Seven Ways to Get Your Church Unstuck

Resistance to change is one of the most common barriers we face in church renewal. Over time, churches tend to become complacent and stagnant by default. Why? It is human nature to fear the unknown and to gravitate toward the known.

• I like to think of this dynamic as an example of Sir Isaac Newton’s law of inertia, which says that objects at rest tend to stay at rest. A few years ago, I wrote an article about the physics of church renewal, and since then I have thought a lot about how to overcome inertia in the church. Below are a few ideas to get your church unstuck.

Overcoming inertia in your church renewal efforts

1. Don’t take it personally

• Because resistance to change is a universal human trait, expect it. Don’t be surprised by it, don’t get defensive, and don’t stop loving the people who resist change in your church.
• Those who are slow to come along may feel like thorns in your side, but in reality, they have good intentions. They are aiming for the same goal you are — the health of the church.

2. Nurture Trusting Relationships

• People are willing to follow leaders into uncharted territory only when they deeply trust them. Trust means you believe the leader truly wants your best and will not lead you into harm’s way.
• Trust takes time to build. It happens one relational interaction at a time. You can picture it like making investments in your “trust fund.” This may be the most important thing you do as a leader, as you’ll never be able to spend more than is available in that account.

3. Lead by listening

• Universally, people want to “weigh in” before they’re willing to “buy in.” Those who attempt to bypass this phase of leadership think they are taking a shortcut, but they are really creating knots that they will have to spend even more time untying later on.
• Start by presenting the problem (not the solution) and listening carefully to their proposed solutions. After presenting a consensus approach, another phase of listening may be necessary, as most people will want to know their voice was heard. Your goal should be to identify and address the barriers they perceive.

4. Start Small

• Big change efforts usually start small. Embrace this! Rather than attempt to start a new initiative on the grandest scale, roll it out slowly, perhaps within just one small group — or maybe even just one person.
• By doing so, you’ll be able to iterate and improve the plan over time. By the time it is more broadly rolled out, you will have a more effective approach, good momentum, and a foundational base of people who are already invested.

5. Tell Good Stories

• As the change is being rolled out, it is important to communicate not just the “what” but also the “why,” and a great way to do this is through stories. I wrote an article recently about the power of storytelling in church renewal and another about how to tell good stories.
• When you just share facts and figures, people’s eyes glaze over. But when you tell a moving story, people will perk up, pay attention, and perceive themselves in the story. In short, they will be moved to take action! Your goal should be to paint a picture of your preferred future that is even more vivid than people’s memories of the familiar past.

6. Anchor Changing Strategies in the Unchanging Mission

• As you communicate, anchor the changing strategies in your church’s unchanging mission. If you have done a good job vision casting over the years, people will have an easier time accepting a new strategy that helps accomplish the mission.
• Remind people of how different strategies have been used in the past to accomplish the same mission. In this way, you remind them that change is normal and good.

7. Celebrate every victory

• What is rewarded is repeated, so be sure to notice and reinforce flexibility wherever you find it. It may be in a staff member who tried an innovative new approach to ministry. It may be in an elder who is willing to try a different strategy.
• Rather than focus on extinguishing bad behavior, it is much more effective to celebrate good behavior. Build time into each meeting to do so, send thank you cards, and offer praise generously and often.