Baptist Pastoral Ministry, Missions, and Church Leadership — Unit 4: Leading Change in a Congregational Church

Key Verse

"Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established." (Proverbs 15:22, NKJV)

Learning Objectives

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Distinguish what a church must never change (the gospel, the authority of Scripture, the ordinances) from what it may change (methods, schedules, forms).

2. Explain why change in a Baptist church must be decided by the congregation, using Acts 6 and Acts 15.

3. Describe a step-by-step way to lead a church through change.

4. Explain why people resist change and how a pastor responds with patience and respect.

5. Answer the objections that the pastor should lead without a vote, that tradition should never change, and that change brings compromise.

The Voice of This Course

This course is written from inside the Baptist tradition, for Baptist pastors. It is conservative in doctrine and practical in purpose. Where Baptists differ among themselves we say so, state each view fairly, and give the answer most conservative Baptists would give. Church government is taught in Course 3; here we ask how a pastor actually leads a church that governs itself.

Two Kinds of Change

Not everything in a church may be changed, and not everything must stay the same. A pastor who cannot tell the difference will either damage the church or paralyze it.

What must not change. Jude 3 urges believers to contend earnestly for "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." The gospel, the deity and saving work of Christ, the authority of the whole Bible, the two ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and the church's basic character as a fellowship of believers are not ours to adjust. Paul wrote that even an angel from heaven must be rejected if he preached another gospel (Galatians 1:8). Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. No vote of a church can change what He has said.

What may change. Many things are not commanded by Scripture: the time of the service, the order of worship, the style of music, the language used, the arrangement of classes, the building, the form of the budget. On these the church uses wisdom. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for holding to human traditions while leaving aside God's commandment (Mark 7:8-9). Paul changed his methods to reach people: he became "all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22). At the council of Jerusalem the church decided not to put the Jewish custom of circumcision on Gentile believers (Acts 15:19-20, 28).

The pastor's first question is therefore always: Does Scripture command this, or is it left to our wisdom? If Scripture commands it, we obey, whatever the cost. If it is left to wisdom, the church decides in love, with attention to the gospel and to the weaker brother (Romans 14:1, 19).

How a Congregational Church Decides

The Baptist church governs itself under Christ (Course 3, Units 1 to 3). Change is therefore not the pastor's decision alone. The New Testament pattern is that leaders guide and the whole church takes part.

In Acts 6 a problem arose over the widows. The apostles gave the church a proposal: "seek out from among you seven men of good reputation." The whole multitude chose them (Acts 6:2-5). The leaders proposed and taught; the people acted. In Acts 15 the apostles and elders met, and the decision was carried out "with the whole church" (Acts 15:22). Jesus said that an unresolved offense should finally be told to the church (Matthew 18:17). Paul wrote to the whole assembly at Corinth about discipline (1 Corinthians 5). Churches chose a messenger to travel with the offering (2 Corinthians 8:19).

This does not make the pastor weak. In Acts 6 the apostles gave direction, and in Acts 15 Peter and James spoke with authority. But they did not force the church. The Baptist pattern is: the pastor teaches, the deacons help, the church decides.

Historians and Baptist writers have described this in different ways. Some have called a Baptist church a democracy, because every member has a voice and vote. Others dislike the word and prefer to speak of the rule of Christ, because the church is not seeking what the majority likes. It is seeking what Christ wills. The conservative Baptist answer is that both concerns are right. Every member has a voice, because the Spirit lives in every believer. But a vote does not decide truth. Truth is already given in Scripture. A vote is the church's way of recording that it has heard the Lord and agreed on how to obey Him in matters left to its wisdom. The church should pray, study the Word, talk honestly and then vote, and it should hold the result humbly.

Why People Resist Change

A pastor who proposes a change and meets resistance often thinks that his people are stubborn or worldly. Sometimes they are. More often they are afraid, sad or hurt. A pastor should ask what lies behind the opposition.

• Loss. An older member remembers the weddings, funerals and prayers of thirty years in a room. A change feels like losing a part of his life.

• Fear. Members worry that the church will lose its character, or that they will no longer be needed.

• Past wounds. A previous pastor may have forced a change, and the church remembers.

• Lack of information. Many people hear of a plan from a neighbor and not from the pastor.

• Sincere conviction. The person may believe that the change contradicts Scripture or the church's heritage. He may be right. First Corinthians 13:7 says love "believes all things, hopes all things." The pastor should assume good motives until proved otherwise.

A pastor must also accept that the opposition may have wisdom. Proverbs 15:22 says that plans succeed when there are many counselors. A leader who listens to the cautious will often find that the plan improves.

Nehemiah as a Model

The book of Nehemiah is a good study of leading change. Nehemiah first prayed, and kept praying (Nehemiah 1). He then looked at the broken walls himself, quietly, before saying anything to the people (2:11-16). Only after that did he speak to the leaders and describe the problem. He told them how God had helped him, and they answered, "Let us rise up and build" (2:17-18). In chapter 3 many families and groups were each given a part of the wall, so that the work was shared. When opposition came, Nehemiah prayed and set a watch (chapter 4). When he found unjust treatment among the people, he stopped to correct it (chapter 5). The work was finished, and the people knew that God had done it.

