Some Ideas to help you along the way:

A. Guiding a church through change

One of life's "constants" is change. It occurs whether we want it to or not; whether we encourage it or not. The problem is: unguided change often moves toward decay, disintegration, disease and destruction. This is true because we humans tend toward ease and comfort. So, how can change occur in ways that encourage health, holiness and hope? Here are some principles and practices that will aid in producing a preferred future:

1. Create a group VISION

To mentally see a preferred or better future is to have vision. For example, we know that there are unholy people in the Free Methodist Church, and we know that we are not multiplying disciples in most places. So, upon listening to God, thinking and discussing our future, the FMCNA has embraced a compelling vision: "To be a healthy, biblical community of holy people, multiplying disciples, leaders, groups and churches." This is simple and biblical. It cannot be realized apart from obedience to God, but if we are obedient to God this vision will become a reality even if we do not see this vision.

2. Create ownership of the VISION

Doug Newton suggests three key components for communicating vision and thereby gaining ownership: Resonance, envisioning, and interviewing. RESONANCE is more important than relevance because if you and your people do not resonate with the vision, it will likely not materialize. God's vision for us and His church must grip our minds and hearts. It will be the future we talk about, dream about, pray about and work for. ENVISIONING means that we will develop opportunities for people to see and participate in the fulfillment of the vision. For example, if we are going to multiply groups, we must start by forming a group. This "home church" will have in its DNA the plan to multiply, forming another group out of itself within the first year. INTERVIEWING means that we engage people in conversation about the vision "all the time." Seeking their input, their ideas, and their critique one-on-one is perhaps the key component in building unity around a common vision. This is also, along with teaching, preaching and writing, the main way to engage people's gifts, talents and giving toward the fulfillment of the vision.

Of course, a clear, compelling vision will quite naturally result in the establishment of goals and policies which urge the church on toward that VISION which God has created in you.

B. The Standards by which we evaluate our work.

It has been said, correctly: "we get what we inspect, not what we expect." Forty years ago, a teacher told the class I was in "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time." One of the obvious characteristics of Jesus was focus. No matter what was going on around him or being done to him, his mission - to seek and save the lost - was never out of sight. So, with that in mind, "he went about doing good." How are the lost gathered? What should be our focus? It comes back to vision which starts with HEALTHY BIBLICAL COMMUNITY as defined in Ephesians 5:21, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." We emphasize and aim at FOUR building blocks in our quest for healthy biblical community:

I. Build a safe environment in which to confess. In James 5:16 is written: "…confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." Who does this? How do we get to the place in the church where this is actually happening? It all starts with modeling. As a pastor, are you confessing your sins to your people? If you are, you are creating the needed environment for effective prayer, healing and genuineness. If sin is apparent in the behavior and/or attitude of a person - yourself or another - "state the obvious." Many churches are close to dead because sinful behavior and attitude has been "swept under the carpet" for years. Remember and practice: Truth + Grace + Time in community = Health.

II. Build an environment that resolves conflict in Biblical ways. There is no such thing as a life or a church without conflict. However, conflict which is left unresolved leads straight to division, which, if not appropriately addressed, destroys. One of our key responsibilities is "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith..." (Ephesians 4:12-13). Teaching plus service fosters unity. The best teaching is by example. So, as pastors, we "do everything without complaining or arguing" (Ephesians 2:14). At the same time, however, we do not hesitate stepping into difficult situations and work hard to obtain agreement. ("I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord" Philippians 4:2.) Note that because these two believers were in conflict publicly, Paul dealt with it publicly. Paul, in a more general way, appealed to the Corinthian church for agreement (1 Corinthians 1:10) and did so publicly. Remember that love must be in the drivers seat, knowing that "love covers over a multitude of sins." ("Love makes up for practically everything" MSC) (1 Peter 4:8) For more help on this subject, see the paper "We Have A Problem."

III. Build a community of joy and laughter. Jesus prayed that we would "have the full measure of (his) joy within (us)" (John 17:13). "The kingdom of God is…righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" wrote Paul in Romans 14:17. Here we see a connection between obedience to God (righteousness), healthy relationships with people (peace) and the resulting joy. Pastors model this by spending time with God, spending time with people, and doing so with a joyful attitude of service. Jesus came to serve, not to be served (Matthew 20:27). Obedience plus servanthood = joy. Joy is contagious and produces laughter. It is interesting to discover that there is great joy and laughter in some of the most impoverished and difficult places of the world, like Haiti. Why? Obedience. Remember that while Jesus prayed that we would have "the full measure of…joy" he also prayed: "For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified" (John 15:19). Set apart - obedient.

IV. Build a community of generosity. This flows out of servanthood and goes back to the God-shaped vision we embrace and work for. A healthy, biblical community of holy people love to give. And they give because they are gripped by the idea and practice of multiplying disciples, leaders, groups and churches. It also goes back to obedience and starts with us. Not only do we "bring all (our) tithe into the storehouse" (Malachi 3), we commend our people "to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share" (1Timothy 6:18). Paul noted that the poor Macedonian church "gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability." Why? "They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will" (2 Corinthians 8:35). Our personal obedience and our personal service to people is the foundation block in building a community of generosity. This makes it possible to preach and teach on the subject without hesitation.