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You Can Make Change Nearly Painless
Experts claim change now comes faster in five years than it used to come in a life time or century. One might wonder how that assessment was made. Nevertheless change in our time is rapid, sometimes frightening, and often necessary. Are there ways to make change a positive force in the Church? You might try these possibilities:
1. Demonstrate advantages. Show people how change will benefit them and others in the Church.
2. View resistance as normal. Consider resistance a solvable problem without considering those who resist to be uncooperative, stubborn, or unspiritual.
3. Consider opposing arguments. Listen carefully to all objections, they may expose problems you haven’t considered.
4. Communicate with those who question. Discuss resistance in personal conversation and as early as possible.
5. Build a coalition. Involve as many people as possible in developing plans for change. A sense of ownership builds support
6. Broadcast the details. Develop, calendar, and share specific reasons and plans for change.
7. Earn trust. Consulting people closest to the change reinforces their trust and sense of fairness.
8. Avoid the torpedoes. Inadequate attention to the people factor can completely torpedo change.
9. Give careful attention to timing. Windows of opportunity are the easiest time to achieve effective change. Timing is an important ingredient in change.
Though pain often accompanies change, careful planning and following God’s will can transform the potential pain into satisfaction and accomplishment.
Keep the Place Ready for Company to Make Sure They Come Back
Keeping ready for company is hard to do in our homes and perhaps even a bit harder in our churches. Maybe it would be better to call the practice “cultivating a visitor’s perspective,” “lessons real estate agents teach the church,” or “first impressions may be the only ones.” But how do we do it?
Curb appeal—make sure the yard and property looks like someone loves it.
Visitor parking—put up reserved signs. It makes visitors feel welcome and helps regular attendees know visitors are expected.
Greeters—have them spend an hour observing Wal-Mart greeters. They are not always slick but they are always friendly.
Directions—provide greeters with a diagram they can give visitors that shows them how to find their way around the facilities.
Sponsor or buddy—train people to ask visitors to sit with them for the whole service.
Attraction events—provide something novel, worthwhile, and interesting members can use as a special attraction to which they can invite relatives, friends, and neighbors.
Friendly follow-up—Be sure every visitor is contacted by phone on the Sunday afternoon of their first visit. Follow that with other phone calls, e-mails, or meals.
Track newcomers—Keep records and use them. People who visit more than twice in a six week period are likely to be interested prospects.
Prayer support—Organize your congregation so newcomers are prayed for by name every day for a month. Then watch the Lord give assignments to those who pray.
Verbal signposts—use a short explanation so visitors understand worship service components. Call to worship: “Let us focus our thoughts on the living Christ.” Meet and greet: “Now let welcome each other to this family of God reunion.” Open altar: “Whatever your request or gratitude you can bring it to the altar now.”
Friendliness—many churches are friendly with each other but overlook or ignore visitors.
Facilities—fresh paint and clean carpeting make an incredible difference.
Remember, once you have been attending a church for a while, it almost impossible to get a fresh perspective on the familiar. After walking by the same broken door for six months, you no longer notice it. If you really want to know what your guests are seeing, invite a friend from another local church to attend on a particular Sunday, and then make a report to your board. It will amaze you what a fresh pair of eyes will see!
The Coaching Process and How to
Use It
Coaching is a way every minister can pass on a legacy to the next generation. From the time of Paul and Timothy until now, older ministers have offered their experience, their confidence, and accomplishments to newcomers in ministry. Coaching ’s best example is the coach of an athletic team.
Some who are new to ministry need to let the veteran of the Kingdom know they would welcome such a relationship. Most effective, seasoned ministers will not even mention such a relationship unless they are asked. Other ministers who face burnout or stress related illnesses should open their hearts and their hurts to a veteran pastor. And many do not realize it, but the experienced pastor often needs to be needed —to impact the next generation of pastors. Note, we are not talking about mentoring but coaching.
How does the coaching process proceed? Is there a process that needs to be followed? Suggestions are:
1. Minister should contact coach. In the ministerial context coaches do not recruit. Those seeking to improve must approach the coach and ask for help. If a coaching attempt is to succeed, then a request must be made for a coach. There are those who are assigned coaches because of the position they take. However, unless someone is seeking help, then it is useless to offer.
2. Carefully match coach with minister. If there is no compatibility with the coach, then no learning will take place. The minister must admire, trust, and enjoy the coach. And the coach must respect, esteem, and connect with the minister. Letting a minister choose a coach is sometimes the best way. If the minister has no choice, then the Ministerial Development Board will appoint, keeping the above proficiencies in mind.
3. Assessment. An in-depth look at personality types, leadership skills composite, and a 360 degree honest feedback process is essential to successful coaching.
4. Accountability. The minister and the coach need to be honest with one another. There must exist a free flow of frank discussion between them. Candidness between minister and coach is fundamental. The minister should agree to follow action items, training, and monitoring. This does not mean face-to-face meetings all the time. Much of it can be done by phone or e-mail. However, face-to-face meeting is needed along the way.
5. Follow-up. A minister has the option to continue a follow-up process with the coach after the formal sessions are over. If the coach agrees and is available, then such an arrangement is most profitable.
Choosing the Coaches
What characteristics should a coach have that are put on the roster of the ministerial development committee or board? Who are likely candidates?
1. Star practitioners rarely make the best coaches. Exceptional talents frequently get quoted and are often imitated. However, they do not usually make good coaches. In the athletic arena the best coaches were less than star performers. Stars often make good teachers, dispensing knowledge of how they did it, but seldom have the insight or the time to coax out of another their own potential.
2. A facilitator rather than a teacher. A facilitator is able to promote and advance a minister beyond knowledge to action. A teacher dispenses knowledge; i.e., provides data that the students have to process on their own. A person who can help identify concerns and then advance that to change of behavior is a good prospect for a coach.
3. A coach must have a passion to help others realize and maximize their potential. Passion shows itself in commitment to, patience with, and genuine interest in the player ’s advancement and achievement. Passion makes time for doing the job well.
4. Leaders are easily identified. They have followers. A person may have all kinds of knowledge, skills, and experience. But if no one follows, then that person is not a leader. Leaders have influence. People listen to leaders. People attempt to connect with leaders. Leaders make good coaches. Look for those that others already follow, those whom others seek out for advice and wisdom. Coach them to be coaches.
— E. Lebron Fairbanks, Leadership, MCS, p.67 |