If we are intentional, preaching for change can become an effective component of a broader strategy to implement significant changes to help the church not just survive, but thrive in its local context. Preaching provides an opportunity to re-envision the ways in which the good news gets incarnated into the local church. I am not saying that all these problems can be solved by preaching.

None of us took on leadership roles to disappoint anyone. In fact, many of us were asked to step into leadership with the hope and expectation that we could rally the team around a specific problem, bringing a solution that would make everyone happy.

Every organization faces challenges, but many teams fall into the trap of relying on the same old technical solutions. To thrive, it's essential to understand the nature of the challenges you face—technical or adaptive.

Every organization faces challenges, but many teams fall into the trap of relying on the same old technical solutions. To thrive, it's essential to understand the nature of the challenges you face—technical or adaptive.

Adaptive capacity allows leaders to remain resilient, resourceful, and responsive when facing challenges and changing circumstances. It helps leaders shift and modify strategies while staying true to their core mission.

Values are more important than vision. The huge surprise when we work with clients on leading change is that we don't start with change, we start with what will NEVER change. We help those we coach and consult with understand that even more important than a mission study is a self-study. More important than a compelling vision are the core values that we hold most dear.

1. So, what’s the thing that scares you most as a leader?

2. What’s the thing that worries you in the morning or wakes you with a start?

3. What makes you so acutely anxious that it is contagious to those around you or that it keeps you from being able to take the next courageous step in your leadership?

4. For most leaders the biggest challenge isn’t the meeting or plan that went bad in the middle of the day, but what we do with it in our minds in the middle of the night, right?

5. What makes you wonder if you have what it takes to go on?

If you are reading this in a place where you can pause for a moment, I hope you will do so. 

You have undoubtedly read articles and blogposts and tweets that lament the changes we’ve encountered during this pandemic. In many of those descriptions you’ve also read that these challenges bring with them opportunities to make positive and lasting changes. You’ve made technical advances, particularly in media and online presence. You may be trying to make significant shifts in your ministry and are being met with resistance. Why is it that good ideas and new directions can’t get traction?

Honestly, it can sound pretty sad and to start the awkward “do you want to be my friend conversation?” is so humbling. And yet we need it. Our friends are our anvil as we are forged in leadership.

The problem with most leadership programs, this and other studies have concluded, is that they are focused more on concepts than context, principles than practices, more on reading experts than reflecting on themselves, and, mostly, more on learning about leading than actually doing the work of bringing organizational change.