Book: Leading change in a congregation

Many books have been written about leadership and change, but until now none has focused on the kind of change that tears at a community's very fabric. Alban senior consultant Gil Rendle provides a respectful context for understanding change, especially the experiences and resistances that people feel. Rendle pulls together theory, research, and his work with churches facing change to provide leaders with practical diagnostic models and tools. In a time when change is the norm, this book helps to "lead change" in a spiritual and healthy way.

This new resource is a result of Gil Rendle’s continuing passion and well developed body of knowledge to carry out his calling to empower leaders of Spirit based organizations to find ‘the Way’ through change, and the inextricably bound character of conflict. He invites the reader to a new level of transformation that travels beyond the pages into a process of continual life.
By unabashedly naming and demythologizing the fear of change and converting its power into new found faith, he provides a pathway through ‘the wilderness’ with skill, compassion, and power for the journey God is unfolding for ministry. I highly recommend it as a ‘must read’ to begin the new journey. (Alfred Johnson, Resident Bishop, New Jersey Area, The United Methodist Church)

Gil Rendle writes just like he speaks; intelligently, coherently, credibly, and provocatively. In this book, he addresses questions of leadership and change with which every congregation eventually must grapple…and better sooner than later. Indeed, the church or synagogue that does not grasp the importance of congregational change and transformation will find itself among those described by the sad comment, ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got!’ Gil Rendle challenges us to get ‘unstuck’ and reflect on how congregational leaders can be agents of change and transformation; more power to him! (Lennard R. Thal, Vice President, Union of American Hebrew Congregations)

This volume is a goldmine of ideas for helping congregational leaders face or initiate change. The book synthesizes the best and most recent thinking about change and churches, presenting it in useful bite-sized increments that can be used by a group planning to help their congregation be more adaptive to the world changing around it.
Rendle is an excellent writer. His prose is clear and precise; best of all, he tells great stories and gives useful examples. The examples make it believable that what he is proposing can, indeed, be implemented in a real situation.
His theory and the clear processes he recommends are simple enough to remember when you are working with a group, yet complex enough to be useful.
This book could be by a study group in the church wanting to develop its skills and understanding about change in any environment, or it could be used as the manual a committee uses to introduce change in a congregation related to worship, program, outreach, or generating understanding of current social issues. (Speed B. Leas, congregational consultant, author of "Discover Your Conflict Management Style")

Article: Will your church have a Kodak moment

The Church’s Frightful Kodak Moment
From author Thom Schultz of 'Why nobody wants to go to church anymore!!'

We walked through the nearly empty, formerly flourishing space of the Kodak manufacturing plant near our home. The plant manager, a friend from church, sadly described how Kodak plants had been downsizing and closing ever since the advent of digital photography.

We have a wish here, he said. We just want to be the last one standing.? Kodak since abandoned most of its space on this campus. This week, the company announced the latest job eliminations.

My friend from church is gone. And I wonder...Is the church the next to go the way of Kodak? I see some chilling parallels.

Kodak dominated the photographic scene for more than 100 years. It commanded an 89 percent market share of photographic film sales in the United States. Almost everyone used the brand. And the company’s advertising language of a “Kodak moment” became part of the common lexicon.

What happened since then has become a colossal story of failure and missed opportunities. A gigantic casualty in the wake of digital photography–a technology that Kodak invented.

That’s right. Kodak engineer Steve Sasson invented the first digital camera in 1975. He later said, “But it was filmless photography, so management’s reaction was, ‘That’s cute, but don’t tell anyone about it.’” And the company entered into decades of agonizing decline, unable to perceive and respond to the advancing digital revolution. In 2012, this American icon filed for bankruptcy.

How could this happen? Where did the leaders of this once-proud organization go wrong? And how might the American church, which has also entered a time of decline, resemble this story?

Signs of Demise
1. A misunderstanding of mission. Kodak’s leaders thought they were in the film business–instead of the imaging business. Their clutching of the traditional methodology clouded their ability to think about the real objective and outcome of their work. The same is happening in churches that confuse their methodologies and legacies with the real mission. Many church leaders believe they’re in the traditional preaching business, the teaching business, the Sunday morning formula business. Clinging to the ways these things have been done diverts the focus from the real mission of helping people today develop an authentic and growing relationship with the real Jesus.

2. Failure to read the times. Kodak’s leaders didn’t recognize the pace and character of change in the culture. They thought people would never part with hard prints. They derided the new technology. They assumed that people, even if they wandered off to try digital photography, would return to film-based photos for the perceived higher quality. People did not return. Similarly, church leaders who assume that the current church decline is just a cyclical blip will be left to sweep out the empty factories of 20th century religion.

