Your Church Needs To Change

Church is one of my favorite places to be. There is comfort in the familiarity of the routines, traditions, and friendly faces. Hey, even the unfriendly faces make me feel a sense of comfort and security. I know my place and my role in most circumstances, and I know how most everyone else functions in our little church. It’s predictable and safe. I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, but I have to wonder whether or not the comfort and familiarity are causing our churches to grow stagnant and lose sight of our mission. Friend, it’s possible your church needs to change.

Your Church Needs To Change For A Reason

Say the word “change” and church members start grabbing pitchforks. They fear the change will kill the church, make things uncomfortable, or do something they honestly can’t imagine. What’s scarier than the unknown? From where does this fear come?

Some churches have faced pastors and new members who want change for the sake of change. I’m a strong believer in the idea that churches need to make changes significantly more often than they do, but those changes must have a purpose. Any change in a church, or anywhere, ought to be for improvement. Too many churches have buckled under the pressures of unwanted changes. The congregations have split, lost pastors, and lost their good reputations in the community.

Your church needs to change for a reason. It isn’t enough to just say, “We would like to change the ages in our children’s church because the church on the other side of town did it.” Why do that? What purpose does it serve? Maybe changing the ages would allow more of your community kids to be involved. If so, the church would have a real reason to consider the change. Have a reason for everything.

Your Church Needs To Change, But Not These Things

So, is anything on the table? We can change anything? Yes, you can, but you shouldn’t. The things we should seek to change in a church cannot be foundational to our beliefs, and Christians should not adopt ideas and programs that are antithetical to the Word. That should seem obvious, but all evidence is to the contrary. Many churches have become seeker sensitive, LGBTQ+ affirming, and desperate to have unity with everyone.

When considering making changes in your church, ensure the changes don’t mess with these five non-negotiables.

1. Doctrine

Doctrine is essential. What we believe is foundational to the Christian faith, and it is what holds us together. It is so important, in fact, that one of the main purposes of the Bible is to instruct us on doctrine.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

2 Timothy 3:16

The temptation to make some changes concerning doctrine will inevitably arise when your church begins to make other changes. The argument usually goes something like this: “More people would attend our church if we were willing to perform ‘gay weddings.’ The community around us is changing, and we need to change with it.”

No. Don’t fall for this lie. The culture in which we live is certainly changing, but Christians are called to hold strong to the Word. Never compromise sound doctrine for unbiblical trends.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”

2 Timothy 4:3

“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.” (emphasis mine)

Titus 1:9 – 2:2

2. A Missions Focus

If your church is concerned with spreading the gospel and supporting missions, then keep it up! Y’all are on the right path. In contrast, your church is likely changing in the wrong ways if missions has become less of a priority. How a church handles missions might rightfully change, but dumping it altogether or treating it as an afterthought is probably a bad idea.

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Romans 10:14-15

3. Good Works

We know that works don’t save (Ephesians 2:8-9), but we also know that the natural outpouring of a born-again Christian is doing good works.

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (emphasis mine)

James 2:14-17 (ESV)

4. Encouraging Each Other

Churches are filled with real people with real problems and real sin in their lives. These facts make getting along difficult on occasion. So, don’t lose sight of your responsibility to encourage one another when making changes to the church. In fact, guard against it because times of change often bring out defensiveness rather than support and love.  It is of the utmost importance that love, support, and encouragement be freely given always. But especially during transitions and challenging times.

“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Ephesians 4:29

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:24-25

5. Disciple Making

If your church wants to make a change, spending less time disciple making is ill-advised. Jesus commanded us to make disciples in the Great Commission. Literally, it was among the last words He spoke before the Ascension. I sincerely hope that impresses upon churches how important making disciples should be in our ministries. Change what you must, but don’t turn your back on Jesus’ parting words to His disciples.

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

Why Your Church Needs To Change

With so many things I’m imploring you to keep the same, why even bother making any changes at all? Well, your church might have some weak points in it that negatively affect the members, the ministries, and ultimately, the community. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but here are five possible problems your church might be facing because changes need to be made.

1. Not Impacting The Community

My husband and I belonged to a church years ago that was apparently a secret to the entire neighborhood. Multiple people told us that they didn’t know that the church was active. The general assumption was that the church doors has closed permanently years prior.

We were not a church offering counsel or prayer. No one sought us out to help them meet physical or spiritual needs. They walked right by us because we were invisible to them.

Not all churches stop impacting a community because they are invisible. Others are so toxic and unwelcoming that the community stays away because of the church’s bad reputation. A church like that will not have any opportunity to share the gospel or show Christ’s love in tangible ways because the church’s neighbors want no part in a church like that.

Remember, our churches don’t exist solely for us. Isn’t the endgame to reach those around us with the good news of Jesus Christ? We are there to serve, and we need to be seen and seen in a good light.

