Leading Through Change and Transition

The following is a course paper that I wrote for a class, "Pastoring and Leading Change and Renewal." Good pastoral leadership is essential today.



Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."[1] Change is inevitable. It is occurring all around us. We recognize it in nature as we observe the change of seasons. We observe the changes in our physical bodies as we progress in age. In both cases, we as individuals and as a society have learned how to adapt. In the same way the church and its leadership cannot ignore the changes that are occurring within our culture if we are to be influential.

Today’s culture is forcing church leadership to look at the way that church is done. George Barna, founder and president of the Barna Research Group, wrote, "To remain relevant and influential, we must be current in our understanding of cultural changes and their implications. The changes that influence our lives and ministry fall within these key domains: demographics, attitudes and values, lifestyle and behaviors, and spirituality."[2] Barna goes on to write that if we understand the culture we are in, the more responsive we can be in developing and providing for the needs of the people to whom we are ministering.[3]

Churches are struggling with the rapid changes that are occurring in the world and with the impact that such changes are having on their ministries. These changes are occurring in our culture as the result of technological advancement, travel, and migration of people. The churches that are healthy and growing have apparently learned how to negotiate through this continual changing cultural maze, while the churches that have not learned how to negotiate the cultural maze are in decline.

Spencer Jones, author of Who Moved My Cheese?, described this complicated process of negotiating change through a humorous and profound parable about four fictitious characters named Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw. These imaginary characters lived in a maze and were continually in search of cheese in order to nourish themselves. Haw learned some valuable lessons during his journey through the maze. As he did, he wrote them on the wall. The lessons were these: "Change happens, they keep moving the cheese; Anticipate change, get ready for the cheese to move; Monitor change, smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old; Adapt to change quickly, the quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese; Change, move with the cheese; Enjoy change; savor the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese; and finally, Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again, they keep moving the cheese." Spencer’s parable is an apt description of our constantly changing life and world we live in. Pastors and church leaders must be ready to deal with these changes as they occur.

The prefacing statement and question by Herrington, Bonem, and Furr in their book, "If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. Can you live with that?"[4], is a call to an open and honest assessment that change is necessary, if we are to be significant impact players in the kingdom of God.

According to Aubrey Malphurs, in Planting Growing Churches, eighty to eighty-five percent of our churches in North America are plateaued or in decline. This shows that we are facing a serious leadership crisis.[5] The post-modern culture that we are now living in is forcing church leadership to consider personal change and corporate change in order to remain relevant. A good leader will "anticipate, create and change cultures."[6] Today’s pastors and church leaders must understand and be able to give direction in the midst of change. However, we as leaders, cannot lead congregational change unless we are willing to change. This transformational process must begin with the pastor, the leader of the congregation.

Change must be internalized. The most important key to leading congregational change is found in the willingness of the leader to adapt to change. Herrington, Bonem, and Furr, in Leading Congregational Change, emphasize that the driving force in congregational change is found in spiritual and relational vitality. They define spiritual and relational vitality as "the life-giving power that faithful people experience together as they passionately pursue God’s vision for their lives."[7] The elements of spiritual and relational vitality are encountering God’s holiness, experiencing God’s grace, embracing unity, and engaging community.[8]

There must be a willingness on our part to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us those changes that bring us more in line with God’s Kingdom. Herrington, Bonem and Furr state that "the spiritual health of the pastor and other key leaders is intimately intertwined with that of the congregation."[9] They go on to point out that the congregation rarely grows beyond that of its leaders. Therefore, it is necessary for leaders to do their own self-examination and determine their willingness to be personally transformed.[10] John Maxwell refers to this as the "Law of the Lid - no group rises higher than its leader." Leadership and spiritual development are closely linked. One’s ministry can never rise higher than oneself. Leaders must continually strive to become the person God intended them to be. This work is done through an inward, outward, and upward process.

The transformational process occurs through a consistent practice of the spiritual disciplines as discussed in Dallas Willard’s book, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. Willard refers to the disciplines of abstinence as solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy and sacrifice and refers to the disciplines of engagements as study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession, and submission.[11] The practices of such disciplines prepare leaders to navigate the maze of change and transitions. If one is not willing to submit himself to God’s transformational process inwardly and upwardly, it is doubtful that he will be able to submit himself to the process of transforming his leadership style outwardly to a new paradigm.

What kind of leader must a pastor become in order to navigate through the maze of change? From a personal perspective, I have observed that effective church leaders of change and transition are those who are able to establish vision, communicate their vision to others, and inspire trust and confidence by building healthy relationships within a congregation. I believe that such leadership skills are both observable and learnable.

