Become a catalyst for change

Become a catalyst of change

“Do you have the courage to transform your ministry?”

To give is divine. Give from the heart. It’s the Christian thing to do.  Churches serve as the jewel for most communities. As the leader, you have the charge of healing souls, leading ministries, helping the downtrodden and speaking that kind word to the stranger who needed to hear something positive before making a bad decision.  Can you remember when you took over the helm of the church? Your eyes lit up with enthusiasm as you walked into the church and looked forward to working with the personalities to help those in need. Yet, over time even you recognized your church and its ministries were not making the grade and it was time for some changes. Your membership has fallen off as well as tithes and this has impacted the ability to do more of the Lord’s work.  You’ve reached a point whereas you have to look at doing something new just because being only a brick and mortar church is not working.

Yet, throughout time, there are instances that churches did not change to better serve its congregation and ministries. I’m not talking about changing the founding principles of what a church or its ministries should be, which is bible-based and principled to do the Lord’s work. Embracing all of the new mediums of communication to enhance and enable the church to extend its reach is my concern. There is a whole new dynamic for ministries to be effective or ineffective depending on how it’s viewed.

It’s a blessing to give to those in need. Yet every night churches and other religious organizations all over the world provide safe harbor for many that society has denied or turned their back on. Meals, a warm blanket, a friendly smile and other services are given to those in need.  These are some of the ways the church is meeting the needs and opening its doors to the community. But some leaders don’t embrace the need to let those who need the covering of a good church or ministry. This is an opportunity to change to make a difference. And it’s okay for a church to have its traditions, values, and legacy. New members and visitors should want to understand the historical value of the church’s rich culture and history so they can understand where it’s come from and heading.

Pastors and other church leaders have a major responsibility to its congregation. The congregation and other community organizations can facilitate the vision of the church to make it a beacon of light in the community. Church leaders want its members to have plenty of work in the vineyard and want to ensure the ministries are supported. Oftentimes, members donate from their own personal accounts to make due on the needs of the church when it falls short on funds. This can create some undue friction and have members reconsidering they own commitment and allegiance to the church.

But, God always come through. Just as the pews are filled on Sunday morning, so should the ministries be teeming with members who want to be a part of something extraordinary for the Lord. As your church and its ministries look to improve, here are some suggestions to consider when expanding your reach.

Know and communicate the core values of the church

Every church should have a document that has guiding principles upon which the church is built. These should include history, former pastors, productivity of ministries (committees) and teaming with community activities to better serve the Lord.  The document can be created in several versions: visitors, new members, updates for members at business meetings, deacons and other stakeholders. Remember that today’s visitor is tomorrow’s new member.

Be a visionary

Take time to reflect on the needs of the church and where you want it to be. Talk with deacons, church elders and other key personnel to get differing views. Conduct a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis and review the information that was discovered, known and unknown. Don’t be afraid to talk with pastors from other churches to get best practices that have worked for them as well.

Strategic Plan

Your church and ministries should have long and short-term goals. Whether it be increasing membership or expanding your ministries, document all of the options. More importantly, as a leader, this is also an opportunity to get others involved in formulating this plan. If all goes well, they will be your advocates in moving the plans forward from concept to realization. Consider incremental change. Start with programs that are not currently succeeding, create a track record of success or tweak plan to improve on way forward.

The church is in the business of serving God.  Successful churches, as a part of their business plan, should know whom their key stakeholders are. Churches have annual business meetings to discuss everything from the strategic plan to how monies are being spent, what ministries are supported at what cost, and how much is taken in every year through tithes and donations. The churches, through its ministries, offer members the opportunity to join a ministry as what’s been gifted to them by God. But not all ministries are created equal with some having more risk.

Know and understand the culture in which you wish to serve and impact

This is critical. Ensure the leadership team and others in key positions are active in moving programs forward in a positive manner.  If your church and ministries are of a global nature, review the means of communicating your message. Have a consultant with a background of cultural awareness review your plan to make sure nothing will impede progress.

Remove obstacles and people that will resist change.

Communicate to everyone: the public, congregation, other churches and civic organizations, how your church organization intends to impact the community and act as an enabler to help all of God’s children.

Get a consultation

Getting a change consultation is more reasonable than you know. As Christian consultants, we understand the importance of serving God but also being reasonable when consulting for our brethren doing the Lord’s work.  It’s an investment well worth the peace of mind not only for church leadership, but members and visitors as well. Change is difficult, but having an experienced consultant to help bear the burden will put your plan on track.

Change is not easy. There will be naysayers and distractions that will attempt to deter you from your goal of transformation. You want your church and ministries to be the best possible not only for your community, global and local, but also you’re your members to feel great in making a difference for God and his people. As a leader with God as your guide, you can do all things in Christ.