Lyle Schaller offers his usual candid opinion when he speaks of change: "Anyone seriously interested in planned social change would be well advised to recognize two facts of life. First, despite the claims of many, relatively little is known about change. Second, much of what is known will not work."

Despite his pessimistic outlook, Schaller still encourages leaders to influence the future: "This is the assumption that each of us can learn from the experiences of others, that an anticipatory style of leadership is the most effective style for an era when rapid social change is one of the few constants, and that despite his limitations, man can influence the future."

If understanding change is important for all leaders, it is critically important for pastors of traditional churches. I would imagine that most American churches today fit into the "resistant to change" category. In other words, change can be very difficult in a traditional church.

In this two-part series, we will examine some basic principles for change. Understanding them may help church leaders over many potential hurdles.

A consistent facet of my prayer life is the prayer for wisdom.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James. 1:5).

God-given discernment for a change agent is a requisite. Tough decisions must be made. The promise from God's Word is that He will give us wisdom in all decisions. The value of leadership books and courses pales in comparison to the value of this one promise.

A praying pastor is obvious to the church people. He is dependent on God and demonstrates a humility that comes from dependence. His desire for change is not that he will have his way, but that God's will be done.

Resistant people can become receptive people through the power of prayer. If mountains can be moved through faith and prayer, then churches can become open to change through prayer.

The more church members trust the pastor, the more receptive they will be to change. While several factors influence the level of trust, none is greater than the pastor's love for his people. Such love cannot be contrived; it must be genuine. A pastor must commit to loving his members unconditionally.

It does not take long for that love to be tested. Cantankerous and critical members will try the patience of the most loving pastor. How he responds to these people will a test of both love and credibility. While he may disagree strongly with a member, his response can be couched in prayerful love.

I recently read an analysis of a politician's rapid decline in support and popularity. His re-election chances were almost nil because of his unwillingness to compromise. He insisted on having his way on virtually every issue.

Church leaders must realize that many issues are simply not worth fighting over. One of my mistakes in the past was to make changing the Sunday evening worship a major personal issue. Our Sunday evening attendance was relatively small and had declined in the midst of growth in most all other areas of our church.

That particular time and day was the most unpopular time for a worship service for young families in the church. And since our church was growing younger, the attendance had not improved significantly. Our senior adults, for the most part, did not attend because they did not like driving after dark. Middle-age adults had the strongest ties to the service.

If I had sought God's wisdom on this matter, I feel certain I would not have tampered with Sunday evening service. It was not a battle worth fighting.

If our church members see in us a flexibility and willingness to compromise on minor issues, they are more likely to support us on major issues. Of course, any issue that threatens doctrinal integrity cannot be compromised, but the great majority of battles in churches are not theological.

While I am in a confessional mood, I will share with you another of my "top 20 dumb mistakes."

At one of our monthly business conferences, the staff presented a proposal to increase the budget for $30,000 in needed equipment. The questions and suggestions continued for almost an hour until I stood up, with foot in mouth, and said: "Folks, you called me to be the leader of this church. I wish you would end this discussion and trust us to make the right decision."

The problem was that our proposed purchase was not the best price, and many of our astute business executives knew otherwise. We had consulted no one. My credibility factor took a nosedive that evening.

Several months passed before many key leaders began to trust me again.

A strong leader seeks the wisdom of others. A change agent realizes that his may not be the best way. He admits his mistakes or misjudgments. He is willing to compromise on non-essential items. The effective leader is confident but not arrogant. He has a personality that some might describe as transparent. His confidence is based on his strength in God; his transparency is the result of his willingness to admit his imperfections.

Everyone is a traditionalist to some degree. I take the same route home almost every day. I look forward to seeing my wife and three sons. I even feed our two dogs at the same time daily! Tradition is not bad. Traditionalism, the worship of tradition, is a violation of the first of the Ten Commandments.

We can know we are practicing traditionalism if our traditions interfere with obedience to God. Sometimes traditions must be broken to reach people for Christ or to be more effective in ministry, but many traditions can be affirmed and celebrated. Josh Hunt describes how John Maxwell had affirmed the tradition of the founding pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church, Orval Butcher:

"Rather than positioning himself in opposition to Pastor Butcher's policies, he has characterized himself as fulfilling that lifelong dream that Pastor Butcher wanted for this church."

How has the affirmation of tradition benefited Maxwell? Hunt explains, "Change management will go more smoothly if past, present, and future are seen as a continuum — an ongoing and direct pathway to what God has purposed."