One can begin observing and learning about leadership by looking at biblical models of leadership. There are many images of leadership presented in Scripture. There are individuals like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Peter, and Paul. There are various Old Testament and New Testament leadership functions that we can explore, such as the patriarchs, judges, prophets, priests, elders, and apostles. It becomes fairly evident that God used a diverse style of leadership throughout the history of Israel and the Church. It is also evident that God elevated or allowed certain kinds of leadership roles to play a more dominant role in the fulfillment of His purpose and plan throughout the history of Israel and the Church.[12] To negotiate and lead a congregation through a change, leaders must recognize that our culture does play a significant role and that God uses different personalities and leadership styles to accomplish His plan.
For example, a study of Peter within the context of Scriptures, portrays him as a kind of "point man" within God’s plan and purpose. The "point man" in military terms refers to the individual who is chosen to lead a group of individuals, whether on patrol or out of a fox hole. Peter was the first out of the boat. He was the first to raise the sword. Others, such as the Sanhedrin, saw Peter’s courage (Acts 4:13), but a thorough reading of Scripture also reveals a flawed individual. He was volatile. He was autocratic. He showed his inconsistencies at times. On some occasions, he would eat with the Gentiles and on other occasions avoid eating with them.

In Scripture we discover the apostle Paul, as a leader, had a brilliant mind. He was an academic. He led by speech and teaching. He was like a father to many, among them Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. He can be seen as team leader and team player. He did not like to be alone. He is often seen in his letters to be calling for someone to come and help him. He did not like the fighting between members. He sought for unity and harmony between members. Paul also had his flaws. He had little toleration for mistakes, failures and imperfections from others.

Jesus serves as our perfect biblical model for leadership within the context of our changing culture. In Matthew, chapter twenty, verse twenty-eight, we discover that Jesus had a purpose and a plan. His purpose was to serve, not to be served. As leaders we must have purpose. We must be able to answer the question, "Why are we doing what we are doing?" Jesus had a plan from the foundation of the world, from birth to resurrection, to orchestrate God’s plan of salvation. People want to follow people who know where they are going.

Throughout the course of Jesus’ thirty-three years of life in human form, he adapted his methods in order to remain relevant without compromising his mission or message. He navigated the changes, transitions, and seasons of life without losing sight of God’s purpose and plan for him. Our plans form who we are. The more intentional we are in planning, the more natural the plan becomes within our personal life.

Successful leaders recognize that core values, mission, and vision are key components necessary to navigate through the maze of change. Malphurs in his book, Advanced Strategic Planning, and Herrington, Bonem, and Furr, in their book, Leading Congregational Change, spend a great deal of time discussing the discovery process. Values, mission, and vision are the foundation for Malphurs’ strategic planning model and Herrington, Bonem, and Furr’s congregational transformation model.

The more natural or ingrained are our core values, mission and vision, the less likely we will act like the two mice named Sniff and Scurry or the character named Hem in Who Moved My Cheese? Sniff and Scurry used trial and error to find their cheese. Hem resisted change because he thought it would lead to something worse. It was Haw who realized, by adapting to change, that it would ultimately lead to something better.

Values, mission, and vision provide stability in the midst of change. Instead of change driving the organization, leadership is able to negotiate and determine what change is necessary to remain relevant within the context of the mission and purpose without compromising values, mission, and vision.

Jim Collins in his book, Good to Great, introduced what he calls the hedgehog concept. It is a "simple, crystalline concept that flows from deep understanding about the intersection" of three circles. The three circles are (1) "what you are deeply passionate about," (2) "what drives your economic engine," and (3) "what you can be the best at." According to Collins, he discovered that those companies that focused on where the three circles intersected, became the companies that moved from being just good to becoming great.[13] Passion can represent our core values. What we do best might represent our mission, and the economic engine could represent our vision. Understanding the intersecting circles of value, mission and vision are central to a leader guiding an organization or church through change. It is in the area where all three circles are intersecting that leaders can help their people discover stability in the midst of change. Such pastors portray confidence. They have a sense of direction and a self assurance that they are leading the congregation in the right direction.

Jesus is the perfect personification of leadership stability in the midst of change. He knew who he was, why he was here, and where he was going. Such stability in the midst of change and transition are important qualities. Pastors who are successfully leading churches through change are constantly aware that there is always one factor that does not change - God!

A few years ago, I joined with a group of church friends on a one day white water rafting trip down the Penobscot River. Our river guide had a thorough understanding and knowledge of that portion of the river. His skills were essential to our successfully navigating the river without mishap. He correctly read the currents. He knew exactly where the rocks were. He was perfectly capable of steering our clumsy raft through the white water. He would shout out to either the right or left side of the raft to paddle hard, timing our turns and paddle strokes in order to avoid hitting rocks or flipping the raft. His ability to read the currents, his knowledge of the river and his navigational skills were the key to a successful and exhilarating day on the river. The pastor is very much like a river guide on a white water rafting trip. The change journey is exhilarating and it is also filled with perilous dangers along the way that must be carefully circumvented. The pastor is the key to leading the congregation safely through change and transformation. It is, therefore, absolutely necessary that the pastor be a continual learner.
Leading congregations through change is a delicate balancing act. On one hand, pastors are trying to deal with all the demands of a congregation. He feels the tugs and pulls from multiple directions of his congregational needs. He must be preacher, teacher, leader, counselor, administrator, and more. On the other hand, the pastor also recognizes that he must devote his attention to a changing world in which his congregation lives. It is no wonder that many pastors feel stressed and deeply inadequate in their abilities to lead their congregations through change and transition.

