For several months, the council of First Church had been discussing how it might make the morning worship service more friendly and hospitable to visitors. After lengthy discussion, they finally voted to introduce an informal time of greeting prior to the official beginning of worship. This was announced the next Sunday and began the following week. People were asked to take opportunity to greet someone they didn't know or hadn't seen in some time and to have a few moments of conversation.
Two weeks into this new approach, the folks who came early and who normally sat in the back of the auditorium began to circulate a petition seeking to end this "disruption of the service," as they saw it. By the third week, representatives of this group visited the pastor at his home, presented the petition, and insisted that the council change the decision that had been made. Interestingly, this group had even gotten a visitor to sign their petition.
The council met in an emergency session later that week and decided to withdraw the decision they had made five weeks earlier. At their next monthly meeting, council members engaged in some reflection on this experience. Two insights emerged. First, someone noted that they appeared to have given away their power as a council in capitulating to a vocal minority in the congregation. Second, another person observed that they had likely also given away the issue of introducing any further changes in worship, and that it would be a long time before they would have the freedom to try to introduce any other innovations.
(This Case Study comes from Chapter 7 (Spirit-Led Growth and Development) in Craig Van Gelder's book, The Ministry of the Missional Church)
Questions for reflection:
1. If you were the pastor, how would you have handled this situation differently? Or would you?
2. If you were one of the council members, how would you have handled this situation differently? Or would you?
3. What does this case study say to you about addressing change in the church?
4. As a leader, what do we learn about your role in addressing change in the church?
Ken M
