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Obstacle or Opportunity?

“What an amazing opportunity we have!”  This is what I’ve had several friends tell me this week. What if we saw this season as an incredible opportunity to advance the gospel rather than an obstacle to our mission. The mission is not canceled!

One friend who works with athletes is having guys reach out to him that have been avoiding him all year.  Another friend just had a co-worker that he’s known for 10 years ask, “Can you tell me more about your religion?” And my friend shared the gospel with this lady and she received Christ on the spot!

It’s easy to get caught up in the plans that we had for ministry this spring and think that since they are cancelled, it’s all over.  But it’s quite the opposite. God knew this was going to happen all along. 

Since the opportunity arguably has never been greater here’s what we need to do with our plans: We either pivot or make new plans or both!

Here’s what I mean:

PIVOT

Take something you were already planning but tweak it or change it. 

For example, I had an online event called The Bracket Challenge that was in conjunction with filling out a bracket for March Madness, but then each day a guy would get to watch a live interview with an expert and a lesson on the power of porn and how to overcome it. Great idea right? Then March Madness was cancelled!  I could have cancelled or pivoted.

I pivoted.  

We kept all of the same speakers and daily lessons but I moved the start date back a few days and bought the domain name quarantineformen.com.  300 guys are signed up and going through the material! What events or meetings did you have on the calendar that you can tweak or change? 

Many ministries are still holding their meetings but now they are online. Bible studies are continuing but now online. Just a pivot.  

If you were planning a summer training project or a mission trip consider joining CMT for Global Project

Do something new.

Maybe it doesn’t make sense to pivot your previous plans. It might be better to cancel it. With cancelling you now have more time to do something different.  So what will you do? It’s time to get creative!!

We have an unbelievable opportunity to minister to people right now.  Lots of people are asking the hard but good questions (finally right?!).  Let’s be there for them!

When deciding something new, you should start with these questions:  

1. What do the people need? 2. How can I serve them?

Just start making a list of things.  One big answer to those questions is human interaction.

I know of one ministry that has decided to call every number they have and just ask, “How are you doing and is there anything I can be praying for?” Wow, so simple and so cheap, but can be life changing for someone to get a phone call. 

One simple idea my team came up with is “28 Day Countdown.” We wanted to help people get centered on God’s word each day. We decided to post on our social media a new relevant verse every day until Easter.  We put them on a graphic and asked people to share a thought on that verse. We also made a private Facebook group and invited guys to join. 

We also decided to do weekly encouragement calls on zoom and we are also starting a weekly prayer call. We post the time and the link and people can join in. The encouragement calls were amazing.  I have no idea if people will join us for prayer but I have an idea that some will! But even if they don’t, we tried!

Whatever you decide to do, doing something is better than nothing! What an amazing opportunity for us as Christians to rise to the occasion.