[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Farticles\u002Ftime-for-a-change":3,"\u002Farticles\u002Ftime-for-a-change-surround":69},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bibleBooks":8,"body":10,"columnName":52,"date":53,"description":5,"extension":54,"image":55,"meta":56,"minRead":57,"navigation":58,"path":59,"postType":60,"publication":61,"publicationUrl":55,"seo":62,"stem":63,"topics":64,"__hash__":68},"blog\u002Farticles\u002Ftime-for-a-change.md","Time for a Change?",{"name":7},"Dave Faust",[9],"",{"type":11,"value":12,"toc":49},"minimark",[13,16,19,22,25,28,31,34,37,40,43,46],[14,15,5],"p",{},[14,17,18],{},"Publication: The Lookout",[14,20,21],{},"Date: October 6, 2002",[14,23,24],{},"Column: First Look",[14,26,27],{},"Category: Change; Transition; Progress; Leadership",[14,29,30],{},"Recently I led a seminar on \"Leadership in a Church in Transition.\" I began by asking the participants to raise their hands if they believe their church is in transition. Then I pointed out that actually all of us should raise our hands, because every church is in transition. We can't avoid change. The question is, are we changing for the better, or for the worse?",[14,32,33],{},"The leader's job is to stimulate progress so the church experiences continuous improvement instead of remaining on a plateau or slipping into decline. Leaders must assess the present—as Nehemiah did when he rode his donkey through the ruins of Jerusalem by night and sized up the work necessary to rebuild the fallen walls. Wise leaders also affirm the past—honoring the achievements and sacrifices of those who served the Lord in prior years. Then leaders need to help the church approach the future—clarifying the vision so God's people can move forward in faith.",[14,35,36],{},"What factors should we keep in mind when we consider making changes? One is the purpose of change. Why is this change necessary? Is it purposeful and God-directed, or is it merely someone's personal agenda? Will this change really help your congregation accomplish its mission more effectively, or are you just trying to imitate what some other church is doing?",[14,38,39],{},"We also need to understand the paradox of change: people tend to resist change when it's first proposed, but they usually like it once the change has been made. For example, in one church several members resisted the idea of installing video screens in the sanctuary. \"They're going to turn our church into a video arcade,\" they worried. However, the installers carefully fit the screens into the overall décor of the sanctuary, and made sure the screens could be hidden from view when not in use. Soon even the earlier detractors appreciated the way the screens enhanced mission presentations, Bible lessons, and various aspects of worship.",[14,41,42],{},"Don't underestimate the price of change, though. Change usually generates conflict. Often it costs money. It requires extra effort to do things in a new way, and individuals must sacrifice their personal preferences for the good of the larger body of Christ. Change requires trusting the leaders' judgment, and trusting volunteers with added responsibility. There's always a price to pay when you decide to grow.",[14,44,45],{},"That's why we also need to remember the patience change requires. Most positive changes don't happen overnight. Wise leaders take the time to ask, Does this change please the Lord? Does it have the support of the elders and other godly influencers in the church? Is this a \"hill we're willing to die on,\" or should we save our thunder for more important causes?",[14,47,48],{},"Thank the Lord, there is power to change. Real spiritual transformation occurs, not because of clever programs and human manipulation, but because the Holy Spirit moves in God's people. Change happens best when our minds have been shaped by God's Word and our hearts have been softened by prayer.",{"title":9,"searchDepth":50,"depth":50,"links":51},2,[],"First Look","2002-10-06","md",null,{},3,true,"\u002Farticles\u002Ftime-for-a-change","column","The Lookout",{"title":5,"description":5},"articles\u002Ftime-for-a-change",[65,66,67],"Church Leadership","Biblical Theology","Spiritual Formation","tFx9RJJqY-XQ9zsUi6J0m6IgFGmoT1jwgEzI1UW9g-Q",[70,75],{"title":71,"path":72,"stem":73,"description":74,"children":-1},"Tied for Worst","\u002Farticles\u002Ftied-for-worst","articles\u002Ftied-for-worst","Can you imagine a conversation between King David and the apostle Paul?",{"title":76,"path":77,"stem":78,"description":79,"children":-1},"Time-Out","\u002Farticles\u002Ftime-out","articles\u002Ftime-out","Some countries have sacred cows. In America, we have sports—a religion that draws throngs of faithful worshipers to stadiums and gyms every week and daily fills the airwaves and newsstands with its gospel of wins and losses, batting averages and power plays."]