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Before any step away from the status quo, congregational development thru collaborative learning conversations must happen first.  Challenging the status quo is what I do for a living.  Either I challenge or encourage other people to do it. 

Hence, an effective change process looks likes this:

Collaborative Learning Conversations>Collective Commitment>Collective Efficacy>Changes in Practice>Members See New Learning>Members Have Self-Efficacy = Congregational Development

Collaborative Learning Conversations
Collaborative learning conversations add congregational development where leaders, other than pastor and staff, dialogue about strategy and vision for change in ways that are understandable and contextual.

Create a venue such as a monthly leadership luncheon for leaders to ask "how" and "who" questions.  For instance, "If budget constraints were not part of the equation, how should we do ministry"?  Or, "If we were the only church in this community, who should we contact first"?

Changes In Practice
Changes in practice don't occur until we take the time to talk about who we are now and who we want to be.  notice in the process above that changes in practice happen once we feel collectively effective...we know we can make a difference.

Feeling collectively effective doesn't occur until we are collectively committed to a cause, which doesn't happen until we take the time to have collaborative conversations.  The whole thing is a building process with each step being dependent upon giving your best to the one before...no skipping steps.

I also like the idea of Collective Commitment and Collective Efficacy.  If the leader is committed, it isn't enough.  If the leader feels effetive or one of the members feels effective, it is wonderful but it isn't enough.  

The idea of being collectively committed to a cause and of feeling collectively effective comes as the fruit of a long growing season with careful tending by an observant gardener.

My observation is that organizations don't have enough constructive conversations that are designed for a specific purpose...not venting or complaining...not spontaneous but carefully designed to create positive outcomes.

Are leaders afraid of such conversations?  Do they know what to do after such a conversation?

Barry is Founder and President of Ministry Indicators, www.ministryindicators.com  a consulting group that provides experienced coaching to churches under 1,000 in attendance and ready for renaissance.  He also serves as a consultant for the Missouri Conference of United Methodist Churches.