Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Few people would debate that we’re in a time of crisis. And while we wouldn’t say the crisis is “good,” it’s worth reflecting on the statement.

Before covid, many churches and ministries had trouble breaking out of the mindset of “this is how we’ve always done things.” Needless to say, that’s less of a challenge today. And yet, status quo thinking lurks in the shadows every time someone talks about “getting back to normal.” 

That is why we shouldn’t waste the crisis. Our current challenges are an opportunity to break out of our ruts and be more creative. This may be the right time to make a long overdue change or try something out-of-the-box. For example, you may want to: 

• Rethink the way that you’re fostering spiritual growth in your congregation, with increased emphasis on personal spiritual practices and relational discipleship.
• Create a more robust digital offering. (I realize that everyone has upped their digital game, but is it where it needs to be? If you’re not sure, ask the digital natives in your audience.)
• Eliminate a worship service or a program that has been struggling for years. 
• Restructure your staff, eliminating or adding positions based on emerging priorities. 
• Leverage volunteers whose traditional roles are on pause but who still have time and talents to offer.
• Streamline decision-making by eliminating bureaucratic obstacles that slow progress and preserve the status quo. 

Two notes of caution. First, any changes should be consistent with your church’s or ministry’s core identity. Second, you may be tempted to ignore your board (or whatever your governing body is called) in order to move quickly. The last bullet above says “streamline,” not disband. While this is the time to be bold and creative, playing the heroic lone ranger is a fool’s mission. 

What opportunity is the crisis placing at your doorstep?

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Like all of you, I’ve spent a lot of time the last month in video meetings and phone calls. Most of mine have been with pastors and other ministry leaders as they try to navigate our new reality. As you might expect, the early conversations focused on the shift to online worship, the best ways to minister virtually, and plans for Holy Week. 

Now that we’ve addressed those initial challenges (sometimes more successfully than others), leaders are asking, “What’s next?” I don’t have a crystal ball, but in this blog I will share some of what I am learning and guessing as we all try to peer into the future. 

When will we gather again? And what will “gathering” look like?

The curve seems to be flattening, and a growing number of leaders are talking about restarting the economy. But don’t assume that the reopening of businesses or an easing of “stay at home” directives means that we will return to the way things were in January. In particular, it seems likely that some amount of social distancing will still be encouraged, and large gatherings will be discouraged or banned. 

Even if you’re allowed to gather for worship, will church members be willing to do so? Sure, everyone is tired of being isolated, but they may not take the risk of being in a large group. So think about what a phased approach could look like. For example, one friend suggested that the first step may be for small groups to gather in homes for online worship services. And when you do gather corporately, what extra precautions will you need to take? 

What will (or should) change permanently?

A variety of experts believe the pandemic will cause permanent social changes. So what changes should we anticipate or even encourage? For me, three immediately come to mind. First, the hunger for connection that people have felt while isolated can be a catalyst for a stronger small group experience. We should be ready to respond to this opportunity. Second, we should simplify ministry models by not restarting the programs and activities that were barely missed during the shutdown. Third, every ministry should be prepared to operate on a leaner budget (see below).

Your list may be completely different. But as I said in my previous blog, now is the time to take note of changes you want to make on the other side of this crisis. 

What new ministry needs will arise?

Internet searches related to prayer, peace, and good news have all skyrocketed. There are also alarming reports about the impact that social distancing is having on people whose mental health or family dynamics are fragile. In other cases, people have postponed memorial services or not been able to say good-bye to loved ones in healthy ways. And then there are medical professionals, first responders, grocery workers, and others who have been living with constant stress during the pandemic. 

I don’t know how this will translate into practical ministry in the months ahead, but I am confident that it won’t be “business as usual.” Will you be prepared for these new needs? How can you equip the people in your church to be the hands and feet of Christ to respond to the post-pandemic trauma that their neighbors and co-workers have experienced?

How will our finances be impacted?

I have been encouraged to hear stories of congregations in which contributions are ahead of last year, thanks to one or two generous donors. In many other cases, however, contributions have dropped by 25% or more. And in every conversation, leaders are bracing for a difficult year. 

With the dramatic number of job losses and the sudden drop in the stock market, it is hard to imagine anything other than a difficult financial year. So let me remind you of three realities in times such as this. First, even in this “bad economy,” America is a wealthy nation. In most of our congregations, there are people who still have substantial resources. Second, an economic slump creates a scarcity mentality. Even the people who are in good shape financially will tend to worry and hold onto their resources. Third, every other ministry and non-profit is making their financial needs clearly known. Silence from you implies all is well. 

What are the implications for your church or ministry? You need a communication plan that acknowledges the broader economic realities while explaining your needs and demonstrating that you are being wise stewards. 

How do we to take care of our staff?

