Warning: What To Expect During Church Transformation

by Mark Tidsworth, Team Leader

You might want to pause for a moment’s reflection before launching your effort.

Actually, more than a moment.

Sometimes it surprises me when watching organizations and denominations (ourselves included) roll out transformation, renewal, or vitalization processes without clear warning labels.

After engaging with numerous churches seeking renewal and coaching hundreds of pastors leading those churches toward renewal, we at Pinnacle have grown very familiar with this journey. Out of that experience, we no longer use words like renewal or revitalization, recognizing these words underestimate what’s required. Transformation is the best word we’ve found illustrating the scope of change required for church invigoration to happen in our current cultural environment.

From those experiences, we are also aware that many churches and pastors would like to know what in the world they are getting into before pursuing church transformation. Actually, most don’t know to inquire until they are far enough in to recognize this is more challenging than they expected. So, allow me to do you a favor and describe what it’s like to pursue church transformation. What happens when an existing plateaued or declining church sets its sights on becoming a greater expression of the body of Christ? What might they expect? Please allow me to speak directly to those who are considering pursuing church transformation with aspirations toward becoming a greater expression of the body of Christ.

Do not expect success to look like what you expect

First, there is no guarantee of success. Period. This is purely holy risk taking. Another period. Second, your picture of success is based on your previous church experience, typically taking the form of what your church looked like when things were better. Perhaps your vision is a new and improved version of your current church paradigm. If that paradigm itself was helpful and relevant, its helpfulness and relevance would have appeared already. Expect your perception of success to undergo transformation.

Expect to underestimate the effort required

This is the classic mistake when it comes to church transformation. Sure, we understand this will be difficult, but when it becomes extremely painful and the journey is long, we realize we underestimated what’s required. So do your best estimating of the effort required, then triple it.

Expect your motivation to change as you go

Nearly every church starts their transformation journey from a place of self-focused concern. Their institutional strength is declining. Since they love their church, they want it to continue onward for future generations. Soon though they learn that institutional concern won’t invigorate them nor attract anyone new. These churches have to decide how much they are about loving people in Jesus’ name versus perpetuating an institution that’s beyond its prime. Expect your motivation to change toward the better.

Expect to lose fellow pilgrim friends along the way

“They must challenge those who lack the courage to move forward due to a lack of faith or an inability to share in the vision…speak truth to power…at times, they must have the courage of conviction to choose the vision over relationships. Rarely will a congregation that embraces a new vision bring everyone along.”

-Israel Galindo, The Hidden Life Of Congregations

The process of church transformation is disruptive. Things that were nailed down come loose, the church functions differently, and familiar patterns are disrupted. There will be people in the congregation who don’t appreciate this kind of growth… not what they want from their church. They will leave. Churches who actually transform into more invigorated bodies of Christ expect to lose some along the way. They accept this reality.

Expect to see the worst and best in yourself and your traveling companions

You can’t travel this road impersonally. This church transformation stuff…it becomes personal. If you care about your church much at all, your strong feelings will be drawn to the surface as you go. You will find yourself arguing with others, hotly debating potential moves, growing so angry you could bite the head off a nail. Transforming churches bicker and fight (metaphorically) along the way. You will also experience moments of extraordinary grace and love, growing well acquainted with forgiveness and holy companionship. Expect to be drawn in close to others, experiencing the good, bad, and beautiful that comes with close interpersonal relationships.

Expect to be disappointed in your leadership

This is inevitable. As you go you will think your pastor is pushing too hard, not caring for the shut-ins enough, or being too passive. Here’s the thing… pastors who are capable of leading church transformation don’t function like typical pastors. They have to function differently, in ways that are outside our familiar expectations, else they are incapable of leading church transformation. Therefore, your pastoral expectations will be shattered by the reality of what your church actually needs from your pastor. You will be disappointed by your lay leadership also. Expect this disappointment, recognizing it’s part of the journey, and you will be less reactive and perhaps appreciative when this happens.

Expect a compelling vision to find you

After concern about institutional strength wears thin, then churches often go quiet for a while. They have to clear the debris of unhelpful motivation, reaching rock bottom before their eyes of faith can look upward to recognize their new vision. Those who are transformed typically believe a new compelling vision found them rather than vice versa. It’s like God was waiting for them to let go of the former before introducing a new invigorated compelling missional adventure. This is necessary. This new compelling vision gives people the fuel of hope, making the losses tolerable.

Expect to drink exquisite new wine

Honestly (as if I’ve not been honest so far), the majority of churches don’t transform. They will shift some, but are unwilling to do what it takes to become vitalized expressions of the body of Christ. But for those who do…Wow, when they begin to experience the fruits of their labors… words can’t describe the spiritual satisfaction and joy. When their churches become new wineskins, holding the new wine produced by the Master Winemaker, their joy is deep and wide and abundant. When your church makes THAT journey, expect to drink deeply of God’s new wine.

I could go on. There is so much more to help prepare ourselves for the journey of transformation, counting the cost. Yet I don’t know about you, there’s no way I want to miss out on the adventure of Jesus ahead, even when it involves the cross and resurrection.