Transitioning

Back on May 30, 2001, I attended a transitioning conference at People's Church, in Brentwood, Tennessee. It was notable in that the conference had been cancelled, but the handful of attendants didn't get the message until we arrived. Thus, the pastor and staff got us around a round table for a discussion of transitioning issues in a local church. The dialogue was probably more beneficial to me than other conferences I have attended with large groups and "star" speakers.

Among the notes I recently rediscovered:

"16% of the people are absolutely unchangeable. Get used to it."

"To get on with my life, I must face pain."

"We can't lead from preferences. There are too many."

"The laypeople bring involvement to the table. Staff brings commitment."

Advice For Leading Through Change:

1. What is your pain threshold?

2. Relationships, not authority are the keys to leading through change.

3. Decide wisely what hill you are willing to die on.
Some changes are not worth going through.
Maybe you don't need to change something as to start a new thing around it.

4. Decide that core values will drive change, not fads.

5. Guide changes through the mission statement.

6. Introduce ideas regarding change regularly in small groups.

7. Give people time to understand and process change. "Family chats."

8. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

9. Follow a season of intensity with a season of stability.
Down time is important for people.
Sermon series

10. Celebrate, congratulate, appreciate.

11. Create a change culture. Create a culture rather than a change thing.

12. Teach your way out of problems and through change.
Strong leadership doesn't guarantee the absencce of problems.
Rapid growth doesn't excuse unmet needs.
A large church doesn't mean an ineffective ministry.