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Initiating Change

Initiating Change. From: George McCalep, Faithful Over a Few Things , Orman Press, 1996. Why Churches Don’t Grow. Because we resist change. 10 Reasons People Resist Change. 1. It makes people feel out of control. We tighten up when we feel powerless

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Initiating Change

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  1. Initiating Change From: George McCalep, Faithful Over a Few Things, Orman Press, 1996

  2. Why Churches Don’t Grow • Because we resist change.

  3. 10 Reasons People Resist Change • 1. It makes people feel out of control. • We tighten up when we feel powerless • 2. It makes people feel uncertain and unsafe.

  4. 10 Reasons People Resist Change • 3. People don’t like surprises. • Folk don’t respond well when asked to change on the spot • To feel not-included on decisions leads to resistance • 4. People need routine.

  5. 10 Reasons People Resist Change • 5. Possible loss of face. • Was what we did in the past so wrong? • 6. It makes people feel uncertain about their competence. • Will I be able to function and lead in this new environment?

  6. 10 Reasons People Resist Change • 7. The ripple effect of disruption. • “Just when I thought I had things figured out ..” • “What else is going to go?” • 8. Change necessitates extra work. • Challenges our laziness

  7. 10 Reasons People Resist Change • 9. There is a chip on the shoulder from the past. • Matthew 18 work yet to be done • “lost chains”

  8. 10 Reasons People Resist Change • 10. Sometimes the threat is real. • At times, the new idea will intrude upon, modify, or discard cherished, familiar things and values

  9. Hold on! • Should we change for the sake of changing? • No

  10. But … • There are good reasons to embrace change. • spiritual • theological • personal • organizational

  11. Reasons for Change • “Woe to you who live at ease in Zion!” • Amos 6:1 • Definition of insanity: • “Doing the same things over and over and expecting different results”

  12. Lyle Schaller, Parish Papers • Change is … • part of a strategy to reach new people • part of challenging people with a new vision of what the future could be • a response to discontentment • a sentiment that the old system no longer works as well • a response to keep up with the competition

  13. Legitimate Reasons for Change • Evangelistic (reaching new generations) • Theological (God’s power to change things) • Spiritual (driven by mission, not custom) • Organizational (innovating a whole system)

  14. What Needs Changing? • Not the gospel • Not the emphasis on relationships • Not the Great Commission/Commandment • But … here’s the first twenty things! • According to Lyle Schaller

  15. Church music “sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Colossians 3:16) Use of drama/visuals in worship New channels of communication in preaching Expanding # of off-street parking spaces Improvement in quality of the nursery Advertising shift from “products offered” to “needs met” What Needs Changing

  16. More weekday programming Greater emphasis on adult Bible study groups 2 worship experiences per weekend Better training experiences for lay volunteers More extensive reporting to congregation about what is happening in the life of the church What Needs Changing

  17. Shift in worship from presentation to participation approach New non-geographical definitions of tomorrow’s potential constituency Creating more attractive new entry points for newcomers Expanded teaching ministry Raising quality of all facets of ministry What Needs Changing

  18. Building # and variety of face-to-face groups Strengthening local missions and outreach Enlarging ministries to families with young children Welcoming adults who were reared in another religious tradition Raising level of member contributions to pay for all of this! What Needs Changing

  19. The Two Most Important Things to Change • 1. Human hearts • 2. Church government that doesn’t muzzle the ox • “… you shall not muzzle the ox that treads the corn” (Deuteronomy 25:4)

  20. 1. Changing Human Hearts • Biblical word: “repentance” • Seeing the world as God sees it • Including the Holy Spirit in our practical theology of the Trinity

  21. 2. Church Government that does not “muzzle the ox” • Overcoming the tradition-driven and maintenance-oriented “church board” organizational syndrome • Allowing pastors to lead and be instruments of change by not handcuffing with bureaucracy

  22. Give it up to grow! • “If the membership will give up ownership and the leadership will give up control, the church will grow.” George McCalep • Ownership: the sin of Adam/Eve in the Garden • Control: getting out of the way (of HS/people)

  23. So? • Among people whose lives have been changed by Jesus Christ … • Guided by a Holy Spirit whose “mercies are new every morning and great every day” … • To a world whose needs have changed ….

  24. We are called to create a climate within the church that is conducive to embracing necessary change.

  25. Initiating Change John Chandler www.rasnet.org John.chandler@vbmb.org Copy right John Chandler, 2000

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