“Why do small churches have such a hard time with change?”
It’s a good question. A common question. But not an easy one to answer.
Most church-leadership experts chalk it up to one of two reasons: the people are stubborn, or the pastor is afraid. Both are often true.
So, the answer that’s usually presented is “pastor, stop being afraid, and stop worrying about the people who are stubborn. It’s probably a smaller percentage of people than you think.”
This makes perfect sense from a big-church perspective. If just 10-15 percent of the congregation is opposed to the change, go with the 85-90 percent who are in agreement and ignore the rest.
But the smaller a church is, the less important the percentages are and the more impact the few have. Here’s the forgotten factor about change in the smaller congregation:
In a small church, it’s not a random, faceless percentage of people who are against the change. It’s people you know. People you have history with. People you love and don’t want to hurt.
Another Unseen Big/Small Gap
This is the biggest, but least acknowledged reason why pastors of small churches resist pushing through necessary changes in the church they’re serving. You love even the stubborn people. When they hurt, you hurt.
In a big church, the biggest resistance to change is logistical. In a small church, the biggest resistance to change is relational. That makes change a lot harder and the consequences much more emotionally difficult to deal with.
It’s less about fear of change, and more about concern over hurting people you love and care for.
So what can we do when change must happen anyway? Here are a few ideas that I’ve found to be helpful:
1. Have Conversations
Sit down and talk with the people who are resisting necessary change. Even if the conversation doesn’t result in agreement, at least they’ll know they weren’t ignored.
2. Ask Questions
You won’t know why they oppose the change if you don’t ask why they oppose it. Do not assume you know what their resistance is about. Sure, you may have guessed correctly, but even then it’s important to get it confirmed. And if you have it wrong, it’s essential to know that.
3. Listen to Hidden Wisdom
Not everyone who disagrees is wrong. They may see something you don’t. Unlike a larger church, where the average attender knows almost nothing about the behind-the-scenes reasons, in a smaller church they may know things that pastor doesn’t. Hear them out.
4. Acknowledge What They’re Losing
When people oppose change, especially necessary change, it’s because the pain of what they’re losing feels deeper than the joy of what they’re gaining. Let them know you see and appreciate that.
When you’re in leadership, it’s easy to get so excited about what’s coming that you can forget to honor what’s been lost.
5. Mourn With Them
After you acknowledge their loss, sit with them in it for a while. In some cases, a public acknowledgement that honors the history of a bygone ministry can go a long way.
6. Be Patient
Theoretically, change should be easier and quicker in a small church. As I wrote in The Grasshopper Myth, “Mistakes are too costly in big churches. Big churches are like big ships and big companies. Change often comes slowly because risks are too expensive to attempt without plenty of advance planning, focus-group confirmation and budget allocations.”
Sadly, while the small church should be quick and nimble, the opposite is usually true. Patience is essential. Thankfully, it’s also a Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) so you can lean on the Spirit to help you.
7. Change Anyway
After you talked, listened, waited, and mourned with them, keep moving.
All change will meet with resistance. Do it anyway.
(Photo by Luca Sartoni | Flickr)