2. Not Challenging Members On Sin

The world tells us it is wrong to judge, and thus, we can’t ever approach someone to gently and lovingly correct them. That is really the greatest sin of all, is it not?

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

John 7:24

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (emphasis mine)

Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV)

Scripture is clear that we should judge. Oh yes, there are definitely wrong ways to judge others, and we are not the final Judge who hands out eternal consequences. On the other hand, we should not hesitate to approach our brothers and sisters in Christ when we see them in sin and in need of correction or rebuke.

If your church, even the leaders, are unwilling to address sin, then something needs to change.

3. Stunted Spiritual Growth

Churches love new believers. I remember when I got saved, the church I was attending was incredibly supportive. Everyone rallied around me, showed me love, invited me into their lives, and were an incredible encouragement to me. That’s not where it ended, though.

I was being fed the Word through church, Bible study, women who included me in their book study of The Excellent Wife written by Martha Peace, and my pastor who took time to personally disciple my husband and me. Spiritual growth was a part of membership at that church. If you didn’t grow, then it was your own fault.

Is your church feeding the members and providing opportunities to dive deep into God’s Word? Or is your leadership content to continue preaching and teaching to you as if you were saved yesterday? You cannot live on milk forever…

It’s time to grow. Make the necessary changes to allow for it.

“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

4. Decisions Take 15 Meetings…

How many of us have attended a church that had twice as many committees as it had members? Everything is a meeting in these churches. No one can make a decision until it is overly analyzed in a group and then brought forth for more discussion and a vote. Half the church leaves the meeting angry, and it all began when a church member asked if she could donate some new blankets to the nursery.

This is not a picture of a healthy church. Rather, it is a church living in fear and grasping for control in every area. In my experience, churches like this are much more interested in the political and business side of the church instead of the spiritual side. Personal preferences take precedence over anything else.

Committees and meetings are fine, but how big a role do they play? Ask yourself if they hurt the mission of the church and prevent spiritual work from being done. Don’t let it.

What Your Church Needs To Change

I’ve attended and visited a fair number of churches. Also, I’ve researched the failures and successes of churches quite a bit. I thought it might be helpful, but full disclosure, it mostly made me sad. Nevertheless, I have noticed eight things that churches often get wrong. I hope not all at once… Consider your church. Where can changes help?

1. Prayer

Be a praying church. First, individuals need to pray for each other, the church, the community, etc. No pastor can enforce this, but he can encourage it. He can talk about it and even ask people to do it.

Second, the church needs to pray corporately. No, praying before the potluck lunch is not enough. I’m actually pretty surprised at how many churches seem to have given up having weekly prayer meetings. Maybe people don’t show up…

Schedule prayer meetings anyway. A church that doesn’t come together to thank God for all He’s done, ask for wisdom and guidance as a church, and pray for the community is at a severe deficit in any work it desires to accomplish. A church that doesn’t pray is working in its own strength and wisdom. That’s never a good idea.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Philippians 4:6

“Pray without ceasing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17

2. First Impressions

Prepare yourself to be offended. Are you ready? Visitors don’t like your church. OK, I don’t know if that’s true. It could be, though, and it is likely based on very little information. A visitor will walk in and immediately make a decision about your church. It’s not really fair, but it’s reality.

So, go to church on Sunday as if you are a visitor. Look around. Are people friendly? Are the children running around and being a nuisance? Is it clear where you should go? Is the church clean? What about the smell? I can’t tell you how many churches I’ve walked into that smell terrible!

These may seem like small issues, and they are. Nonetheless, it’s little things that prevent visitors from paying attention to the main things. People are easily distracted and approach everything with a what’s-in-it-for-me attitude. Don’t cater to these people, but don’t add more hurdles by neglecting easy fixes, either.

3. How You Think About Outreach

My husband was saved as a result of a door knocking ministry. I know a man who came to know the Lord after reading a tract he found at a gas pump. God will use whatever He chooses to use. Some churches, though, seem to be stuck in methods of outreach that are significantly less effective.

Although my husband was led to the Lord due to door knocking, I’d argue that method is way less effective than it once was. There are probably multiple reasons, but I think the main one is that people don’t answer their doors anymore. If they aren’t expecting anyone, they don’t receive the guest. For better or worse, we are a less hospitable culture than we used to be.

Start thinking about new ways to reach people in addition to what you already do. I believe the best way to find new methods of reaching the community is to get involved in the community. I know. It’s mind-blowing, right?

The idea is simple, but it can be intimidating. You might need to leave your Christian bubble and try something new. Sign up to volunteer somewhere, work out at the community center, attend school sporting events, or whatever is going on in your area. Outreach can’t be simply inviting people to church anymore. Keep doing that, but also recognize that most people aren’t interested in church any longer.

“Come to my church’s Easter brunch” may not be all that enticing to someone. Conversely, inviting someone to your church’s Easter brunch after forming a genuine relationship with them through other circumstances might make the invitation more interesting.

