Introducing Change

Change can sometimes be a dreadful word. It is human nature to enjoy the consistent and stable. We don’t like change and many of us avoid it as much as possible.

It can split a congregation or alienate a segment of the population, if it is not handled skillfully and sensitively. I’d like to share some of what I’m learning as our church walks through a creative shift, and we are introducing new things.

I have the privilege of leading the team at our church that crafts the weekend experiences, and working with my Pastor to help move our church in the direction the Lord has led him to take us. My Pastor is an excellent communicator and a great visionary. He’s not afraid to give clear direction, which is vital. As our lead Pastor, he has committed his life to keeping his finger on the pulse of our church and making sure we’re in sync with God’s heartbeat.

But what do you do when you’re simply handed the reigns with minimal input or maybe even resistance from your leadership? How can you help your church walk through such potentially treacherous territory?

The first and probably one of the most important principles to remember is really an old adage,

“Slow and steady wins the race.”

Our church recently celebrated 25 years of ministry in June of this year. We have just about every ethnicity, generation, and background well represented in our congregation. If we suddenly up and change everything, there’s a great chance we’d lose them all. As creative visionaries, we see the future and we want to get there now. The fact of the matter is that God may be leading you in the direction of that change. However, what we often fail to remember is that the average person in your church didn’t walk in and say, “Man, this is a great church, but I can’t wait for it to change!” That is us, not them!

People started attending your church because they liked it. This means two things: they’re going to hate the changes (and that’s OK) or they just don’t know they’ll like them yet. Either way, remember that we are leading sheep not driving cattle. Introduce change slowly and be considerate of your congregation. Be sensitive to their responses and adjust accordingly. One caveat — we all have a few that will complain regardless of what you do. You can lovingly listen to those people, but you can leave it there.

Be prayerful not just about the direction you’re headed, but also your speed limit. It’s for your safety and theirs. Change can be hard, and it sometimes will seem like you take two steps back for every step forward. Remain confident in God’s faithfulness to get you to the destination He’s leading you to!  

Brian serves as worship leader at Church of the Redeemer — a growing, multi-campus congregation based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, under the leadership of Pastor Dale O’Shields. His passion is seeing God advance His kingdom through the work and support of the local church.

More from Brian Taylor or visit Brian at www.leadingskillfully.com/