So many articles have been written about how to bring change to a church. I’ve written a few myself, including The Forgotten Reason Change Can Be Harder In A Small Church. In fact, it was after reading that article that Joe Radosevich reached out to me, asking if I’d written anything about using John Kotter’s change theory in churches.
I’m familiar with Kotter’s classic work, and have used his model as a template, but I hadn’t written about it, so I asked Joe if he would do so from his pastoral perspective. Here is Joe’s helpful guest article.
— Karl Vaters
“I can’t get my church to do anything.”
I hear pastors say this regularly. I’ve seen pastors, churches, and denominational groups stumble over needed change. I have seen good changes rejected. I often wonder if it is the pastor and the process, not the church, that is the problem.
Too often, I’ve seen leaders ram through their agenda without bringing people along with them. When that happens, the leader and the process are the problem and not the church. John Kotter’s change theory can help leaders not place a stumbling block in front of needed change.
John Kotter describes his model of leading change in his book Leading Change. If you want a shorter version that applies the model to church leadership, check out Thom Rainer’s book Who Moved My Pulpit?.
What I want to do in this article is briefly explain Kotter’s eight steps and then explain why this model of change is consistent with biblical leadership, is needed in small churches, and is effective at leading change in small churches.
Kotter’s Eight Steps
Step one: Establish a sense of urgency. The first step to leading change is probably the longest because it takes time to convince everyone of the same problem and of the urgency of the problem. As leaders, we see the problem and think about the problem and come up with a solution, but we need to convince everyone else of the problem and the need for the problem to be fixed before we can convince anyone of our solution.
Step two: Create a guiding coalition. If the leader cannot convince a team of people to be a part of solving the problem that everyone agrees on, then he or she cannot lead change. Having a team of people who are excited about guiding the organization or church to effective change is so important.
Step three: Develop a vision and strategy. This is the fun step where you develop a solution to the problem.
Step four: Communicate the change vision. You cannot communicate the change enough because you want everyone to understand and agree on the change.
Step five: Empower broad-based action. Give people the chance to be involved in the change, and be a part of seeing it through.
Step six: Generate short-term wins. One great way to lead change is to change smaller things and show that the change is effective. This gives credibility to the leadership and momentum for future change.
Step seven: Consolidate gains and produce more change. Kotter argues that the world is changing faster, and organizations need to continue changing to be effective. Change leaders should continue to look for areas that need improvement and continue the process.
Step eight: Anchor new approaches in the culture. The change process only ends when the changes become a part of the way that the church or organization operates. The change needs to become the new normal.
Biblical Parallels
This model of change is consistent with biblical leadership that looks like service.
Jesus said, “you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:25-26 NIV).
Worldly leadership looks like domination, commands, and power moves. Those in power who use that power for their own advantage and use it over others are leading like the world. Leading change with Kotter’s process looks and sounds more like service than domination. Explaining, convincing, recruiting, and empowering are ways to bless and serve rather than use people.
This model of change is needed in small churches. Small churches run on personal relationships, history, and culture. Leading change with this model gives people the time to think things through, work together like small churches are used to, and draws people into the process. This model makes the most of what is best about a small church.
Change Without Conflict Is Possible
Kotter’s model of change is effective in small churches. Whether you follow this process intuitively or have to be specific about each step, real and lasting change is possible without fighting.
I’m not leadership material. I don’t have a type-a personality or much charisma (I’m not being humble). In a group of people, I don’t dominate the room or the conversation. I have been able, however, to lead our church over the last four years to more change than I could have guessed. We changed our constitution, redid our sound system, joined a different denomination, created new Bible study classes, updated our missions giving, and started new outreaches.
We did it without drama or fighting. We did not set out to do any of those things. We didn’t do it because I told everyone that is how it should happen. At each step we agreed on the problem, figured out a solution together, and worked together to change for the kingdom’s sake.
I believe that change is possible in your church. If you have God’s people in your church, then you have a lot to work with.
Trust them enough to help you figure out the problems and agree on changes that will make the difference. Work with them, and not over them.
(Photo by Roy Harryman | Flickr)
