The Pastor as a Change Agent

The following is a portion of an article I recently had published in the Assembly of God Leadership Magazine, Enrichment Journal entitled “The Pastor as a Change Agent: Remaining Relevant in a Constantly Changing Cultural Environment”. To read the entire article, go to: http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/201301/201301_EJO_ChangeAgent.cfm Society is changing at a faster rate than ever before. Because of this, the church of Christ must be willing to change its methods if it is to remain relevant. The challenge is to change the methods, which are temporal, without changing the message, which is timeless. Many within the church resist change for fear of compromising the message of Christ. For this reason, the 21st-century pastor must see himself as a change agent that can implement effective changes while making them palatable to church members. We must view change as a process and not an event. What good does it do for the leader to yell charge and rush to the top of the hill only to find he or she arrived there alone? A more progressive approach to change is the better part of wisdom. This takes adequate planning and this is how we, as pastors, can become change agents. The process will involve understanding change management, adopting an adaptable approach to leadership style, and empowering people to think strategically. Following this process will help pastors become change agents ensuring the church remains relevant and proclaims the important message of Christ that is both timeless and life changing.