The Pastor's Own Heart

Change begins with the pastor himself. He may be impatient, proud of his own ideas or eager to make a name. Peter tells shepherds to serve "not for dishonest gain but eagerly" and as examples to the flock, and a man who treats a church as a project to be improved has forgotten that it is Christ's flock. Paul asked the Philippians to look not only at their own interests but also at the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4). A pastor who is willing to be corrected, to admit a mistake and to withdraw a proposal that the church is not ready for will earn more trust than one who always wins. Leadership in the church is measured by faithfulness over years, not by the speed of the changes.

A Way to Lead Change

Here is a practical process for a Baptist pastor.

1. Pray and study Scripture. Ask whether the change is needed, and whether Scripture speaks to it.

2. Listen and learn. Know the church's history. Ask older members how the church came to be what it is. A new pastor should wait before proposing large changes.

3. Earn trust first. People accept change from a pastor they know loves them. Visit, serve and be faithful for a long season before you ask for much.

4. Bring the deacons and respected members in early. Present the idea privately and honestly. Ask for their advice. Their questions will improve the plan and their support will help carry it.

5. Teach the reason from Scripture. Preach and teach on the principle behind the change before you bring the change itself.

6. Make a clear, small proposal. Describe exactly what is proposed, what it will cost and how it will be reviewed. Where possible, try the change for a set period before making it permanent.

7. Give time for questions. No one should be surprised at a business meeting. Hold open meetings or home conversations where people can ask honestly.

8. Decide as the bylaws require. Follow the church's procedures (see Course 3, Unit 10). Seek wide agreement, not a bare majority. If a quarter of the church is deeply opposed, it is often wise to wait, listen further and return later.

9. Carry it out and review it. After a few months, ask what is working and what is not. Be willing to adjust.

10. Thank those who disagreed. Remain their pastor and friend. A church that changes without division is a witness to the community.

Do small things first. A church that has seen two or three small changes handled well will trust the pastor with a large one.

Objections and Answers

Objection 1: "A pastor must lead boldly. A vote on everything is slow and weak." Some pastors, and some Baptist churches, prefer a model in which the pastor or a board of elders has wider authority to decide matters of ordinary church life, leaving the congregation the final word only on major matters. Baptists differ over how much to give to leaders, and we do not condemn those who choose another arrangement within the Baptist pattern. But the conservative Baptist answer is that bold leadership is not the same as unilateral control. Peter tells pastors not to be lords over the flock (1 Peter 5:3), and the New Testament shows leaders guiding the church toward decisions that the church shares. The slow pace protects. A decision made with many counselors lasts longer, and unity itself is a good thing worth guarding (Ephesians 4:3). A pastor who is bold in prayer, in preaching and in example will find that the church follows.

Objection 2: "We have always done it this way." Tradition can be a treasure. The old members have kept the church through hard years, and the pastor must honor them. But Jesus warned against letting tradition replace God's commandment (Mark 7:8-9). A good answer is gentle: thank the members for what the old way gave, show that the purpose of the old way is the same as the purpose of the new way, and give time. Never mock the past or the people who made it.

Objection 3: "Changing our methods will lead us into compromise and worldliness." Conservative Baptists have good reason for this worry. Some churches have changed methods and then slowly changed their message, until the gospel and the ordinances were weakened. The answer is to keep the two apart. Methods may change; the message must not. Before accepting any change, ask whether it makes the gospel clearer or less clear, and whether it strengthens obedience to Scripture or weakens it. Paul changed his methods "that I might by all means save some" but never changed the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:22; Galatians 1:8).

Objection 4: "What if a small group blocks every change?" Patience is usually better than a vote forced on a divided church. Teach, listen and pray, and bring the matter again when the church is ready. If the church finally votes against the pastor's proposal, he should accept the result graciously. A pastor who cannot do so in a matter of conscience may in good conscience seek the Lord's leading about his place, but he must not divide the church. Unit 5 deals with conflict.

Pastoral Application

Pastor Carlos (a fictional example) leads a Baptist church of about one hundred and forty. The building is full on Sunday morning, and visitors stand at the back. The deacons suggest adding a second Sunday service. Some members who have worshiped together for decades say they will lose the unity of one gathering.

Carlos prays and meets with the deacons. He listens to the objections for several weeks. He preaches on Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 6:7, showing that growth is a blessing and that the church exists for people who are not yet in it. He suggests a three-month trial of a second service with the whole church gathering together once a month for fellowship and communion. At a business meeting, after open conversations, the church votes, and the large majority agrees. Carlos thanks the members who voted against it by name in private and asks one of them to lead the monthly fellowship. After three months the church reviews the trial and agrees to continue.

Summary

A pastor must first separate what Scripture commands, which no church may change, from matters left to wisdom, which the church may change. In a Baptist church the pastor teaches and guides, the deacons help, and the whole congregation decides, as in Acts 6 and Acts 15. Some call this democracy, others the rule of Christ; the conservative Baptist view is that the church seeks Christ's will in the Word and records it by vote. People resist change because of loss, fear, past wounds, lack of information or sincere conviction, and their counsel may be wise. Nehemiah shows the pattern of prayer, quiet study, shared vision and shared work. A pastor should listen, earn trust, involve the deacons, teach, propose clearly, seek wide agreement, review and thank. Bold leadership is not control, tradition is to be honored but not placed above Scripture, and methods may change while the message does not.

Further Reading

• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (1867), on the church as a self-governing body.

• Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students.

• Course 3, Units 1 to 3 and Unit 10, on church government, associations, business meetings and bylaws.

• Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor (1656).

• Second London Confession (1689), the chapter on the church.

• James Leo Garrett Jr., Baptist Theology (2009), on the church and its government.

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