Is Your Ministry Phase Friendly?

Things are opening up again, right? At least in some places, but not precisely in the way that we hope. Quarantine and social distancing are still in effect, and while there will be an end to this situation, we still need to figure out how to make the transition. While it would be awesome to throw a party, invite everyone back on campus, we’re going to have figure out phasing. That’s because when places start relaxing their restrictions, that’s going to look different for each business and organization.

Also, to the differences in strategy, people are going to react differently. Some will want to jump back in while others will remain skeptical. While you cannot plan for every scenario, it’s smart if parishes and youth ministries figure out a plan that is not only phase friendly but applicable to any situation. To get ahead of the curve before the more important one flattens you need to:

GATHER A TEAM OF BIG THINKERS

Developing a plan on your own is going to be exhausting because it’s trying to conceive something that has never been done before. When developing a plan, you need help with brainstorming and fleshing ideas. You should have people who are going to ask the right questions and others who are attuned to how people are going to react to the decisions you make.

Each phase is going to require a new strategy, so your team needs to be adaptable and creative. Your team needs to care about the vision and look beyond their own interest. When you select your squad, start small by talking with one or two people you trust. Ask them to help you recruit others so that you don’t limit who gets involved. Above all else, make sure there is trust because a cohesive team is going to be productive.

DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP, ELIMINATE AND ADAPT

Even amid a transition, we tend to pile on without letting go. When we made the change into social distancing, it was a little easier to eliminate because local government and health officials made those decisions for us. When we transition into each phase, we could continue many of our virtual and social media habits. Questions you need to consider are:

• What have we learned about social media and technology that could enhance our ministry moving forward?
• What are we currently doing that is sustainable beyond quarantine?
• Are there structures we’ve created that can be done both virtually and in-person?
• What should be put on hold and reexamined before moving forward?

There is going to be a temptation to revert to your old habits and add the new ones learned in quarantine. The better approach is to examine each program and strategy you’ve adopted then assess whether or not it’s a part of your future.

COMMUNICATE LIKE CRAZY

Phasing out of quarantine is going to be messy, and that’s why you need to focus on communication. While you want to communicate frequently, you have to make sure it’s clear. The worst thing you can do is to go back and forth and contradict yourself. To avoid that, you have to know that some people will love your plan while others will hate it. Those who hate it tend to be louder, but might not represent the majority. You have to trust your team for their feedback.

When you communicate with parents and teens, you don’t have to reveal to them every detail right away. Initially, it’s important to share with them the process you are taking to make the decision, followed by some of the things you do know and what questions you need to answer. What people want is to see that you are taking this seriously and that there is a place they can go for further information.

BETA TEST, TWEAK AND ADAPT

These are unprecedented times, so that means it’s okay to try things you’ve never done before. If you’ve wanted to move to a small group, home catechesis, or new ministry model start planning. If you’ve wanted to convert to digital materials or online learning, go for it. People are being forced to adapt, which means they are a little bit more open to change. If there was ever a time you wanted to make adjustments, it’s now. As you move into each phase, you are going to have an opportunity to BETA test something, tweak and adapt it to the new paradigm. If it doesn’t work, you keep moving forward.

The doors of our church buildings will open up again, just not at the pace we were hoping. Not only do we have to figure out what ministry will look like in a post quarantine world, but how we are going to get there. Start putting together your team, ask the tough questions, communicate the process, and have fun trying something new. People will embrace your innovation, and you never know you might create the best thing for youth ministry since pizza.

What steps are you taking to phase out of quarantine? Have you started talking about it?

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