Jesus and the "C" Word

There is that dreaded "c" word: change.  And the reality that change--these days, exponential change--is the norm.  And the reality that the church is not immune. And the reality that as the church (especially traditional mainline congregations) now comes to grips with what that change must be, comes to grips that the choice not to change is in fact no choice at all, church leaders necessarily become change agents.

If change ain't always pretty, being a change agent can be downright butt-ugly.

Change is hard.  Leading change harder still.  I've been doing a lot of reading in Luke lately, though, and--duh--have been smacked in the face again and again that the ultimate change agent was Jesus Christ.  In the sense that we can divide human history into pre- and post-Jesus, yes.  In terms of redemption and salvation, of being restored to right relationship with the Creator, absolutely.  In preaching Kingdom ethics that turn the ways of the world on their collective head, of course.

But Jesus was the ultimate change agent in another way as well--a way that speaks directly to the challenge of leading change in the mainline church.  Jesus' sabbath-was-made-for-man-man-wasn't-made-for-the-sabbath message in all its manifestations pitted him squarely against an understanding of being church as entrenched, codified, and stratified as any mainline denomination today, posing a threat so severe the only response Church People of the day could muster was kill him.

And in the face of that, Jesus' response was instructive:

• remain faithful to the call God had placed on his life
• speak the truth in love
• have compassion for those who didn't get it
• focus the majority of his personal attention on discipling those who did

In all the resistance to change I've ever encountered, I'm aware of no plots to kill me--yet.  But Jesus' response strikes me as the template for helping to lead change.  Anywhere, but especially in the church.  Faithfulness.  Truth.  Compassion.  Focus.

What does your experience leading change tell you about Jesus' experience leading change?