3. Fear of loss. A central reason Kodak chose not to pursue digital photography in 1992 was the fear of cannibalizing their lucrative sales of film. Kodak had become a hostage of its own success, clinging to what worked in the past at the expense of embracing the future. The same tendency befalls churches. A pastor in our upcoming documentary, When God Left the Building, said his church will not make any changes to become more effective because someone will inevitably object and get upset. “We abdicate every time,” he said. “We just can’t lose any more members.” That congregation is already dead. They just don’t know it.

Turning Around
The Kodak story didn’t need to take such a dismal turn. And neither does the story of the American church. The times call for proactive steps for a brighter future if we’re willing to learn from others’ mistakes. Some thoughts to consider:

1. Accept and understand reality. Even though some of the decline is slow, it’s real. The American church is fading. (See the cold facts in our new book Why Nobody Wants to Go to Church Anymore.) Work through the data and the realities with your staff and lay leaders. Do not be misled by anecdotal glimmers of numerical growth in isolated examples. Examine the overall trends in the country. And look past the easy measures of butts in seats, and ask deeper questions about true spiritual vitality. And resist the temptation to defend the status quo.

2. Don’t just tweak. Revolutionize. Once digital photography began to take off, Kodak tried tweaking their old models. It was a case of too little too late. Many churches today are tweaking with cosmetic changes–in music, church names, and pastoral facial hair. A church leader in our documentary said if his traditional church would just install screens, the people will come. They won’t. It’s too late for tweaking. It’s time to re-examine everything we’re doing and re-evaluate. Ask big questions. Is the old Sunday morning formula of half sing-along and half lecture what works anymore? Is that performance on Sunday morning really how we want to define the sum total of the church anyway?

3. Take some risks. Experiment. Act now. At Group Publishing and Lifetree Cafe, we talk with hundreds of pastors and church leaders every week, many of whom are discouraged. As we brainstorm with them about changes they might try to enhance their ministries, some sink into paralysis. “People may not like the change,” they say. “What if it doesn’t work?” And we ask, “What are you afraid of?” It’s time to have some faith–faith that God will walk with the faithful who are willing to step out and risk a little love on his behalf. Try something. Experiment. Let your people experiment. Be bold. Don’t delay.

Kodak failed and squandered tremendous opportunities because its leaders chose to defend the status quo. We can learn from their mistakes. And we have an additional resource on our side–God. He’s not giving up on his church. He’s already moving into the future. We need to muster the courage to move with him.

DVD course: Leading Change: Church Leadership amid turmoil

Dr. Peter Steinke applies Systems Theory to the task of leadership, especially leadership during or for change. Change is the new constant and change creates anxiety and resistance. The functioning of leaders during this time is critical to the ability of the organization to maintain its commitment to its mission. Unlike some theories, which neglect the human emotional processes of an organization, “Leading Change teaches leaders to expect anxiety and sabotage but to stay calm and committed to advancing the mission. Change can stall the development of an organization through fear of the unknown but courageous leaders can call people to embrace a new adventure in meeting the latest challenge. This course would be very helpful for congregational leaders who are experiencing transitions, conflict, demographic or economic challenges. The “Leading Change course equips leaders to respond to the expected anxiety in an organization facing change. Study guide included.

Session One: Systems Theory 28:00
Session Two: A Self-Differentiated Leader 18:35
Session Three: Functioning Position 11:26
Session Four: The Functioning of a Leader 18:19
Session Five: Change 10:14
Session Six: Conflict 18:07
Session Seven: Roles of Leaders in Conflict 17:34
Session Eight: Conclusion 16:04
Bonus Session: Narcissism 4:08

Dr. Peter Steinke is a student of Dr. Murray Bowen and Rabbi Edwin Friedman, and has adapted their systems theory to the ways in which congregations function. He help found the Bridge Builder Network, which provides training and resources for troubled congregations. He established the Healthy Congregations initiative, which provides resources and training for churches wishing to stay healthy. He is a consultant to congregations, judicatories and other church-related organizations.

$79.95 
 for more information and to order the course visit selectlearning

Leadership through dark times....Craig Bellamy - Home truths

Most people who are leaders will face dark and difficult times

Often when these dark and difficult times arise  leaders walk away or they are tossed aside or discarded.  

However we need to ask ourselves is that the Christian message?

Is that what God wants from Christian leaders and for Christian leaders?

Read through the stories of Moses, David, Jesus, Peter and Paul...

