When God Presses the “Pause” Button
By Rev. Carlton Worthen, 9th Episcopal District
In 1999, we were panicking over the unknown of Y2K. Y2K was the widespread computer programming shortcut expected to cause extensive havoc at the brink of a new century. As a result, there was much trepidation that computers would be unable to operate at the turn of the millennium. It was as if the world stood still.
When the United States was hit with the deadly COVID-19, the CDC reported 31,306,928 cases and 562,296 deaths in America. Again, we found ourselves in pivot mode. It was not only that we had to figure out how to continue to get God’s message to the people without physically being present. It was also how to get people to go virtual. Congregations everywhere scrambled to find ways to continue Sunday Services and other church services during COVID-19.
There is one thing for sure: people are not readily amenable to the unknown and COVID-19 has certainly been the epitome of the unknown. Isaiah 41:10 says, “do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
Since the COVID-19 crisis, Church leaders discovered computer-generated platforms such as Zoom, Go to Meeting, Virtual Event, and Facebook. Worship services for small rural churches with limited internet access conduct services outside using the porch as the sanctuary and cars as pews. God always makes a way out of no way.
God’s “pause” has afforded time to take stock of our church and ministries. The question is, “What can we do to ensure further church growth?” How do we plan our recovery from the “pause?” We must implement a strategy of holistic ministry.
Holistic ministry teaches practical disciplines that help navigate life. It is imperative to nurture healthy minds, bodies, and spirits. The adage goes that “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” In essence, the Plan must be tailored to suit the history of the church and the community of which it is a viable part.
In the early days, Southern AME churches were planted in rural farming communities, where households were miles apart because of the vastness of crops. Conversely, churches planted in Northern states were mostly in a metropolis. Pastors of Southern churches often traveled long distances to their charge. The preacher’s primary focus was to bring the Word. The church grew, new edifices were built, anniversaries were celebrated, and the church thrived!
How does the church cope when God presses “pause” amid urban renewal, a new pastor is appointed, or the 75-year-old pastor retires? What happens to the church’s plans and programs?
The transition of new leadership could stymie the church’s growth. The COVID-19-era has prompted serious contemplation as to how we maneuver through this new climate of soul-saving and future progression amidst the ever-changing composition of our congregations.
Do pastors give serious thought to a long-range evangelism plan? Do we expect that the mere presence of our church will invariably come? The AME Church is blessed with brilliant pastors who, for years, have grown large congregations, influenced communities, advocated for social justice, and mastered the art of church growth and development. The Revs. Drs. Floyd and Elaine Flake and Cecil (Chip Murray) immediately come to mind.
The Lord works in mysterious ways with wonders to perform. Perhaps, God caused the “pause” so that He could provide us a rescue basket with new resources, opportunities, and ways for the betterment of kingdom-building so that He might receive the glory.
Perhaps it is like the title of the late Rev. C.T. Vivian’s memoir, It’s in the Action. We must always remember James 2:26, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.”