4. The Mindset On Old And New

When it comes to change in the church, two main schools of thought take over. 1.) Anything “old” is useless and needs to go away to make room for the new. 2.) All the new things are bad and will ruin our church.

Both of these arguments are wrong. As I mentioned in the last point, the culture is changing. The way the church operated in the 1950’s won’t be likely to work in the 2020’s. That said, there is wisdom and tried and true practices from those who have come before us. Listen to them, and don’t dismiss everything just because it’s been done that way for fifty years or more. Maybe it has been around that long because it’s best.

On the flip side, just because it’s “the way we’ve always done it” does not mean it is the right way. It could have been exactly what the church and community needed at one point, but it also may no longer serve its intended purpose. Replacing something at church with something new is not a criticism on what once was. It is simply a response to the current needs. Sometimes your church needs to change. Like it or not.

5. Discipleship

Make disciples. I know I’ve already covered this a little bit, but it bears repeating. We have been called to make disciples. Of course, we want to see people get saved, but that salvation is neutered and doesn’t serve God without discipleship. Help believers live an abundant life in Christ. Teach them to witness and bear the testimony of Jesus in their daily walk.

Church is not a place to sit, watch a concert, listen to a motivational speaker, and then go home until next week. Let’s be equipping the brethren!

6. Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Where are you most comfortable? I bet it isn’t telling your co-workers you won’t join them for margaritas or explaining to friends why you won’t watch Game of Thrones or whatever media you’re convicted to avoid. You probably also don’t naturally enjoy sharing the gospel with someone you’ve just met. So, what do we do when we are out of our comfort zone? Generally, we stay in our box and avoid being uncomfortable. Don’t feel bad. I do this, too.

In church, we see much of the same thing. We need children’s church volunteers, but no one steps up because it’s new and scary even though some are interested. We recruit women to come to Ladies Bible study, but some women don’t want to inconvenience themselves despite feeling convicted to go.

Serving God and being an active church member will undoubtedly require all of us to do something unnatural to us at some point. Be open to it. This change in the church can’t come from leadership. The members have to take the first steps and be willing to be uncomfortable and inconvenienced.

7. Reassess Your Current Ministries

This one hurts, but it is often true. Not every ministry in your church is necessary. If your church has an abundance of ministries, then it is likely that something has outlived its purpose. (This is not always true, so don’t come for me.)

Churches hang onto ministries because they’ve been there for so long, someone at the church really loves it, or the idea of shutting it down never occurred to anyone. Ending a ministry is not a failure. If it no longer needs to exist, then drop it. An easy example of this would be a ministry geared at a group of people who no longer attend. For instance, a young marrieds group might be a great ministry to have, but ten years later may no longer have a place in your church because that demographic is so small.

Don’t be afraid to let go, and remember the biggest negative of hanging on to the old ministries is that they take away the possibility of establishing new and needed ones. We only have so many resources in churches. So, let’s be the best stewards of the resources we can be.

8. Communication

Poor communication is one of the greatest issues facing churches, especially small ones. We get hints of it during the announcements when we hear things like:

“See Joe after service if you can help with the project at the parsonage.”

“Ladies, don’t forget to meet at Mary’s this Friday for knitting club.”

New members and visitors are left wondering where Mary lives. Really, they might not even know who she is! And where is Joe, and what are they doing at the parsonage? Where’s the parsonage?

Something similar happens in one-on-one interaction, too. I brought a snack of which I was quite proud to a ladies group once. My family loves my zesty lemon hummus, and I was excited to share it with the ladies.

Not long after arriving, one of the women helped herself to some and complimented me on it. Then, she looked at me questioningly and asked, “Did you use real lemons or lemon juice from the bottle?” I told her it was from the bottle, and she quickly spit it out in the trash. As it turns out, she has allergic reactions to bottled lemon juice. Oh, the reproachful look I received from not knowing this by the simple fact that I attended the church!

Churches have these sorts of interactions all the time. We assume everyone already knows something because we know it. Perhaps, our expectations are not met, and we make someone feel like schmuck for not doing something a particular way. The problem, however, is that we didn’t tell her our expectations.

Church, what are you playing at? Speak up. It isn’t more Christian or spiritual of you to sit silently hoping someone knows what you want, expect, or need. Just spit it out already. Seriously, the church will function better, get along more easily, and be more peaceful if we all are crystal clear in our communication.

Final Thought

I understand that many of us love our churches and like them as they are, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore weak areas. The best way to love our churches, each other, and the community is to always be considering the health of our church and ministries. Odds are, if you are seriously looking, you’ll find that your church needs to change…something. All of our churches need to at some point or another. Accept that things can’t always stay the same, and rest easy knowing we are in God’s care through it all. The church is meant to serve Him the best we are able. So, be ready to change course in order to do it.

What was the hardest change your church had to make?

Image courtesy of Aaron Burden via Unsplash.