God grows His church (even in a pandemic).

A pandemic is far too small to stop God or His mission in this world. Saying those words and believing them, however, can be two different things. It’s easy to believe that God knows what He’s doing when things are good. When things become difficult, we become a bit disorientated, even disillusioned. ‘What are you up to, God?’

As the lead planter for Redeemer, a church in Chorlton, Manchester, I get a front row seat to God’s work in the lives of our people and neighbourhood.

Redeemer is a new church, still a church plant, that meets in Chorlton, a neighbourhood in south Manchester. We’re nearly two years old right now. Our first meeting had 9 people in our house and when we were meeting in person, we averaged about 30 people on a Sunday. But you don’t have to be big for God to use you. 

As we continually ask God how to be the church in Chorlton, we’re trying to focus on redemptive and creative responses to the pressures of this pandemic. Here are some ways that God has been working through us:

A new small group

We call our small groups “missional communities” and we had two going into this lockdown. God has been gracious to us and we’ve multiplied to three. This new group consists of people from an introduction to Christianity course we ran as well as some people from Redeemer, a mix of people who follow Jesus and those who don't yet. Someone who isn’t a believer said, “I don't know where I am with faith, but since this pandemic I've never felt closer to God.” Each week we get to read the Bible and talk about Jesus with people who are keen to learn more. How amazing that we get to multiply our small groups even in a lockdown! God indeed grows His church.

Sunday worship

Since we’re small we get to maintain relationships on Sunday more easily than larger churches. We worship together through Zoom and stream aspects of our gathering online through social media. This has been an amazing opportunity as we regularly get over 150 people each week looking in and hearing the gospel. We’ve even seen people already transition from passively watching to actively participating and joining our Zoom chat. It has never been easier to invite someone to a worship gathering and God is growing His church.

Serving our community

Redeemer has a partnership with a charity in Chorlton called Reach out to the Community, focussed on people who are homeless. Four times a year we raise money and awareness for Reach Out by singing in an open area of Chorlton. Since we couldn't sing together (and nobody was out anyway!) we raised donations from within Redeemer. We also have a number of key workers, working in grocery stores, as doctors and nurses, and with vulnerable children. These are small ways we get to love God by serving others, and are a product of God growing His church.

Other mission opportunities

There are all sorts of ways to join God in His mission right now. Someone in Redeemer started a Friday evening pub quiz. Another person in Redeemer offers a weekly sewing class online. Through these events people are inviting friends and relationships are growing. These are just a few things we’re doing to love people in the place He’s called us. We do this because we know that God will grow His church.

Never before has it been easier to talk about Jesus or the Bible with someone. That false layer that stood between us and our own mortality has been lifted, even if only slightly. This has exposed our fears, anxieties, worries, and humanity. 

People now feel a stronger need to connect. People don't find this world as satisfying as it was a few short months ago. This is a space for which the church has a unique voice. God's people are no strangers to outside pressures or difficulties. This might be a novel virus, but this is not a novel situation for God or His people.

It’s my prayer that we won’t miss God in this crisis. I don’t want to waste this pandemic. As we depend more on God in His sovereignty, more on Jesus for His leadership, and more on the Spirit for His power, we will be able to find meaning, purpose, security, and love. And we will get to reflect those qualities out to others, as we get to join God as He grows His church.