I’ve decided to start something new. If you don’t mind, here’s some quick background and an announcement of sorts.
First, some background.
A decade ago, I stood in the North Point Community Church hallway, watching thousands of church leaders walking to the parking lot. Our DRIVE Conference had just concluded. Inspired, encouraged, and probably challenged, these leaders were heading home. While I didn’t overhear all the conversations taking place as they exited the building to travel home, I do remember my conversation with a staff friend. When he asked how I felt about the conference. My response had less to do with the previous two days and more to do with the days, weeks, and months ahead for the leaving leaders.
These pastors were about to face a significant challenge. It would include their Elders, their staff, the congregation, and maybe even themselves. These church leaders caught a vision of what could be in their churches. Perhaps they were impassioned by a vision of what should be in their churches. But could and should is the stuff of vision, not execution. After all, vision without execution is just a good dream.
Leading is a constant challenge, but leading isn’t THE challenge.
If you lead a church, you face a multitude of challenges. I get it. I’ve been leading in churches for nearly 15 years.
Of course, facing each of these various challenges is essential for ongoing missional success. But let’s be honest, not every challenge is equal. Some are minor and require just moments of consideration. Others are more serious and require increased involvement. And then there is the one challenge pinnacle. The one challenge that every church faces and, if left unattended, produces devastating results.
This challenge is the same one shared by every church, business, non-profit, and organization.
There’s no avoiding it.
There’s no getting around it.
You can’t wait it out.
You must face it directly.
The challenge is change.
And change isn’t going to wait for us. It’s happening, ready or not.
When the pace of change around your church exceeds the pace of change inside your church, the best days of your church are behind your church.
Only a church capable of changing can maintain influence in an ever-changing world. That’s the tension. The community we serve is ever-changing. There’s no stopping it. Change is the only constant in life (the Greek philosopher Heraclitus first said this in 500 BC). Leading lasting change is complex. Lasting change is the result of leading people through a strategic process along a predictable path.
The people, process, and path of make leading change the most formidable challenge of all.
And let’s not downplay the results of falling the challenge. An inability to change leads to only one outcome – death. It may be a prolonged plateau to decline before the pending end. Still, no matter the timeline, the terminal consequence is the same.
This very real but unnecessary reality is playing out in every community around the world today. Real because change is going to happen around your church. And unnecessary because we should be able and willing to meet the challenge of change.
How can I help?
Are you prepared, able, and willing to lead lasting change? That’s why I created Transformation Solutions, where we help churches discern what needs to change and coach pastors through the challenge of change. Over the coming weeks and months, I hope to add to this change conversation with additional content, courses, and leadership coaching opportunities.
Right now, at abrupt-chin.flywheelstaging.com, you can sign up for a free, 30-minute conversation to decide if working together works for you.
Also, you can download a free e-book on the path of change.
