How You Can Effectively Plan Ahead During COVID

It’s all over the news. COVID is not going away this winter. It is plowing through the whole country and the world again. Because of this countries and states are taking action to limit the spread over the winter months. That means that if you have made a lot of progress towards reopening your Churches for in-person gatherings, you may need to take a step back. But that is part for the course for 2020, right?

Over the course of the COVID pandemic we have had Church closings, then openings, then back to closings again. Some have actually never reopened for in-person gatherings from the first shut down. The reality is that the world we are living in is completely unpredictable which puts Churches and businesses in odd positions. What do you do? How can you reach the people you are trying to reach when things are so unpredictable? More importantly, how can you effectively plan ahead in a COVID filled world?

So what can you do? Here are 3 things you can do.

• Have a plan in place for how you can do ministry in your current context. Whatever situation you have right now is what you need to use as your basis. Take whatever your local, state or national guidelines are right now and plan your ministry activities around those guidelines. I would encourage you not to plan 6 to 12 months ahead of time, but definitely plan ahead more than just week to week. Working 1-3 months ahead of time in your current context would be ideal.
• Make sure you have a digital plan in place just in case you have to go online only. As I mentioned before, we made a lot of digital progress during the early months of COVID. Don’t forget that progress you have made and keep moving forward with experimenting and using digital tools to reach people for Christ. Have a plan in place just in case something happens and you need to be back to online only.
• Be flexible. This is uncharted territory for so many of us. While we may have a plan in place, we have to be flexible knowing that what reality is on Monday may be different on Tuesday. That is why it’s always great to have a Plan B in effect. Make sure you have something in your back pocket just in case something changes in your area and you need to make a last minute change.

COVID has changed so much of how we operate as ministers today. But it doesn’t need to limit what you can do and how you adjust on the fly. Plan and be prepared, not just for what you want to happen but for what could happen. The more you are flexible and ready to adjust with options, the more likely you are going to be able to keep reaching people for Christ no matter what is happening around you.

What do you think?  How are you planning ahead during COVID? Ask questions and don’t underestimate others and see what kind of difference that makes in the lives of others this week. 

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