Calendar Creeping
Sometime in mid-March it happened. Our jam-packed calendars were suddenly empty. Trips were cancelled. Events were cancelled. Meetings were cancelled. Parties were cancelled. We all settled in to quarantined at home with the exception of essential workers. It wasn’t long until the activities deemed necessary were shifted to online if at all possible. We have all grown familiar with doing day-to-day life online for the most part.
By and large, the same thing happened to church calendars. Sunday worship shifted to online and most everything else stopped. Gradually some groups began to meet virtually. But, the calendar certainly does not look the same as it did this time last year. That is for sure!
This pandemic has certainly been a very difficult journey for all of us on different levels. Most of us have come to understand that this is not simply an interruption, but a disruption. Hand in hand with disruptions or crisis comes opportunity. What is the opportunity in this crisis when it comes to the church calendar?
What if the church were more intentional with its calendar? More strategic? Too often churches calendar by default rather than intention. Events and activities are placed on the calendar because they were on the calendar last year. Or, maybe it is placed on the calendar because a certain “someone” wants it on the calendar. More and more “things” slowly creep onto the calendar until it is out of control!
The church has come to believe that we need something on the calendar at the church every day and that a busy church is a vital church. We have come to know that neither are necessarily true.
Vital churches are helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and introducing new people to Jesus. Period. It is that simple. We have complicated it with so much activity!
Through this pandemic, we have also learned that small groups meeting offsite and virtual ministry will become more and more important and likely the norm. There will be less corporate gathering of the church. Discipling will likely be done in small groups in homes or online.
Church, this is our opportunity to stop the calendar creeping! Let’s be very intentional and strategic with what is placed on the church calendar. Less is more. When there is less, people will pay more attention. The few things placed on the church calendar will become more meaningful. We are starting with basically empty church calendars. How will your church keep the calendar creeping from getting to you?
