Return to gathering offers opportunity for fresh relaunch

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As congregations plan when and how to return after suspending in-person worship services to stop the spread of COVID-19, Texas Baptist leaders suggested issues for churches to consider as they relaunch.

“Legally speaking … churches can relaunch right away. Practically speaking … churches should relaunch when they are ready,” John Litzler, a San Antonio-based attorney, said during the “Relaunch” video conference April 29.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas sponsored the video conference to help churches make informed decisions about when they are “ready” to relaunch, not to offer a “one-size-fits-all-approach” for resuming in-person worship and discipleship, said moderator Joshua Minatrea, director of communications for Texas Baptists.

Joining Litzler and Minatrea on the call were BGCT President Michael Evans, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield; BGCT Executive Director David Hardage; Rolando Rodriguez, director of Hispanic ministries for Texas Baptists; and Phil Miller, acting director of Texas Baptists’ Great Commission Team.

Guidelines and protocols

When Gov. Abbott issued an executive order in March that included religious gatherings among “essential services,” the first iteration of guidelines for houses of worship noted the Centers for Disease Control recommended no gatherings of 10 or more people if any individuals from at-risk populations attended, Litzler noted.

Revised guidelines issued April 21 removed that recommendation but continued to encourage churches to “conduct as many activities as possible remotely and … follow federal guidelines when providing services in person.”

The most recent guidelines, issued jointly by the offices of the governor and the state attorney general April 27, include a recommended set of “minimum health protocols” for churches that decide to provide in-person services. Texas Baptists posted a checklist of health protocols based on those health protocols here.

While some businesses that had closed are reopening within prescribed occupancy restrictions, “churches are not a ‘reopened’ service; they are an ‘essential’ service,” Litzler said. Restrictions placed on maximum occupancy that are imposed on businesses such as restaurants and movie theaters do not apply to churches, he said.

However, churches are encouraged to follow social distancing guidelines by keeping every-other-row of seats empty and maintaining six-foot distance between worshippers who do not live in the same household.


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Stay safe at church

Evans encouraged churches to review the recommended minimum health protocols as important steps to “staying safe at church.”

Churches might want to consider training ushers how to dismiss worshippers one row at a time and “lovingly” not allow individuals exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms into contact with others, he suggested.

“One of the things I’ve said to our leadership is that we pray to God for the best. However, we need to prepare for the worst, even though we don’t want to do that,” Evans said.

Church leaders should think through worst-case scenarios, brainstorming with individuals in the church who tend to think along those lines, he suggested.

“This is the time when the pessimists in the church really get to shine, and we really want to listen to them this time,” Evans said.

‘Online worship is here to stay’

Whenever churches choose to return to in-person worship gatherings, Rodriguez encouraged congregations to continue the online engagement many of them started in the last few weeks.

“Online worship is here to stay. That’s a reality,” he said.

Many congregations have recognized how much their outreach has increased since beginning online worship services out of necessity, Rodriguez noted.

“Online worship has given the church an opportunity to have a global ministry,” he said.

As the audience of church worship services online grows, congregations need to ensure they have the proper licensing for music, Litzler added.

Also, churches that livestream worship services on social media and then post those videos for later viewing on their website should make certain their license allows for that type of broadcasting, he said.

“We are seeing an increase in the policing of copyright infringement from Facebook and YouTube,” he said.

Litzler also noted churches should consider privacy issues as they expand their online presence—particularly if worshippers, not just worship leaders, are pictured.

Churches especially should be sensitive to the privacy rights of children who are in the foster care system and spouses who are victims of abuse, he noted. Litzler suggested designating a particular section in the worship center as a “safe place” where crowd shots will not be taken.

‘Learning as we go’

Rather than simply return exactly to the pre-COVID-19 status quo, Rodriguez encouraged churches to consider how they might adapt and change, based on what they have learned.

“Growth equals change,” he said. “You can change many things and never grow. But I believe this crisis has helped leaders and churches grow. And if we grow, we will grow through a process of change.

“We will never do church the same again. But you know what? It’s OK.”

Changes forced on churches by the COVID-19 crisis offer them “the opportunity of a lifetime to change the conversation” about how they measure success and how they move forward, Miller said.

“There are no experts right now. Everybody is wading through this a page at a time,” he said. “We are learning as we go.”

Rather than resuming in-person worship and Bible study prematurely and having to relaunch a second time later, Miller encouraged churches to think through the process.

“It’s not how soon we go back in. It’s how safe we go back in,” he said.

For example, he noted a 300-square-foot classroom that previously would have comfortably accommodated 20 adults now can be occupied safely by only three adults when social distancing guidelines are observed.

Miller encouraged Texas Baptist churches to “acknowledge the activity of God” and build on the success they have experienced.

“One of the things we have discovered in all this through classes that are doing Zoom (video conferences) and a variety of things like that is that simplicity has come back in such a good way,” he said.

Miller pointed to resources Texas Baptists have developed for churches to consider as they relaunch ministries to youth and children.

Stewardship matters

As churches consider issues of generosity and stewardship, Hardage encouraged pastors not to shy away from the subject of giving.

“Obviously, you want to be gracious,” he said. “We have to understand our folks are wrestling with their own finances.”

At the same time, pastors should encourage members to give “as you can,” recognizing stewardship is a biblical principle.

Hardage also suggested leaders keep their congregations informed about how their church stands financially during a challenging time.

“I would encourage you to graciously communicate in an honest way the financial condition of your church,” he said.

As church leaders consider issues related to congregational business and administration, Hardage suggested they seek to “stabilize” the organization, “analyze” how the church is doing in terms of budget and “optimize” resources for the utmost impact.

In terms of worship planning moving forward, churches might need to consider shorter services to allow enough time for dismissal and disinfecting between services, he said.

Churches might also consider having practice services with ushers prior to a relaunch and experiment with a small audience during online worship services before inviting all worshippers back, he suggested.

Evans urged Texas Baptists to remember the words of Moses to the people of Israel, as recorded in Deuteronomy 31:6. Quoting from the King James Version of Scripture, he said: “Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

“We’ve seen harder days throughout the life of our country,” Evans said. “And we know that the same God that saw us through then is the same God who is going to get us through this.

“I think we’re going to be stronger. I think we’re going to be better. And I sure know we’re going to be wiser.”


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