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Of Course We Want Our Church to Grow—We Just Don’t Want to CHANGE

3. Ban delusional talk.

Those of us who resist change are often delusional.

I can continue to be rude to my spouse and our marriage will get better.

I can slack off at work and get a better performance review.

I can get abs of steel in a workout that lasts 60 seconds.

Most of us become crazy people when we’re fighting change. As a leader, ban delusional talk around your table. Call it out. In love, let people see how crazy their thinking really is.

I understand you think your program is amazing, but it has an attendance of three. What are we going to do about that?

I know you love Southern Gospel music, but most of the teens we want to reach don’t.

I realize you love our organization just the way it is, but the average age of our attenders is 65.

I know you think a new building will solve all our problems, but why can’t we solve them in our current half-empty facility?

Don’t let your leaders be delusional.

4. Get an outside view.

Familiarity breeds contempt and distorts perspective. If your team doesn’t immediately respond healthily to a call for change, you might be ripe for an outside voice to help you arrive at a new place.

This would be the perfect time to read a book together, attend a conference or (best yet) hire a consultant. If the future is at stake, it’s not a bad investment to spend the money on an outside perspective.

5. Offer constant feedback.

As you move through these conversations, keep people honest. It will be hard. But you need to do this.

Continue to point the group back to the truth. Honestly, gracefully, but truthfully.

Just keep snapping people back to reality.

I say this because it will require herculean effort to ensure you don’t end up hoping for a diet-pill and cupcake solution. There is probably little gain without significant pain.