– our LPD Church of the Week
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In March 0f 2019, it was a joy to welcome One Hope Community Church into our LPD/EFCC Family. This church, planted by Pastor Daniel (Diane) So, was birthed from Grace Hanin Community Church, where Daniel served as an associate pastor to Lead Pastor Shin il Park. We are thankful for this church family, and for their heart to serve others in the Name of Christ.
This church met at Betty Huff Elementary School in Langley prior to COVID-19. Since then, has been creatively ministering both online and in person. While the church has been founded by Korean immigrants to Canada, they welcome all in the Name of Christ.
Please pray for Lead Pastor Daniel (Diane) So and the team of pastors and leaders, as they have declared the rest of 2020 as a “year of spiritual feast.”
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The ABC’s of Church
It is often said, perhaps cynically that pastors and leaders measure a church (and perhaps also the “success” of the pastor) by the “ABC’s” of Attendance, Buildings and Cash.
While no pastor I know would admit to the above, it does beg the question of what measures we might use to gauge the health and vitality of our church in these days of pandemic. How do we measure church and ministry when attendance is mostly online, church buildings are largely rather empty and “offerings” are made electronically and often less than they were prior to COVID?
Who “attends” your church these days? While you might see that 247 people viewed your church service online, who were these people? Are they regular attenders? Are they visitors? Did they listen to the whole service or just “pop in” for a moment?
When we preach a sermon “live,” we get instant feedback. We know when we are connecting, and we know when God is moving in the congregation. We meet and greet at the door. We connect, and the congregation connects with one another.
If your church “ZOOMS” its services, how many are there? How about families with young children? Is there anything for them? How many are “virtually church hopping?” Speaking to a friend this week, I learned that several people leave the online ZOOM service of their church early in order to take in the online service of another local church.
My greatest concern for our churches at this moment is that we might become complacent, and simply hope to wait out COVID-19 with the idea that things will revert back to “normal.” That is a failure of leadership and will not happen. We will face a “new normal,” and we do not yet know what that is. Some churches have simply “closed” ministries, and have not initiated anything new in order to seize new opportunities.
George Barna, in a recent study found that one in three practicing Christians has stopped attending church during COVID-19. Only about half are “attending” their own church online, and some have begun virtually attending other churches.
https://www.barna.com/research/new-sunday-morning-part-2/
We might say that Barna is using the U.S. context or might deny that this is true of us. Okay. On what evidence would you base your observation? How are you measuring the health and vitality of your congregation? Who is your congregation today? How are you staying connected?
When I served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a director once said that it was the youth that participated in two regular events who we could really influence. If they came to camp and to club; to Bible Study and camp, etc. , they were “our people.” Those who simply participated in one event were not really those we could influence. I believe that the same is true for church.
In these days of COVID, many people are feeling disconnected. To view a service online via ZOOM or YouTube does not replace physically attending church. The fellowship; the coffee; the corporate worship; the “checking in” with one another – it just doesn’t happen.
Many Pastors are working harder than ever these days, and are feeling somewhat “burned out.” One not only prepares and delivers an online service. Many are also seeking to provide pastoral care and contact with their congregation – some of which would normally happen on Sunday AM. Aaron Earls speaks to these in his article, “5 BIGGEST CONCERNS PASTORS HAVE RIGHT NOW.”
5-biggest-concerns-pastors-have-right-now
Small Groups are proving to be key to both fellowship, mutual-ministry and to provide a sense of belonging with the local church. People in small groups are “connected,” and identify with their local church. Here is a helpful article re: small group ministry: “5 TRENDS OF PROACTIVE SMALL GROUPS IN THE COVID ERA.” Using the example of early US explorers Lewis and Clarke, who adjusted their transportation from canoes to horses when they encountered the Rocky Mountains, writer Braddy urges churches to show the same creativity and and adaptability that the explorers once did. Small Groups can be a part of this.
5-trends-of-proactive-small-groups-in-the-covid-era
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Here are some useful articles on youth ministry, VBS and other ministry in a time of Pandemic.
https://factsandtrends.net/coronavirus/
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LPD/EFCC Pastor and Staff Orientation
Monday, September 28 – online
This is a requirement for all seeking credentialing in the EFCC, and is most helpful for all incoming pastors and staff.
Please mark your calendars and watch for information.
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Please Remember our LPD Missionaries:
Here is the link to their information and how to support them:
Please remember all of our LPD Missionaries (and all missionaries) at this time.
https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/donations
LPD Missionaries
Dan and Sharon Williams (Osoyoos Project)
Steve and Gillian Sharpe (Missionary of Church Planting Development)
Jonathan and Harmony Ng (Inner City Ministry)
Noel and Lynda Macasaet (New Living Assembly)
Jorge and Emily Lin (Church of All Nations/”new”New West EFC)
Joshua and Nicole Fast (Priceless Youth Ministry)
Allen and Hannah Chang (Steveston Project)
Daniel and Joyce Wong (Steveston Project)
Nathan and Amber Kinsey (Winsome Games) –beginning September 1.
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HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR CHURCHES REGARDING COVID-19
We in the LPD are here to serve you and your church through this time. Josephine has been continually updating our information, so has the most current information available on resources available to you and your church in this time. Please email Josephine at our office.
Please contact us for:
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Please pray for:
