Loading ...Clarity in Change
Everyone who understands system theory knows that “change is always resisted.” This is a rule that will never be broken. This rule is even more solidified in a church setting. People will refuse to change. If in the little stuff, change can cause some serious anxiety in the congregation. And sometimes, it is warranted. One prominent congregation in the churches of Christ once made huge changes to the congregation and printed, “if you do not like it, you can leave.” Wow, now this was a great change strategy.
Change is also a problem because people need to know why the change. A lot of church members feel that “change for change sake is wrong.” No one wants to change just to change. The process is too hard. So people in our churches are looking for a reason to change. This is where good leadership takes place. You must communicate about the change clearly.
Change is always resisted when there is little direction concerning the purpose, motivation, and end game for the change. It is not that people are mean spirited, but often people are confused. People would come with you, but they do not know where they are going. Of course, there is hesitation in following the leaders. It is always amazing when a preacher or a leadership announces a change movement, and people resist it and the leadership and preacher are shocked. And then these leaders become upset with the membership, but it is not their fault, the leadership never told them where they wanted the church to go.
With every plan to change, if the little stuff, there must be a communication plan as well. Until you know how to communicate the change, the change must be pushed aside. All leaders must dialogue about how to clarity communicate the change to the congregation.
Related posts:
- Read “Leading Strategic Change”
- Review of “Leading Congregational Change”
- Read “Communicating for a Change”
- Styles of Leadership
- Hiring Preachers and Being Stagnant
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