A few years ago a movie came out called Love in the Time of Cholera. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t see it. I didn’t either. I have no idea what its about, but judging from the title, I’m guessing that the movie has something to do with two people who find love and come together in the midst of an outbreak of disease. And maybe that’s the reason the title of a movie I’ve never seen (based on a book I’ve never read) has kept bouncing around in my head in these past few days. Because that’s the challenge all of us who do ministry are facing right now: how do we love in the time of Corona?
Right now we are in the middle of a crisis that is causing unprecedented trouble in our society. Fear and panic have become commonplace. Toilet paper has become a precious commodity. Public schools have temporarily closed. No one is allowed to dine inside eating establishments. Six feet of social space is recommended. Church gatherings have moved online. These are but a few of the early issues in recent days from the COVID-19 virus.
But it’s not just a pandemic. For pastors, it’s also a paradigm shift. Seemingly overnight, the way we do ministry changed. Many of us serve congregations made up of those who are at the most at-risk: senior adults with already-compromised health. Those things we would normally do by instinct, such as hospital and nursing home visits, or just sitting in a widow’s living room are now the very things we are not supposed to do. Unless your church has fewer than ten members, it has become a health risk just to hold a worship service. And just when we think we’ve figured out the adjustments we need to make, another CDC update draws the lines even tighter. It’s as though we are playing football at the beach—scratching a play in the sand with a stick, only to have it erased by the next wave.
This change has left many church leaders dazed and confused. I don’t recall a single seminary class that covered “spiritual leadership principles during a global pandemic.” When the dust settles and the “new normal” is defined, I fear we may experience a wave of “Pastoral Traumatic Stress Disorder.” We are already feeling shell shocked.
How do we love in the time of Corona?
In this ever-changing environment, I would like to suggest that the small-church, bivocational pastor may have a leadership edge. Don’t get me wrong: God, by His grace, has gifted the church today with many fantastic, high-level leaders, who preach stirring messages and write insightful books. They lead large, multi-staff congregations with vast resources and a global impact. We have all benefitted from their conferences, podcasts, and Twitter feeds. However, bivocational pastors undoubtedly have an advantage during a time of rapid change, in the same way a jet ski is more responsive than a houseboat. Let me share with you a few things that most bivocational pastors know how to do really well; how these particular skill sets are extremely valuable in times like these; and what we can apply to our own ministries.
Bivocational Pastors know how to prioritize their time. When you have multiple jobs, you learn to balance work, home, and church life. Often, these church leaders are flexible, and they learn to adapt. What is needed this week and the time they have available may be altogether different next week.
Bivocational Pastors can make adjustments more quickly. Right now, in the midst of the normal, hurried rhythms of our society we are experiencing the pace of things coming to a screeching halt. This is scary to multi-staffed churches with an overabundance of programs. But bivocational pastors see this schedule change as opportunity for shepherding their people well, no matter what COVID-19 throws at us. The slowing down of society can be a great opportunity to remind us of the things that matter most.
Bivocational Pastors are used to working with limited resources. In these days, staff members with very specific job descriptions may be scrambling right now to adapt (What do you imagine the Director of Guest Services is doing this Sunday?) But pastors who serve smaller congregations are already accustomed to being utility players by folding bulletins, plunging commodes, fixing the lights, and simply helping wherever they are needed.
Regardless of whether you are a staff of one or a staff of twenty, we all must display the willingness to humbly adapt and depend on the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. By faith, we trust in the Lord’s sovereignty, and we use common sense. Obviously, we want to always be faith-filled and practical, but right now, we need it more than ever to minister during a time of crisis. We need the mindset of the bivocational pastor, who works long hours and still finds the time to serve his people well, and will do whatever it takes to get more of the Word of God into the lives of the people who desperately need it.
If you are a pastor who has more than one job, or if pastoring is your only job, you are primed and ready to love well in the time of Corona! You understand that it is frustrating right now, but you also understand there are things out of your control. Many pastors are leading by example right now by working a job (secular or sacred), learning to stream services online, adjusting the manner in which pastoral care is given to their people, finding time to spend with their family, and gleaning truths from Scripture that will be shared to inspire people to keep persevering. Be flexible and be ready to do whatever it takes. We are all in this together. Let’s learn from each other. Right now, our churches need great leaders. Our world needs a great Savior. Oh, and by the way, Jesus was a carpenter, too.