In one conversation after another, I have heard about the hard work of staff members who have quickly pivoted to provide excellent and creative ministry in this challenging season. But I have also gotten glimpses into how difficult this is for many of those individuals – a single parent trying to work full-time from the house while also homeschooling two children; a tech/media person who has been slammed with a 200% increase in workload; a pastor who feels on call 24/7 more than ever before and yet less able to be pastoral due to the limitations of remote ministry.

If you are a senior pastor or executive pastor (or other leader) of a multi-staff organization, one of your most important jobs right now is to look after your staff. They want transparency about finances and future plans, but they mostly need to be cared for. Be their pastor by checking on them, listening to them, and praying with them. Pay attention to ones who are close to burnout and look for ways to reduce their load. Express your appreciation for their hard work. Be attentive to the personal challenges they are dealing with. 

I started this blog with the statement that I don’t have a crystal ball. But I am confident that addressing these questions will better prepare you for whatever lies ahead. 

Have you ever ridden Disney’s iconic Space Mountain roller coaster? If so, you know that other roller coasters have more thrill features – bigger drops, loops, etc. But that doesn’t mean Space Mountain lacks intensity. What makes it unique is that the entire ride is in the dark. The inability to see what’s ahead dramatically raises the white-knuckle effect.

Roller coasters are designed to increase a rider’s heart rate. However, creating that kind of anxious response should not be the goal when leading a major change in a church or ministry. Whenever anxiety is high, resistance to the change will rise and buy-in will diminish. 

I’m not suggesting that it’s possible to lead change without creating some anxiety. But I am saying that keeping people in the dark creates unnecessary anxiety. And far too often, change efforts are doomed from the start because people are uninformed or confused. 

This knowledge gap is often created unintentionally. A great deal of time may be spent deciding what changes to make, with little thought given to how the changes will be communicated. Or leaders may think “everyone knows why we need to change,” when in fact they don’t. Sometimes people are kept in the dark intentionally because “telling them will just invite opposition.”

Either way, it’s better to shed plenty of light on planned changes. Here are 3 flashlights that can help:

• Start with why. It’s not enough to describe what changes are being proposed. People need to understand why. Without this understanding, they’ll feel like the child whose parent says, “Because I said so.” (See Simon Sinek’s outstanding TED talk on “start with why.”)
• Create a robust communication plan. Don’t leave communication about major changes to chance. Anticipate the questions and objections that are likely to arise. Take the perspective of someone who has not been in the loop. Ask for help from people who are gifted in this arena.
• Connect with head and heart. The best communication for change efforts is both rationale and emotional. That’s because some people respond better to numbers and logic and others to anecdotes and stories. Don’t neglect either.

Space Mountain was designed to keep people in the dark. As you develop plans for a new year, don’t let the same be true in your church or ministry.

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Two of my first cars had manual transmission, and I still enjoy driving a stick shift. But if you ask why I enjoy it, I can’t give a good answer other than “it’s fun.” In truth, it doesn’t make sense. An automatic transmission is less work and doesn’t require that I pay attention to the high pitch whine of an engine that is ready for the next gear. Automatics are easier to drive in stop-and-go traffic or when you’re stopped on a hill. My preference isn’t rational, but that doesn’t change my mind.

Change expert John Kotter observes that “the irrational and political resistance to change never fully dissipates.” This reality is incredibly important for pastors and leaders to keep in mind. When preparing for a significant change in a congregation or ministry, we tend to build a case. The case, of course, is based on the rational arguments for why the proposed change is the right course of action. (Hopefully it is also based on trying to discern God’s will.) But building a case is an inherently rational process that assumes a rational audience.

Kotter recognizes that some in the audience are not rational. Or more likely, some are irrational at certain times or on certain topics. I’m not irrational about the benefit of fuel economy in a car. I’ve never said, “I just prefer to drive a gas guzzler.” But logic goes out the window when I think about a stick. 

When leaders rely on logic, they deal with resistance by doubling down on their case, trying to make their arguments even more convincing. That is a frustrating and ineffective strategy for all involved. The better strategy is often to let the irrational person state their preferences, making sure that they feel heard before a decision is finalized. 

This leads to one other important aspect of Kotter’s statement. If the irrational resistance never fully dissipates, then leaders shouldn’t wait to get everyone on board when making difficult choices. It will never happen. So create space for dissenting opinions, even when they’re not rational, but don’t hold your breath waiting for every single person to agree with the consensus. That would be irrational. 

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I have written previously about the important role that urgency plays in organizational life. Most churches and ministries are inherently resistant to change, and without urgency they readily accept the comfort of the status quo. 

So while urgency is important, not everything is urgent. A recent headline reminded of this truth: “Indiana dispatcher helps boy who called 911 about homework.” The 10-year old boy was having trouble adding fractions, and since his parents weren’t home, he called 911 for help. On the other end of the line, a kind 911 operator who liked math was glad to help.

