The church is embarking on a revolution of change that has not quite caught its own momentum but is quickly catching up with itself. As culture is changing, people are living differently and approaching their involvement with the church differently. With the expansion of technology and the breakdown of social barriers, people are approaching their walk of faith in ways that are demanding the church to adjust or find themselves facing extinction. History shows that as culture goes through stages of metamorphosis, the church always endures and lives on, however it also shows that not every local establishment of the church endures. Those who can adjust and become malleable to the ebbs and flows of culture remain viable and effective at advancing the Kingdom of God.
In order to effectively remain influential in a changing culture, churches need to have a culture that is inviting to change and intentional about having a positive attitude toward the uncertainty change introduces (Northouse, 2012). But this requires more than faith, it also requires the hard facts of science and research to increase success potential.
Any ministry leader can set a vision and inspire passion among congregants to chase a goal, but this doesn’t mean the vision and goal are achievable. Unless the Holy Spirit is giving clear and specific direction, faith will not be enough for ministry success. This is where the science of ministry trends, human behavior, and leadership acumen play a part. Leaders get people moving (Kouzes & Posner, 2012) forward, but in order to effectively move them forward it is important to understand how human behavior and the effectiveness of ministry tools and models. When these scientific elements are coupled with a people of faith willing to accomplish what the Holy Spirit is directing, then anything is possible.
References
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2012). The leadership challenge: how to make extraordinary things happen in organizations (5th ed). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: theory and practice (6th ed). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
