There was always this idea inside of me that saw itself materialize in 2020. With the Covid shutdowns and quarantines, it has become clear to me that there are two basic types of ministries within the body of Christ.

The first is Relational Ministry. This is a style of ministry that is based on interaction with people. It goes into homes, visits hospitals, shares coffee and is demonstrated in a hundred other ways through person to person contact.

The other is Teaching Ministry. This type is focused on people learning what the Bible says and how it applies to our lives. The Bible is the biggest priority, and it is taught in sermons, Sunday schools, small groups, and every time people gather.

Both of these ministries are vital to the life of a Church. Believers need to know the right things to believe in, but they also need to be connected to other believers in meaningful ways. And that is the point where 2020 has clarified this issue. Throughout this year, most of the forms of relational ministry have been shut down, so leaders focused on the Church’s teaching ministry. They went online with sermons, devotions, and Bible studies.

The problem is that people are missing a vital part of their walk with Jesus. The relationships are strained, distant, or nonexistent at this point. Somehow the community of believers needs to help people connect while maintaining safety standards. I am not sure I have an answer for this, but I see the lack of genuine human relationships having an impact that might far outweigh Covid.

God created us as relational beings. It was not good for the man to be alone in the garden of Eden, and it is still not right in our digital garden of virtual reality. We need a connection to other humans to meet the needs of our souls. God did not just save us through Jesus; he put us into a community of people who were also saved by Jesus.

I desperately want you to know your Bible. This is a great time to grow through the teaching ministry of the Church. A few minutes of searching will make some of the most outstanding teachings in history available to you. But do not ignore the other side of ministry. Find a way to bring meaningful human interaction into your life. Being truly alone is a type of sickness for which we will need to find a cure also.