While the story may be unique, the underlying issue is not. How often has someone come to you with an “urgent” problem that they wanted you – the leader – to fix? A person is concerned about the theology being taught in a class. Or an upcoming event isn’t being given enough publicity. Or a family is considering leaving the church because they’re unhappy with the youth ministry. 

Just like the boy who couldn’t add fractions, the issue seems urgent to the person that brings it to you. But is it urgent for your church or ministry? Should you rearrange your priorities doing to deal with it? Probably not. 

And yet, leaders often allow these issues to hijack their days. It’s difficult to keep from being sucked into someone else’s urgency, especially when they’re looking you in the eyes and asking for (or demanding) your attention. 

So what should you do in these cases? First, try to take a deep breath and slow down. Give your brain time to think about what you’ve heard. Does the issue truly require immediate attention and are you the one to give that attention? As you think about this, you may decide to:

• Encourage the person to solve the problem on their own. “You should talk to the teacher about your theology concerns.”
• Redirect the person to someone else. “Have you talked to the youth director about the family in question?”
• Deal with the concern at a later time and/or limit the time you spend on it.
• Tell them you understand their concern, but you don’t see this as an urgent issue. “I’m sorry that you’re unhappy with the publicity, but I believe we have a good process for making these decisions.”

At the end of the day, you get to decide whether you’re dealing with fractions or with a real 911 issue. 

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As you might guess, I travel quite a bit in my work. The hotel brand where I stay most frequently almost always has the same bathroom fixtures. But the interesting thing is that even with the same hardware, getting the water to my ideal temperature requires turning the shower handle different amounts in each room. 

One of the jobs of a leader is to create urgency, or said another way, to turn up the heat. This has been said in a variety of ways by leadership experts. Max DePree’s famous statement is that “the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.” John Kotter says, “Conducting business as usual is very difficult if the building seems to be on fire.” People are only willing to make difficult changes when they are confronted with a reality that falls short of their ideal.

So what does this have to do with the showers in hotels? Everything. One of the challenges in creating urgency – turning up the heat – is that the same picture of reality will elicit a variety of responses from people. For some, a small dose of reality is all that’s needed to spur them to action. Others will argue that “things aren’t that bad” or that the picture you’re presenting is inaccurate. They need much more heat before they’re willing to change.

Of course, you can’t individualize the temperature setting for each person in your congregation. So what can you do?

• Work individually with core leaders. In small groups or 1-on-1, you can tailor your approach with skeptical individuals, listening to their concerns and responding appropriately. 
• Encourage those who “get it” early to spread the message. The best advocates are often volunteers who are not paid to create urgency. Their influence can be a powerful voice for change. 
• Be patient. It usually takes a little while for the shower water to warm up, and the same will be true for people in your church. 

Two final thoughts from the shower. First, if you turn up the heat too much or too fast, you (not your congregation) are likely to get burned. But second, don’t leave the water on the cold setting due to the fear of getting burned. That only results in a miserable shower and a frustrated leader.

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Consider whether you agree with the following two statements: “Churches need to innovate in order to reach their God-given potential.” “Conflict in a church is a sign that we’re doing something wrong.”

Many church and ministry leaders would affirm both of these statements. Even if they don’t verbally agree, their behavior indicates belief. They will talk about starting new programs in order to be more effective. And they will be surprised and disappointed when they encounter resistance or conflict. 

So now consider a third statement: “For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate.” This quote from leadership expert Margaret Heffernan captures the tension between the first two statements. You can’t have true innovation without some level of disagreement. Organizations are collections of people, and each person brings their own unique personality, abilities, and experiences to the table. Any discussion is bound to produce differing perspectives about the best path forward.

So what’s the solution? Some leaders move toward an autocratic style that minimizes the involvement of others in decisions and squelches dissenting views. That won’t produce good ideas or true innovation. On the other end of the spectrum, ministry leaders may opt for peace at all costs. This tends to produce an artificial harmony and an organization that is unable to make any meaningful changes.

The better solution is to accept that conflict is necessary and learn how to manage it. How can you do this?

• Talk with your leadership team(s) about the positive side of conflict.  Help them see that “good conflict” is not an oxymoron.
• Establish norms for how people interact when they have different opinions.
• When conflict occurs, don’t intervene to stop it, but step in if someone’s behavior crosses a line.
• Encourage the quieter voices, especially those with different perspectives, to speak up.
• Become more aware of your anxiety when conflict occurs so that you can respond in healthy ways. 
• Debrief after a conflict so that the team is able to express concerns, learn how others felt, and handle it better the next time.

Conflict will never be easy, but with intentionality and hard work, it can be good.

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• Acknowledge their existence – leaders who think gaps are “bad” may ignore them, but that doesn’t make the problem go away.
• Understand their cause – superficial analysis of a gap rarely leads to the meaningful insight that can come from a deeper dive.
• Prioritize what is most important – gaps are all around, so leaders must decide which ones deserve attention.
• Act to close the gap – effective leaders then develop plans and take action to close the gaps that matter.