The Only Constant Seems to Be Change!

In a few days our church will begin the process of making changes to our existing service times. As I have been working to make the transition as smooth as possible I have had the privilege to speak with several people (both in our church and churches around the country) about church changes in general. As these conversations progressed I noticed some things that were an encouragement to me.

Anytime an organization makes changes, there are going to be several expected (and valid) responses. From the disdain to the overboard excited, these responses demonstrate that the organization is made up people who have a love for it and want it to succeed. We also realize that no matter how small the changes are, they directly impact someone. If changes are to succeed and become the new normal, we must keep them in proper perspective.  With that in mind I have written down some of the statements that have been key to me over the past few months.

5 things to remember when your church makes changes:

1. God didn't bless your church in the past because of its schedule and he won't bless it in the future because of your schedule either.
1. God blesses us based on His good will and love for us, not based on our worthiness. He also doesn't bless our churches because of our service times. Service times are a practical function of your community. What you do during that service is what makes that time significant.
2. The purpose of your churches ministry is to help people learn about God. Sometimes that goal is better accomplished through changes, sometimes those changes are small, and sometimes they need to be dramatic.
1. Over the lifespan of any organization the community around it will change. A successful organization will be adept at making its ministry fit the needs of its present community. This is often done through small changes here and there, but sometimes it needs a dramatic overhaul to get realigned. The fear shouldn't be the changes, the fear should be an organization that doesn't impact and interact with its community. 
3. The goal of the church isn't to be relevant. The Gospel is already relevant and always will be. The goal of the church is to glorify God by getting the Gospel to the world, and prepare its people to be better messengers (in both word and actions).
1. The church structure sometimes gets way too much credit and blame. If we have a Gospel that is sufficient for all needs of faith and practice, then the goal of the church is to make us better handlers of it.
4. The process of change is as important as the change itself. The process reveals flaws and defects which should be corrected. If we skip the process we are only making the change less effective.
1. The process of looking hard at what we do, why we do it, and how we can make it better is beneficial to the overall health of an organization. It is the road map that lays out the destination in clear terms and guides to getting there effectively. Skipping steps in the process often means that the process will have to be repeated earlier and more often than necessary. 
5. The best thing a church can do is to structure itself in a way that people see less of the church and more of Christ.
1. Ironically, we often want the world to notice our churches, our buildings, our programs. If all they see is us and they don't see Christ, we are giving them a lousy photograph. We are to be a reflection of Christ, we want our ministries to be organized in such a way that we don't distract from the message of Christ. 

Seasons of change can bring great blessing if we approach them with the proper perspective!