The temptation during a pandemic is to “hunker down”, isolate, and stay away from people, but this will quickly discourage not only you but the rest of the body of Christ. It may seem impossible to engage in fellowship and outreach during a lockdown, but we just need to get more creative.
Here are some ideas:
1. Challenge yourself to perform one act of kindness each day. Have a plan and stick to it! Be intentional. You’ll be able to look back on the many lives you touched and know you used the lockdown for the glory of God.
2. Send “snail mail” - Put a card or postcard in the mail letting people know you love them, miss them, and are praying for them. Everyone likes to get something personal in the mail, especially if they are discouraged or sick.
3. Visit someone and take a small gift to cheer them up! (Even in the midst of an extreme lockdown, should that happen, you can leave a care package on someone’s porch or in their mailbox.)
4. Dress warm and meet someone for a walk outside. If the person is a believer, pray together!
5. Read a book with friends! Pick an encouraging book to read with a friend or two. Order copies or Kindle versions on Amazon. Set up a couple of video chats to discuss what you’re reading! You can even start a little virtual “book club”! This is a great idea for reaching out to an unbelieving friend. Read something together that introduces the concept of faith in God (fiction or non-fiction).
6. Be generous. If God has blessed you financially (or even if things are tight), give to someone who may be suffering financially. Even a small financial gift can mean a lot! You can also give a gift card to a grocery store.
7. Create a Spotify playlist including your current favorite worship songs and send it to a friend in need of encouragement, or let someone know about a podcast you’re enjoying. Again, this could be used as a way to reach an unbelieving friend.
8. Don’t forget to reach out to children. Kids & teens get lonely and discouraged too! Read to them over video or FaceTime if they’re little. Send them a small gift or treat in the mail. Video chat with them and play a game together.
9. Surprise someone and have a pizza delivered to their home!
10. Organize a game night using Zoom or another video platform. We all need to laugh and have a little fun. Lots of games can be played virtually. There are endless ideas online.
See? It only requires a little creativity. Never stop reaching out to people. We need each other!
Published on 30. October 2020 from Berlin, Germany.
Photo by Gabriel Benois on Unsplash.