In this episode, I answered a listener question. Carmen asked, “How do you stay with a church when it changes? How do you stay loyal?”
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Clarification
Since this podcast is directed to the church and church leaders, my answer is an attempt to do two things:
- To help church leaders understand the mindset of church members struggling with change
- To help church members understand the motivations behind some of the changes
Reflections on the Issue
- “Living things grow and growing things change.” – The alternative to change is death.
- Change can result in a sense of instability and disequilibrium
- Accept the reality than change is inevitable
- Explore the deeper issue: What are the specific changes that are resulting in the personal struggle?
- Personnel?
- Systemic or structural?
- Ministry focus?
- Identify the personal cost of the change?
- Identify the corporate cost of the change for the church? (Bigger picture)
- Identify the cost of NOT changing?
- Ask, “Am I willing to risk the experience of personal discomfort for the sake or reaching others?”
- “Good leadership is the ability to offend people at a pace they can handle” – What is the right pace of change?
- The question of loyalty: To what or whom are you loyal?
- A specific structure?
- Specific leadership?
- Specific ministry focus?
- A local expression of the Body of Christ navigating a changing world together?
- For leaders: are you as loyal to the Body as you are asking each member to be?
Good leadership is the ability to offend people at a pace they can handle. Click To Tweet
A Plea
When you experience a sense of personal discomfort and disequilibrium from change, please go and have a respectful, loving, and grace-filled conversation with your church leaders. Don’t leave the church without having that conversation.
Resources Referenced:
Who Stole My Church: What to do when the church you love tries to enter the 21st Century (Gordon McDonald)
To comment on this episode or leave a question for a future episode:
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2. Email: contactgerrylewis@gmail.com
3. Voicemail: 817-929-0643
4. Direct tweet @drgerrylewis
