How to Change a Church Culture

Almost every single youth worker I know is a maverick. They're on the front-lines and taking ground, they're passionate about what they do, and their picture of the future is big. Unfortunately, many of these same youth workers get bogged down in a church or ministry culture that stifles and kills this maverick baditude.  

Creating environments where people feel risky enough to lead and innovate is no easy task – especially when many church environment's have a default setting to minimize or eliminate risk all-together. Further, innovation within an organization that has a “we used to do it this way” mentality or a flat-lining budget will, inevitably, pose the most resistance to change. Yet, these are the churches and organizations whose very lives depend on the maverick attitude of new blood to breathe life and daring into it.

Photo credit: Jeremy Postal

So what do you do if you find yourself in a church or organization that needs change but is afraid or unwilling to do so? You’re the maverick, what do you do?

REMEMBER:

1. It is unlikely that you will effect much or any change from the outside. Lean in, engage deeper, and begin to live and operate differently.
2. The bigger the ship, the slower the change. Small teams and organizations are generally more nimble, act quicker, and learn faster. The larger your church is the longer and more complicated it will be to bring change.
3. Deal with your pride. Humility goes a long way in creating an atmosphere of trust and credibility. People would much rather go with someone through the turbulence of risk, innovation, and change if they are being led in humility and not arrogance.

ACT:

1. Prepare – Do your homework, read Seth Godin’s blog on creating a plan, and find good counsel. Blaine Bartel wrote that “If you sweat in preparation you will not bleed in battle.”
2. Do – After you make the plan, work the plan. Many mavericks are capable of seeing the start line and the finish line but lack the sight, skills, structure, and stamina to work the race. You can’t just be a maverick, you have to do what mavericks do.
3. Evaluate – Measure the results, take notes throughout the entire process, and make sure that you can quantify the positive effect of innovation. Analytics are powerful voices of change around a board or staff table.
4. Improve – Do it again, use what you’ve measured, and take your game to the next level.

QUESTION: What are the biggest road-blocks that youth ministry mavericks face in a church or organization?

Jeremy Postal is the director of Whistler School, a bible and discipleship school based out of beautiful Whistler, BC. He is passionate about building communities of restoration & creativity with Christ as the focus. You can also catch him regularly on his blog at www.jeremypostal.com or connect via Twitter @JeremyPostal.