Church closures after the pandemic

The Christian Post recently published an article stating that as many as one in five churches could close in the next eighteen months due to the pandemic. This comes from research done by the Barna Group. The study found that although many churches handled things well when the pandemic started, things have not gone so well since the churches were able to open. Even when the doors opened, many people did not return. David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, said in the article that "the relationships that they thought were much deeper with people were actually not as deep as they expected."

Kinnaman notes that online attendance has increased and is likely to remain strong for the near future.  Digital ministry appears to be the wave of the future. However, this has an impact on churches as well. One impact is in the financial support churches are receiving. The National Association of Evangelicals have reported that nearly two-thirds of churches have seen a drop in giving since the pandemic began with nine percent of those churches experiencing a drop of 75 percent or more. Churches will have to look at more ways to receive tithes and offerings than merely passing the plate. For many of these churches, if they are to remain open and continue to offer the ministries they have offered previously, they are going to have to look at providing online giving opportunities.

Another impact will be felt as churches try to fill volunteer positions. With fewer people attending services there will be fewer people to serve in the positions traditionally found in many churches. Churches will have to examine new ways of structuring that will allow necessary ministries to continue with fewer people. This will likely force many churches to reduce the number of things they are doing and focus on doing only those ministries that are most productive.

With fewer people attending in person it will force churches to take a new look at how it disciples people. People who are not attending worship services are also not attending Sunday school or in-person small groups. These have been the primary instruments by which many churches have done discipleship. If churches are going to take the disciple-making element of the Great Commission seriously they will have to find creative ways of doing so.

Right now it is difficult to provide pastoral care in the ways it has traditionally been done. In most cases, pastors are not allowed in hospitals or nursing homes. Many people do not want visitors, even family members, in their homes. Telephone calls, text messages and emails are the primary means by which we can do pastoral care right now.  That may not change much for our online congregations even when things open up more. It will be easy for people to disappear unnoticed. Churches will have to work harder to stay in touch with members in order to know how best to serve them.

Those serving in staff positions will also be impacted by the increased numbers of online congregation members. With a decline in giving there is less money for staff salaries and benefits. With fewer people participating in person there is less need for people to provide leadership for youth ministries, music ministries, educational ministries. etc. What we may see in the future are staff persons serving as discipleship coordinators for the online congregation or people serving in positions we haven't even thought of staffing before. I believe we will definitely see more staff ministers serving bivocationally.

These are just some of the ways an increased online congregation will impact our churches. For those churches that cannot make the adjustments, many of them probably will be forced to close in the next few months.