Coronavirus Culture: 3 Focused Steps to Mobilize Your Members

I know your head is swimming after the events of the past week as new recommendations were released regarding the coronavirus. You are trying to figure out the best way to do a worship service online and how to keep your people tithing in these days of being the church much more scattered than gathered.

These are pressing questions, and thankfully there are great resources out there for helping you to get these things going in your church. The next question you need to answer is this: After the newness of people gathering in their homes around a computer or TV wears off, how are you going to keep your members engaged, connected, giving, ministering, participating in community outreach, and evangelizing in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) culture?

Pastors: you and your staff cannot accomplish this on your own.

Church members: Your pastor and church staff cannot accomplish this their own.

People must be mobilized to engage in ministry outside the walls of the church building. The more people mobilized and empowered to be on mission in your church will create a vibrant ministry. You will be able to serve both the people in your church and participate in critical community outreach to people full of fear and uncertainty. Mobilizing your people takes a definitive plan of action and consistency in instruction, encouragement, and accountability.

The first step to mobilize your members despite coronavirus is identifying the Who.

Who needs to be mobilized to take on the ministry task in your church? Begin with the tried, true, and tested members of your church. Staff members, deacons, small group leaders, and others who have already been servants in your church can be your first contacts. However, don’t be tempted to stop there.

Look to other members who are faithful attenders but not necessarily active in serving. Finally, go even beyond this group and look for hidden gems who may hang out on the fringes of the church body but have potential to be wonderful servants. The time of crisis the culture finds itself in at this moment is a great opportunity to motivate people to serve as they see the great needs all around them. Get started recruiting with the goal of getting a leader for every ten active adult members in your church.

Church members, I encourage you to reach out to your pastor and volunteer! Get engaged!

The next step is laying out the mission you want your leaders to accomplish.

Begin by expressing to the leaders the urgency and great opportunity of the current situation. Help each leader understand the magnitude of the need as the ministry of the church has radically changed in a very short time because of the coronavirus.

As leaders, they have an awesome opportunity to face these challenges and be a part of seeing the church move forward victoriously in the face of new obstacles. Give each of these leaders an opportunity to be used to make a huge impact for the Kingdom.

The next major step in mobilization is being crystal clear about what you want your leaders to accomplish.

Here’s a recommended action plan. Each leader will be responsible for 10 adult members of the church.

The leaders will be responsible for three tasks every week.

First, they will call or connect with their 10 members (anywhere from 5-10 calls based on the number of couples in the group) every week.
Secondly, during this call, the leader will check for needs, pass along reminders, encourage connection, and share opportunities to be on mission. If needs among the group can be met by the group, then the leader will delegate responsibilities to others in the group and get the need met.
Finally, the leaders will virtually meet (for tips, click here) with the pastor or designated staff member each week. In this meeting, leaders share needs that were met and larger needs that still need to be met. The pastor will then lay out the next weeks plan, ministry needs, and possible outreaches to be done and any course corrections that may need to be made. These are the three main tasks each leader would agree to take on for the church.

The weekly meetings would keep communication lines open, give opportunity to share ministry victories, and be a place where ideas could be multiplied to be more effective in ministry and community outreach (for ideas, click here). It would also help leaders be accountable and stay encouraged as they serve. Larger churches could have their leaders broken down into teams and other staff leaders could meet with them weekly.

Get new people involved and engaged.

This type of mobilization is not just for the group of people who do everything in your church. This is an opportunity to empower a whole different group to take up the task. People want to rise to the occasion in times of crisis. They want to make a difference. Give the people in your church the chance to be heroes in the faith as they minister to those within and reach out to those outside the body in the middle of these troubling days. Start now and see God bless in tremendous ways.

For more ideas regarding your coronavirus response, visit and join the Facebook group.

Published March 19, 2020