Grounding our efforts in the personal is foundational, according to Rich. While the church cannot solve every person’s problems, we can walk alongside them to more fully understand their lives. This means developing relationships and being transparent with the reality that everyone has their challenges in life. It is, Rich says, not a matter of our being a “hero,” as if we have it all under control, but a guide who will walk with them as they seek to become the heroes of their own lives.
One of the biggest instigators of change in the 21st century is technology. For those with the benefit of many years, technology is something to which we’ve grown accustomed (or tried). But for younger generations, it is the air they breathe; they can’t imagine a time or a life without it. This affects their understanding of the church and their place in it, and consequently, the church has to change in order to be a welcoming space.
A key to becoming such a space is to identify and own your values as a church. What is your congregation known for – and what does it stand for? That may well mean disagreement, but “you can belong and disagree at the same time.” Knowing what you stand for allows you to develop a specific vision for your church’s ministry, a process that Rich walks through in the video.
Rich has been the pastor at FPC Englewood since 2005. After introducing change thinking to the church years ago, and now having lived it many times over, change has become a habit there. “People can get used to change as a constant.”
The Church Development Team has several resources that can help foster change in your congregation. Click here for information on “Who is My Neighbor?” and the “Turn the Page Discernment Process.”
