Being a wanna-be-entrepreneur, this research interests me. (From StoryBrand Podcast—Donald Miller.) People don’t want to return to old normal, we (so research shows) want to pick and choose to build a personally crafted life and life style. Change and choice. A business exploding during COVID is the delivery business, and it will expand at every level.

Hunkering in and down is the best place to be safe from increasing crime, so predictors guess.

Delivered. Since the most “toxic” shopping area is grocery stores, the safe thing for seniors and those at risk is to exclusively have groceries delivered. “Online” is where business is growing and projected. That is true for entertainment. One-two out of four worshippers will not return to the church building after the Pandemic lifts. That suggests experience—including experiencing worship—will need to be delivered. Experience on delivery to your doorstep changes the core fiber and us. We don’t even have to walk to the colosseum, or if you prefer, the coliseum.  

Joshua DuBois, whose company interviews 10,000 people a day, says Americans have discovered and use! The mute button. Having been overloaded with political loud battles and constant talk of COVID, we have reached overload. Everything tends to be conspiratorial, therefore “we” will not listen! Period. End of discussion. “Since I can’t do anything about it anyway, why waste my energy?”

Delete is another button that attracts rapid-fire thumbs. I was invited to an online study of Revelation. Delete! Delete! As interested I am, I don’t have the energy or bandwidth to calculate what trumpets, bowls and such could really mean in the 21^st Century. People are going to search for certainty, answers and assurance. We have been swimming with crocodiles for months and don’t want any more supposition or maybes. One of the biggest questions in the 60s-70s was, “Why are conservative churches growing?” Research showed it was proclamation of sureness and a Kingdom that could not be shaken. The preachers in those churches proclaimed that Jesus is involved in the affairs of man and has a plan for individuals and nations. There has been enough talk of nuances, ambiguity and gray areas. We’re not denying the presence of slick, slippery and instable, we want to hear prophets who have the assurance and credibility of Daniel and the emotional connections of Jeremiah—transparent, authentic, bold and listening to God the Father and people sharing the pool with crocodiles.

Connect. Many futurists are talking about the beginning of A Great American Awakening. A person doesn’t need to be a revivalist or whacky prophet to predict such things. We only need to read history. The Awakenings under George Whitfield, The Cane Ridge Revival and the huge awakenings that birthed The Jesus People have some of the characteristics of 2020. I suspect that God will raise someone with a message that says, “Come, join the Kingdom. We can change the World.” There will be music, joy, Holy Spirit demonstrations and vast numbers of conversions.

I have one concern. What if the Deplorables are even 50% right? The recent cyber-attack on our government institutions—from whomever—cannot be written off as a Right-Wing Conspiracy. For those who are living with the mute button on 50%-100% of the time, the country can be “fundamentally changed” without a peep. Those who are not listening are usually stunned to hear alternative news—“When did all that happen?” I want to be listening and looking.

I really wanted to see the Bethlehem Star. I was primed! “…those who walk in darkness see a great light.” I bounded down the back stairs looking into the sky just as the garage motion-sensor-flood light met my eyes. I saw stars alright, but not the right ones. I never did see Bethlehem Star. Cloudy. I saw parking lot lights, convenience store signs. Porch lights. I felt cheated. My anticipation turned into a Charlie Brown Christmas. I missed the great light and there is some doubt that I will not make the next showing.

Those who walked in darkness, have seen a radiant light shining upon them. They once lived in the shadows of death,    but now a glorious light has dawned!

Isaiah 9:2

 Don’t want to miss the great, glorious, radiant light.

©2020 D. Dean Benton