant skyrocketing demands for Christian clinical counseling and Pastor Care, and a record number of people served during 2020.

– Some couples and families have used more time together to improve their relationships and see them thrive, others experienced an increase in conflict and abuse. There has been a reduction of filings for divorce; some think that’s because seeking a divorce during a pandemic seems to be “risky.” There may be a significant uptick in divorce filings after the pandemic.

– Some of us gained a realization of just how undisciplined we really are without having in place habituated daily routines to direct our days, and just how dependent we are on those routines to guide us.

– The experience of the pandemic revealed to many the reality about whether or not they usually make healthy decisions for themselves or unhealthy, indulgent decisions. We like to think we consistently make good decisions, but the truth about that has been shown over the past year.

– The pandemic showed us who the servants are and who just look after their own interests first (or only), as well as who we can rely on when things get tough.

– For many years, “creativity” and “innovation” were hot buzzwords in church leadership circles, but not much of an actual reality. Now we find ourselves forced into being creative and innovative if we’re to continue church ministry and stay connected.

– We’re seeing who responds positively and learns to thrive in change, who will only change when they have to, and who fights change every step of the way.

– Sadly, and to the shame of the church, we have seen just how ungracious and unsupportive many churches are of their church leaders.

There’s more we could note, but we could probably sum up a year of life in a pandemic has revealed the good, the bad, and the ugly in and among us. Where are you a year later? What have you learned? What opportunities from the pandemic are still available for you to take hold of if only you will? Finally, how will you come out of the pandemic a better person than when it started … or will you?

Scotty