Leading Strategic Change

How do churches change? How can a church change? I think the answers to these type of questions lie in a foundational truth that most people with a fractional understanding of the church grasp. The local church is made up of people. The Church of God is made up of everyone that is a follower of Jesus Christ. The question is never how do we change the Church of God. God forbid! The Church of God is beautiful and ready for the bridegroom to return. The question is always about the local church. How do we get the local church to be more effective? How can we get the local church on target? How does the local church make disciples?

This is the first of several writings on Leading Strategic Change in the local church.

Black and Gergersen in their book Leading Strategic Change states that change in organizations must start internally with the people in the organization. Most other leadership books focus on the external changes that need to be made but these authors propose that change starts within. It starts by remaping individuals within the organization.

The next blog will talk about what it means to remap ourselves and others. Until then, think about what it means to remap.

Staying on Track

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.  
(Mark 1:35-39 NIV)

There are certain things that Jesus teaches us about staying on track.  When I first started in ministry I was horrified by the number of pastors that were falling to financial failures or moral failures.  I made some strong commitments years ago to not get derailed due to moral failures.  Here are a few things I learn from the life of Jesus.

1) Lead yourself well.  The best gift you can give to your family and to your congregation is a healthy you.

2) Pace yourself.  You do not have to conquer everything tomorrow.  I tell churches all the time that are trying to change - you eat an elephant one bite at a time, otherwise, it's overwhelming!  Pastors want their churches to grow fast, worship to be better next Sunday, leaders to be trained yesterday.  I learned while pastoring Shorewood, "if I wasn't happy with 50 people in church, I wouldn't be happy with 200."

3) Dating your wife is cheaper than divorce.  Lisa and I have a whole lot of mountains and difficult times over the almost 30 years we've been married.  The things that have kept us in love is keeping the flame burning.  We still date. We still laugh together.  We still pray together.  The best news that I can share each day is that Jesus loves me and my wife still likes me.  Take care of your marriage.

4) Love people more than the crowd. I know individuals that love the crowd.  They love being upfront.  They love the title "Pastor" or whatever... but they are alone.  Develop relationships in the church.  Will you be hurt?  Yes.  It won't always work out the best but it's worth it.  I do not regret developing friends.

5) Define what a 'win' looks like for you?  If you don't define the target, you will never know if you hit it.  What is the target each Sunday morning for you?  What is the target at the end of each season for you?  Define what a win looks like for you.  Celebrate when you win and don't move the target too soon.

6) Avoid isolation.  It's not good for man (or woman) to be alone.  Live your life among others.

Starting Over

Not sure why starting over is so difficult for me.  Even when I know it's the right thing to be doing, it still is just hard to begin.  I know I will never start exercising again, unless I start.  I will never start a new diet, unless I start.  I will never start being a more conscientious worker unless I start. I will never be more loving, unless I start. I will never be more giving, unless I start.  There are so many fresh starts that I want to make. Fresh starts should be exciting.  Every day should hold a fresh start for us.  Defeat cannot keep you down if you start fresh. 

So, here's to a fresh start to blogging!
I'm serious...
I'm gonna do this...