So you want to galvanise your church into action.
No, you don’t.
You want . . . hmm, you’re not quite sure what you want, but you want more than this. The congregation has become sedentary and seems to have lost its passion.
You remember the heady days a few years ago, when so much was happening. New believers. New initiatives reaching people in need. God moving through the church so much, you didn’t have room in the service for all the testimonies.
But now it seems to have gone flat.
The initiatives are still there, but some are now struggling to find volunteers. You’re wondering whether some of them should close. The worst thing is, you feel responsible. You feel like you carry the load of the entire community and when the church struggles, everyone is looking at you. So . . . what’s wrong, vicar? What’s up, pastor?
It’s not fair, is it? It’s not your fault.
But you want to make some changes. You want to change the culture of the church, to keep it moving forward, but you’re facing resistance. Some people like it as it is. They like the security of saying ‘we’ve always done it this way.’ It’s not true, but it feels true to them. So you’re seeking help in how to move a church from comfort to mission.
For you, it’s all about maintaining the church’s focus on the goal of . . . well, there are lots of phrases for this. Spreading the gospel. Spreading the work of the Kingdom. Reaching the city, the world and everyone in between. Being mission-focused, while also feeding the flock.
But it’s going to be uncomfortable. Some won’t like the changes you’re considering. And rumbles among the faithful are the last thing you want. In addition, changing a culture is hard. Really hard. Try and fail and you can quickly be shown the door.
So much easier to opt for safety. And comfort.
But God’s not really interested in comfort. You know that; you know that change is the only way forward.
But it’s hard, so you’re seeking help in how to move forward.
The next few articles are written by Marcus Honeysett, the founder of Living Leadership. Here's the first one. Click here. If you’re seeking insight into how to keep your church from stagnating, then do subscribe to this blog.