Five Keys to Transformation

You’ve heard the old joke: “How many ______ (name your denomination) does it take to change a light bulb?” Answer: “None. ________ don’t believe in change.” Funny but points out the biggest challenge for the church—being willing to accept not only change but the necessity of transformation in order to be the church that the world needs today.

In a recent presentation, Peter Hawkins highlighted five keys to organizational transformation in the 21^stcentury. Think about them and how they apply to the church.

First, Purpose led. Purpose is clearly stated, and stakeholders are aligned behind it. What can we uniquely do that the world of today and tomorrow needs? Are we spending too much time on peripheral ideas and not addressing the major needs of our time? We can keep rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic or change the course of the ship before it is too late.

Second, Stakeholder-centeric. We not talking simply about those within the walls of church. Who are the stakeholders in the community, potential partners for Kingdom work? As we minister to those in community, do we listen and learn in the process?

Third, Partnering. If we can partner with stakeholders in our community—those of faith and those of no faith—what we can do will be greater than the sum of all the parts. Can we understand that we are stronger together?

Fourth, Teaming. The greatest impact will come from not only aligning behind a purpose, but understanding what each brings to the table. What can we do together that we could never do separately?

Fifth, Learning. As the pandemic has shown us, those that learn faster and adapt more agilely than the environment around them is changing, will thrive. Are we willing to take risks? Can we accept and learn from our failures?

Transformation is not an easy task. Maya Angelou wrote, “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” Transformation requires sacrifice.

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