After a year of social isolation and uncertainty, the prospect of opening your church up to full capacity can be electrifying. On a similar note, opening up your church can also come with a fair share of its own uncertainty as the way you’ve run things over the past year has likely changed drastically. Do you run a church that plans on reopening fully to the public? If so, here are a few tips for getting your church up and running post-COVID.
Get your finances in order before you start tackling any new events.
Your ability to preach God’s word relies on whether or not you have the funds to maintain your church and ensure that new persons are coming in to engage in your community. Because you are just now returning to a semblance of normalcy, now is the perfect time to return to your finances so that you can move forward successfully.
This can mean finding the best chequing account that eliminates monthly fees and helps your church save money, creating a comprehensive budget so you know how much you have in your bank account or savings account and what your monthly maintenance fees look like, or coming up with new ways to generate revenue to contribute to your church’s causes.
The better your financial plan and the financial tools (checking accounts, debit cards or credit cards, online bank solutions, etc.), the easier it will be to operate your church, especially when you know you’ll be spending more money upon reopening. After all, new English standard version Bibles (ESV Bible) and similar products won’t pay for themselves!
Remember that the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t quite over.
The reopening of most places is tentative. In the face of items like the Delta variant (which has made its presence known even outside of the U.S.), the potential need for booster shots, and other unknowns, it’s much better to play it safe than to risk the health of your congregation because we have a bit more personal freedom than in previous months.
This means following the current CDC safety guidelines, keeping visitors to a minimum (although you may wish to open up to more than previous restrictions would allow), and encouraging your community to bring their own Holy Bible (ESV, King James version, etc.). You can share your favorite verses and psalms from scripture without having to pass around the same Bibles.
Continue to offer certain services for members who may be wary.
Whether it’s pastors, evangelical scholars, or other members of the faith, almost everyone is itching to go back to Church. However, much like there are people who don’t want to return to the office, there are still others who may not wish to jump right back into their old way of life. There are multiple perks to being able to work and live remotely.
Additionally, some people may not have been able to get the vaccine for medical reasons or simply just don’t feel comfortable. The good news is that the truth of God can be preached anywhere. Offer both online sermons and in-person services to help your congregation find the best fit for their needs. This is a great starting point for most churches, and can be a good option, in the long run, should we find ourselves under more restrictive shelter-in-place orders.
Many churches have been waiting for the chance to open their doors all the way. But before you do so, making sure that you’re taking the right steps to return to the normal way of doing things safely and effectively is what matters most. Use the tips above to help you prepare for your official reopening no matter where you may be located.
