We must continue to innovate and persevere through the ongoing pandemic.
Early in the pandemic, we compared COVID-19 to a dance that the church needed to learn. The dance terminology was adopted from Tomas Pueyo, who published an article entitled, “Coronavirus: The Hammer and the Dance.” In this article, Pueyo explained that the months-long period between the Hammer (strict measures taken to address the virus) and a vaccine will require a broad variety of approaches and a constant flexibility (the Dance), due to spikes and dips of coronavirus cases.
The Hammer was released for a season, temporarily lightened, and then towards the end of 2020 in some places it fell again. So, we thought at the beginning of 2021 we would update everyone on how the COVID-19 Dance going.
The Effect the COVID-19 Dance Has Had on the Church
This dance has worn people out—mentally, physically, emotionally, financially, and [even] spiritually.
The pandemic has also affected churches and her leaders. I've seen it in my own life.
It has disrupted the predominant practices of the North American church—physical gatherings on the weekend. It seems that while most churches participated in the early lockdowns and stay-at-home orders (back in the spring), most churches are back to some form of in-person gatherings. But church experts, like Thom Rainer, believe it will be a while before pre-COVID attendance bounces back—if it bounces back at all. At the same time many continue to engage with church online.
In addition to the disruption, it has caused division. Churches (or more specifically believers) have been divided over:
- To obey or disobey the stay-at-home orders?
- To wear masks or not wear masks?
- To sing or not to sing?
Furthermore, the pandemic has brought about much discouragement and depression, ...
from Christianity Today Magazine
via