All but Jesus sinned....messed up...and faced tremendous difficulties

and you could argue that even Jesus was little off track when he questioned his Father's method...when He asked for the cup to be taken away....

However the reality is that God persevered with them...and they lived through their difficulties with God....

Maybe as leaders we need to listen to Psalm 23 a lot more....a reminder that God doesn't get us out of the mess...but walks through the mess with us

And  a real life example of being a leader...not running and not being discarded is Craig Bellamy....

In his book Home truths...he reveals his approach to leadership and how he dealt with the demotivating penalties placed against his club of having two premierships stripped from them, being told they must play for no points for 20 games....

However it is a great book to help leaders think about and respond to challenging times

I am not recommending this book because Bellamy is a worshipping Christian...in fact in his book he says he believes in God...but doesn't go to church...so you might not agree with everything he says

About the book

Craig Bellamy is no ordinary rugby league coach. He has a remarkable win-loss record in his ten years with Melbourne Storm, but when he led his team through a season of scandal and turmoil, winning games while playing for no points, he gained national respect.

For the first time, the legendary coach reveals his thoughts on subjects such as leadership, management, character, adversity, courage, teamwork, success and failure, by sharing his personal experiences. Known as a straight shooter and a man of great integrity, Bellamy knows how to bring out the best in people - he's created an enviable club culture.

He's fair, generous, candid about his own shortcomings, and persuasive in his opinions about how best to achieve your goals and be successful. His philosophies rest on the pillars of humility, loyalty and discipline - values that stand the test of time. Anyone who works in a team or who wants to get the most out of themselves will benefit from this inspirational book - it's about making your own game plan for life.

Craig Bellamy is hailed as the NRL's best coach. Born in Portland, NSW, Bellamy played 148 firstgrade games for the Canberra Raiders from 1982-92 before coaching its President's Cup team to a premiership in 1995. He joined the Brisbane Broncos as Wayne Bennett's assistant coach in 1998, helping the Broncos to titles in 1998 and 2000, and was appointed Melbourne Storm NRL head coach in 2003. In the ten seasons since Bellamy's arrival, the Storm have played in five NRL grand finals, won three titles, four minor premierships, two World Club Challenge trophies and qualified for semi-finals football every year - except for 2010 when the club was ordered to play for zero points and stripped of two NRL premierships due to the salary cap scandal. Bellamy was NSW State of Origin coach from 2008-10, Australian Test assistant coach in 2005-06 and is a three-time winner of the NRL's Dally M Coach of the Year award.

Visit Melbourne Storm's page  where they talk about the book

Daily Telegraph article on Home Truths Craig Bellamy

To obtain a copy

USA  

Kindle Copy  http://www.amazon.com/Home-Truths-Leadership-Adversity-ebook/dp/B00D7Z2LWK/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376722088&sr=1-2&keywords=bellamy

Australia

Melbourne Storm shop  http://www.melbournestormshop.com.au/Storm/Fathers-Day-Sept-1st-37/Criag-Bellamy-Home-Truths-1978

Bookworld http://www.bookworld.com.au/book/home-truths-on-life-leadership-adversity-success-and-failure/40189034/?gclid=CMXu94v0g7kCFWo3pgod-34AMg

Book: Stuck! by Terry Walling ....plus more

Terry Walling is passionate about helping churches and their leaders in transition.   He holds to two main truths about transitions: First, God does some of his most significant work shaping a leader's life during a time of transition, and second, even the most mature leaders and Christ-followers can get lost during a transition.

His book Stuck! is for all Christ followers as transitions occur in the lives of every committed follower of Jesus.  Transitions are the moments and days that lie between what is and what is to come. Transitions are in the seam between one development phase and the next. They deepen one's trust and dependency on God and help Christ followers better recognize God's voice and calling in their life.

As you walk through this book, some of the following questions will be addressed:
- What is a transition?
- How do I know if I am in a transition?
- What is the pathway through the transition?
- How does God use the transition to shape my life and direction?
- How do I know when the transition is over?
- What can I expect in the future?
"Stuck!" is about finding God in new ways and discovering his purposes, while at the same time, surviving and navigating through a time of transition

What others have been saying about Transitions
Amazon reviews
Good Reads reviews
Book Review by Tom Welch

Story of a church becoming a discipleship church

The Community Church of Joy in Phoenix Arizona, is a church that is focussed on developing community and growing disciples of Jesus Christ.

In the Leadership Journal, the Pastor Walt Kallestad takes us through how this journey came about, why this is occuring, the consequences of this journey and how such a church defines success.

Take a few moments to read the article at http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/fall/13.39.html
and a lot more to think about what it may mean for the church and ministries you are connected to.