“Making Changes in the Established Church” (Part Eight)

In this final week of looking at change in the church, we are seeing how pastors can be more skillful at change-management. We continue by seeing:

4. A good goal can be shared and embraced by other leaders.

Part of the pastor’s great challenge is to be doing that with the main circles around him, staff and the board and the other main leaders of the church.  This usually includes the “tribal chiefs” who have been strong in those areas before, even if they are not in official positions right now.

A pastor is constantly letting news leak and get out there so people think about it and are not surprised when change happens.  A healthy pastor has many means of communication with his church, including email and website and notes in the bulletin and handwritten notes to certain people.

Many times congregations react to goals that are shared by the pastor or the leadership team of the church because they are surprised by the changes requested.  Instead there must be a strategy of sharing the changes that are ahead and helping people to embrace them because they see and feel the mission behind the changes.

The question of questioners is always there.  And there are some people who teach us well through asking negative questions.  There are others that are simply always opposed to things.  They say 15% of the people will always be against everything no matter what you do.

But our job is to be sure that they have been given enough information and explanation.

5. Strategic plans always include actions to be done right now.

Even if you are not gifted at writing down point A, where we are now, and point B, where we want to be – and then putting all the steps in between – you can still get this done.

This is much more than just hoping something will happen.  It’s taking things one step at a time.  It’s making progress.  It’s beginning with the first goal right past point A that is heading toward point B.

If the goal is to be a friendlier church, it might start just with greeters at every door on Sunday.  That can be worked out in less than a week’s time by getting a volunteer in charge of this.

It may mean just getting staff into the hallways at earlier times before services so you aren’t just running out of offices to start services.

It may mean a new mood when you give announcements or help the service to begin from up front.

It may take someone looking at the communications notes that you give to the congregation and being sure they aren’t just very preachy or matter-of-fact, but also expressing love and written with a mood of deep affection.

Read Paul’s letters in the Bible and see how many times he told people he that loved them and needed them.

Tomorrow, we will conclude this three-week consideration of implementing change in the church.