Dealing with Change in your Church Pt. 3

It’s our ability to accept and embrace change that will determine our effectiveness in bringing about transformation in society.

The final step to successfully dealing with change in your church is to realize that

Change is Necessary!

I didn’t realize it at the time, but now I know that it was necessary that I transition from wading to floating in a boat.  What was once scary and intimidating is now exciting and beneficial.  For our churches to fulfill their kingdom mandate to spread the reign of God on the Earth they must realize that changes have to occur in order to get us from wading upstream against culture to floating alongside the culture and transforming it in the process.

Dealing with Change in your Church Pt. 2

One of my passions is fishing the New River in West Virginia. When I was younger my father and several college buddies would put our felt bottom shoes on and take off wading through the river. We would wade along rock ledges, small rapids and shallow ripples in search of a Smallmouth Bass. We fished this way for several years. The thought never occurred to us that there may be a better way to fish the river. A friend of my father’s began to tell us about boats that could float the stream. He described to us fishing opportunities and destinations that we only dreamed of.

For those of you that have never been to the New River it’s not a calm shallow stream, it’s quite wild and dangerous. The temptation was to stick with what was familiar and comfortable, but inside me I felt a stirring to explore a new way that could open up new water and even more and larger fish. I remember the first time I got into one of those one-man pontoons and took off; it was fishing at another level, and it was awesome!!!! No more fighting upstream, no more limitations due to rapids or water too deep to wade, the change was worth it!

The change was necessary!

The second step to successfully dealing with

change in your church is to realize that

Change is NEVER easy!

It’s not easy birthing new ministries.   It’s not easy seeing key people

leave your church. It’s not easy turning a ship that has gone the same direction for 50 years, or even 50 weeks.  It’s not easy transitioning from one season to another in your church.  It’s not easy having limited access to your pastor due to growth.  These aspects of change are not easy, but we must accept them, embrace them, and learn to welcome them as God’s way of equipping the church to build the kingdom.

Dealing with Change in your Church

God is in the change business. If something is alive it WILL change. If our churches are to grow and sustain life they MUST change as the Holy Spirit directs. In the business world change is the name of the game. To compete and thrive companies must change and adapt to an ever changing culture. The church must be able to not only deal with change but welcome it.

For the next few weeks, we will discuss how you successfully deal with change in your church.

The first step to successfully dealing with

change in your church is to realize that

Change is NATURAL

Remember, the church is not a corporation, but it’s a living organic body. It would be very unnatural if the human body never changed. We were designed to grow; we were designed to undergo transition and transformation. Your church is no different. God will naturally bring positive changes through your leaders. If we realize it’s natural for God to do so we’ll be secure enough to allow God to build His church.