Pastors who are successfully processing change and transformation within the context of their church are individuals who have moved from an autocratic style leadership to leadership teams. Roxburgh calls such a person a synergistic leader.[14] Such leaders are able to utilize the gifts and abilities of those who surround them. Synergistic leaders empower others to fulfill tasks and responsibilities. It is shared ownership of vision and accountability to one another. An Old Testament example of this is Moses listening to Jethro’s advice to appoint capable men to serve with him as judges over the people in order to share responsibility. (Exodus 18:25-26). A New Testament example of this would be Jesus’ words empowering his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything he had commanded them (Matthew 28: 18-20).
Such leadership styles, as Moses and Jesus, introduce the concept we, today, call leadership teams. The apostle Paul defined team leadership by comparing the church to the human body (1 Corinthians 12:14-27). Elsewhere, in writing to the church at Corinth, Paul pointed out that he planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the increase. Paul recognized the different functions that were being contributed to the church by various individuals on the team.

If leadership does not recognize and embrace the diverse abilities and giftings within the church, they will not be able to navigate the changing cultural currents. Transformational leadership expands and empowers others to work with them as a team.

Virtually all major change involves teamwork. It involves engaging, persuading, and working with other people within the congregation. Pastors who have the best interests of the congregation a heart and are motivated to make things happen for the better, for those they lead, will discover that people are much more inclined to follow them. Such an attitude is that of a servant-leader.

Change leaders are intentional in what they do. Malphurs’ recommended nine steps for implementing change in his book, Strategic Planning, which can serve as a helpful tool in creating a climate of change within the church. His steps include ministry analysis, values discovery, mission development, environmental scan, vision development, strategy development, strategy implementation, ministry contingencies, and ministry evaluation. The eight stage transformational model presented by Herrington, Bonem, and Furr, in their book, Leading Congregational Change, is also a helpful tool in assisting leaders in becoming more intentional. Their steps include making personal preparation, creating urgency, establishing the vision community, discerning the vision and determining the vision path, communicating the vision, empowering change leaders, implementing the vision, and reinforcing momentum through alignment.

Ray Bowman wrote about the power of pruning. He referred to Jesus’ comments in chapter fifteen of the Gospel of John regarding the vine and branches and the necessity for there to be a cutting away of dead branches in order for the vine to produce fruit. Bowman wrote: "Ministry, like the life of the vine, has its seasons. One season of ministry comes to an end and another begins. If the church is to be as fruitful as God wants it to be today, we have to let go of some of the activity that produced fruit during the last season of the church’s ministry. This pruning is usually painful, because the loss is real, but its purpose is not to punish; it is to increase fruitfulness."[15]

Change creates tension, conflict, and pain. Change leaders will carefully guide their congregations through the process. Throughout our class discussions and my reading assignments, I have been very cognizant of the fact that the transformation process does not occur instantaneous. Malphurs noted that the change process can take as long as five years. Herrington, Bonem, and Furr remark that the transformational process can take as long as five to seven years, or even longer. Pastoral longevity is crucial in order for the change process to succeed. There is no short cut or quick fix. The transformational process is a struggle, much like the metamorphosis process of an ugly worm being transformed into a beautiful butterfly. In the end, the pastor who deliberately and carefully navigates the maze of change and the turbulent waters of transition will experience satisfaction and success in their ministry.

End Notes

[1] The Holy Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1.

[2] George Barna, "The Second Coming of the Church," Enrichment, Winter 2000, 13.

[3] Ibid., 13.

[4] Jim Herrington, Mike Bonem, James Furr, Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for the Transformational Journey, (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000), xiii.

[5] Aubrey Malphurs, Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998), 131.

[6] Alan Roxburgh, Crossing the Bridge: Church Leadership in the Time of Change, (Percept Group, Inc., 2000), 41.

[7] Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for the Transformational Journey, 16.

[8] Ibid., 18.

[9] Ibid., 159.

[10] Ibid., 159.

[11] Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives, (New York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 1988) 158.

[12] Crossing the Bridge, 109-110.

[13] Jim Collins, Good to Great, (New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2001), 94-97.

[14] Crossing the Bridge, 146.

[15] Ray Bowman, When Not to Build: An Architect’s Unconventional Wisdom for the Growing Church, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2000), 108.