What To Do If Your Church Culture Resists Change
When the culture at your church resists change, itās rarely about the change itself. The culture at your church is the result of beliefs and behaviors. If your culture is slow to change or others seem to resist it, it is because every change touches a mindset, and every mindset is tied to something that is deeply valued ā whether good or bad, whether from a place of security or insecurity. So if youāve ever introduced an idea, a new process, or a different way of doing things ā and your pastor or team shuts down, deflects, or resists it ā hereās whatās actually happening: Youāre touching a mindset. And mindsets donāt shift overnight. We want culture to be like a light switch. But unfortunately, you donāt flip it on, flip it off, and suddenly things get healthy. Thatās just not how culture works. Changing the culture in your church will require an approach that is much more like how a light dimmer works. It moves slowly. Incrementally. In degrees. So instead of expecting things to work like flipping the light on and expecting everyone to see what you see⦠you start shining just enough light for others to begin imagining a different way forward. Oftentimes, the way that new, different, or even better gets experienced or seen is through someone else modeling it first. Theyāve got to believe it first before they buy into it. So if your church culture feels slow or resistant, remember: Itās more about beliefs than change. It will require a mindset shift. And it might be best to use a dimmer to start shining light on your idea instead of expecting everyone to use a light switch. And of course⦠part of this is a waiting game. It will require deep patience. And itās always worth asking whether youāre actually being invited to help change the culture. If not⦠it may take longer than you think.