Which Change should I make?

Pastor John Marshall has this practical advice for pastors:

When I moved to FBC I begin to make a list of every suggestion, every change that every person wanted. I compiled that list and still keep it. That list runs the full range of what every church wants to change to become more "effective" to remaining the same because they are already "effective". It is a very diverse list but I used that list to remind myself that it isn't the voice of the people that I am going to spend my time listening to but the one voice, my God, who called me to be a pastor. I didn't act on any of those changes but I begin to be faithful in being who God wanted me to be as a pastor.

The results: After four years, I pulled that list out and realized that almost every item has been dealt with one way or another. So many of the concerns took care of themselves and many items of change just happened. There were times when I had to go through the front door to make some adjustments. Other times I had to sit down and talk with a group of key leaders to make some changes but in every situation I saw God going out and fighting my battles. So many times we think that we are the lone warrior fighting for a noble cause but in the end we are able to fight greater foes and see mighty victories when we spend time on our knees in prayer, letting God fight our battles, and listening to one voice...God's!

John Marshall has served in churches in the midwest, as well as serving as a church planter for 8 years in Brazil with the International Mission Board. He currently pastors First Baptist Church of Casper Wyoming.

2 Keys I've discovered for Change

This advice for pastors comes from Shawn Thomas:

I think one has to be to pick his battles. Sometimes pastors are unjustly persecuted; but sometimes we bring it upon ourselves by making too much of our own personal preferences. Every hill is not a hill on which to die. Is the change something that is really needed, or just a "fad"? There is much to be said about this ...

Secondly, I would not discount as a trite answer the importance of prayer. There have been situation diffused, when things could have really "blown up", after really seeking God in prayer. Plus EVERY week without fail I pray for His protection vs. Satan's divisive attacks in the church. I just think this is a vital preventative. (I think it is instructive that just after Jesus had us pray "forgive us", He had us pray "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" -- as if to say: "You've just asked for forgiveness, now realize that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure -- pray not to get into it in the first place.")


Shawn Thomas has served as pastor of churches in Oklahoma, and currently pastors First Baptist Church of Moss Bluff, La., where he has served for 10 years.

When to Change Things

Stan May offers this advice for pastors:

Pastors who rush into churches, introduce significant change, and then flee are merely hirelings.

Wise pastors begin to pray for their people by name, love them to change S-L-O-W-L-Y, and communicate effectively through church meetings (not necessarily business meetings) where people can hear the plan, talk freely, and discuss the pros and cons without fear of labels from the pastor.

Wise pastors also take under their wing existing leaders who have vested leadership, seek to communicate vision to them, and pray that these significant people will embrace the change and spend their influence capital helping the body see the need and accept the wisdom of change.

Pastors who don't love their people and preach Bible-centered messages to help them grow in grace won't impact their people for eternity and won't be able to introduce lasting, productive change.

Dr. Stan May has pastored churches in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, as well as serving as an international missionary in Zimbabwe for 6 years. He currently serves as Chairman and Professor of Missions at Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tn.

Turning Around an Aircraft Carrier

Steve Bennett offers this key piece of advice to any leader wanting to bring change to his congretation:

Turning around an aircraft carrier. Lots of time and space. Get the influencers on your team first, they will influence many to follow. Here is the change curve in the congregation:

3.5% are innovators and will follow you anywhere quickly.
45% are early arrivers and will follow in a short time.
50% are late arrivers, they will get there but with more time.
1.5% are laggards and will never change no matter what.

If the pastor is not planning on being at the church for AT LEAST five years, don't change anything. He must be there to help them live through the change.

Dr. Steve Bennett has pastored churches in New York, Louisiana, Texas, and currently pastors The Heartland Church he planted in Southaven Ms.

Being a Change Agent

Isaac Newton discovered 3 laws of motion that, roughly interpreted, state : the natural state of an object is at rest; a moving object must overcome resistance; motion produces friction. Wow!! I wonder if he did his research for these discoveries in a Baptist church? In leading an established church, a pastor constantly faces those same 3 challenges: natural inertia, resistance, and conflict. No wonder so many first-year seminary students are opting for ministry outside the traditional local church. What are pastors to do in a day our changing culture needs the church as never before? Joshua gives us some practical help.

Joshua 1 focuses on the primary issue a pastor must have settled in his heart if he will lead his church through significant change: he must know God has put him there. God told Joshua, “the time has come for you to lead these people…” . (1:3 NLT). Few pastors I know do not feel called by God to be doing what they are doing where they are doing it. Over time, though, inertia, resistance and conflict tend to dull that sense of calling. Then Joshua meets the Captain of the Lord’s Host: “are you for us or for our adversaries?” he asks. The battle-weary leader can lose a sense of God’s calling as he struggles with daily challenges. God came to remind Joshua that His side was all that mattered. If you ever get lost in who you are trying to please, whose mark you’re trying to make, you will forfeit the ability to lead your people to significant change.

I remember our first Pastor Appreciation Month here at Rolling Hills. We received so many cards and notes of thanks, that, laid in a stack, measured about 8 inches high. 5 years later, they measured less than an inch. Ouch!! Some of those folks have gone on to glory, and a few others have left the church.

This past Sunday, we baptized 15 people, and had 3 decisions for Christ.

I’ll take His smile any day.