Podcast Episode #593
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In today’s episode, Thom and Sam discuss an incredibly common topic and major pain point for many churches: change and why resistance to change exists.
Highlights:
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- The hunger for stability in a rapidly changing culture.
- Church members confusing desires with doctrine.
- The issues surrounding slow pace of change in most churches.
- The large gap between leadership pace and congregational pace.
Other highlights:
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- Sometimes church members confuse desire with doctrine.
- There is nothing wrong with traditions, but traditions are not doctrine.
- The more inward the church, the more resistant that church will be to change.
- The more outward the church, the more receptive the church will be to change.
- A pastor can change the pace of change with tenure.
- How we bring people into the church will influence the pace of change.
Resources:
- 48hr Black Friday Sale
- Obstacles in the Established Church: How Leaders Overcome Them
- EST Podcast
- Church Answers
Episode Sponsors
The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.
Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.
Vanderbloemen has 12 Vanderbloemen Differences that allow them to serve their clients better than anyone else. One of those is Theology Matters. Vanderbloemen’s staff has more seminary and theological experience than any other search firm with 250+ collective years of church leadership experience.
To learn more about all 12 of Vanderbloemen’s Differences, visit VanderDifference.com.
Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Becoming a Welcoming Church.
There is a mistaken understanding between tradition and traditionalism. Tradition is the vibrant faith of the faithful who walk out the value system and beliefs of those who have gone before us. TraditionalIsn is the dead faith of the living few trying to hold onto yesterday’s misplaced priorities and hold onto that which is theirs to have.
You left out one major problem. The biases and prejudices of the present congregation and most especially the present leadership to include the “silent” leaders.
Guilty of being the pastor who moves too fast and out stretches the ability of the congregation. About to take a new pastorate and wish I had known these things in my current church. Thank you guys very much!
Prayers for your new ministry!
Thanks very much — it was well thought and I hope to be here if you send me another message. I much admire the way the collective ideas are sent. Please keep it up. I’ve preached a lot and am now over 80 so I think I will no longer be at the pulpit. God Bless. Rev. Ken Bagnell TORONTO.