People want to make a transition in their church for different reasons. Whether it's the structure, worship style, location, or church name - leaders need to understand some basic principles before making the change.
Here are five principles adapted from Paul on Leadership: Servant Leadership in a Ministry of Transition.
1. Transition must begin with a call of God to change what you are currently doing to accomplish what He has called you to do.
Transition must not originate with the desire of a leader or group of leaders to "grow the church"¬ù or emulate other church models or church leaders. This principle demands the leader and people spend time prayerfully seeking how to join God in what He is doing in their mission field. You will know your direction when you discern God's mission call on your church. Prayer is your source of direction, passion, and strength to finish what God has called you to become.
2. Transition must be toward accomplishing the mission, not toward the preferences of a certain style or organization.
The mission is everything in a transition process. The mission to make disciples in your particular mission field must dictate the changes you make. You make changes only as they relate to accomplishing the mission and reaching those in your mission field.
3. Transition will crash under the weight of change if it happens too quickly.
One of our leaders said that there are two ways to pull off a Band-Aid"”quickly or slowly. Both ways involve pain. Both remove hair from your arm. We chose to pull off the Band- Aid slowly. This is why our transition has been over 8"“10 years rather than 2"“3. I believe this helped the wounds to heal and keep us together at our core.
4. Transition involves a series of conflicts, which will lead to defining moments.
Conflict is the vocabulary word of change. Any church that determines God would have them change what they are currently doing to join Him in their mission field must be prepared for conflict. This does not mean putting on a flak jacket. It demands picking up a towel and washbasin.
Some conflicts will emerge as defining moments for the life of the church. These become like the 12 stones in the River Jordan when Joshua led the people into the promised land. They become the object lesson to answer the question, what are those rocks doing there?
5. Transition is best led by a servant leader who has made himself servant to the mission and leads by serving those on mission with him.
Ken Blanchard says there are two kinds of leaders: those who are leaders first and those who are servants first. Only leaders who are servants first can lead the transition process in a healthy manner. Getting your way is not an appropriate value in servant leadership.
Finding the best way to do the mission is a core value in leading through transition. Only those who have given up their rights to be served and find greatness in service to others should lead. A leader in transition serves the mission call of God and leads others to complete that call.