Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Even Healthy Churches Need to Change
Some helpful thoughts from an article in Leadership Journal. I am committed to intentional, appropriate change in order to be an effective communicator. Are you?
"Our people are constantly changing. As Howard Hendricks put it: 'God never called us to teach the Bible. He called us to teach people the Bible. So study your Bible, but before you teach it, make sure you also study your people.' Every generation and every culture demands change, especially today.
At this point, some are no doubt thinking that the church has already changed too much and that change is actually the problem, not the solution. Not all change is good change. In my book, Less Is More Leadership, I state: 'The best change happens when you first decide what will never change.'
The majority of churches in America are plateaued or dying for one of two reasons: (1) because they change what they should never change, or (2) because they refuse to change what they are free to change. The message and the mission should never change, yet our methods must flex to remain effective."
"Our people are constantly changing. As Howard Hendricks put it: 'God never called us to teach the Bible. He called us to teach people the Bible. So study your Bible, but before you teach it, make sure you also study your people.' Every generation and every culture demands change, especially today.
At this point, some are no doubt thinking that the church has already changed too much and that change is actually the problem, not the solution. Not all change is good change. In my book, Less Is More Leadership, I state: 'The best change happens when you first decide what will never change.'
The majority of churches in America are plateaued or dying for one of two reasons: (1) because they change what they should never change, or (2) because they refuse to change what they are free to change. The message and the mission should never change, yet our methods must flex to remain effective."
