I've had the privilege of leading King's for over 27 years. At the beginning of 2020, we were growing both spiritually and numerically. Then Covid hit.As John Maxwell says, momentum makes leaders look better than they are, and lack of momentum makes them look worse. Covid was a massive momentum stopper.Thankfully, two and a half years on, life is more or less back to normal for most of us. However, there is no doubt that much has changed since March 2020. I love what I do, but I have never known a more demanding time to be leading God's people than right now. At the start of this new church year, I have been reflecting on what some of these challenges might be. Let me give you five for starters:1. The tone of discussions has shifted. There has been a broad cultural shift away from nuance, dialogue and an appreciation of different theological perspectives towards more emotive language and wider polarization of positions. Pastors who are navigating discussions on issues such as race, roles of men and women, or sex and gender, are needing to do so with great wisdom. The risks attached to entering any debate on these issues, especially in the public arena, are far higher than they were a few years ago.2. The legacy of Covid on church life. At King's, our in-person attendance has returned to around 85% of what it was pre Covid. I am still not sure if I should be pleased or concerned that a few hundred continue to watch online each week. People's willingness to serve has changed, and like many churches we are struggling to find enough volunteers to run key ministries. I find myself wondering if this reflects the wider drift in our culture towards a more individualist and consumerist outlook. Are we asking what we can contribute to our church communities or what we can receive?3. The cost of living crisis. While many of my friends in other parts of the world live with the daily challenge of high inflation, churches in the UK have been protected from this for a generation. Now costs are up everywhere - housing, energy, food - and time will tell what effect this will have on church giving.4. The loss of a vision for the church. I know of more pastors who have left ministry or are thinking of leaving ministry than at any other time. On a recent trip to New York, my brother Martin was fortunate enough to get some time with Jon Tyson. He observed that 25 years ago, a young leader would hope to become a pastor; now he wants to be CEO of a justice based charity. I became a Christian in the early 80s, at the height of the church restoration movement. I wonder if some of the passion for building the church has been lost. We must continue to cast a vision for the local church as the primary agent of the kingdom of God.5. The multiple demands on our time. Each week, probably because of my dual roles leading both King's and Newfrontiers, I am approached by gifted leaders of God-inspired organisations inviting me to a meeting or an event. These initiatives tend to have a single focus. King's has benefited from many of these organisations, the CAP course being just one example of an excellent programme we have integrated into our vision to serve this part of London. However, I have limited time. So if I decline your invite, it's probably because I am already struggling to find space in my week to fulfil what I believe God has called me to do. My lack of comment on a particular issue or attendance at an event does not reflect a lack of interest. It is because, as pastor of a church, I have limited capacity and am constantly having to make decisions on how I use my time.For me, the call upon my life to build the church and reach the lost has not changed. But there is no doubt the context in which we are ministering has shifted. Let's continue to pray for God's help as we rebuild the church following the pandemic.
