Writing a Congregational Story of Change and Transition
“I’m ready for us to not feel like we are in transition.” This sentiment came from a lay leader at a church recently, but is a sentiment I have heard so many times from both clergy and congregations. And each feels like this unique experience of transition is keeping them from moving forward as a congregation.
Those that hired pastors in 2017 to 2019 feel they were just beginning to be settled before covid. Those that have had pastoral transitions since 2020 feel they have not stopped transitioning and pivoting. Many congregations, in light of shifting cultural dynamics, did strategic planning processes after 2016 and feel they have not been able to feel settled enough to enact their plans for the future. Other congregations pushed the normal timelines of decision making because of covid and are now having to make a series of major decisions about multiple worship services, building usage, theological statements and denominational alliances. Others just keep with the narrative that when the economy settles, or when the political climate settles, etc, we will feel settled.
The reality is that we are all experiencing transition and it is not likely to stop anytime soon. We were in a time of cultural change already but covid has changed the way we experience this change and transition, along with adding a layer of physical uncertainty. Business leaders are using the term VUCA, a term that originated in the military, to describe the season we are in, and will be in for at least the next ten years. VUCA stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. See if any of this sounds like it hits for you:
Volatility – Volatility refers to the speed of change in an industry, market or the world in general. It is associated with fluctuations in demand, turbulence. The more volatile the world is, the more and faster things change.
Uncertainty – Uncertainty refers to the extent to which we can confidently predict the future. Part of uncertainty is perceived and associated with people’s inability to understand what is going on. Uncertainty, though, is also a more objective characteristic of an environment. Truly uncertain environments are those that don’t allow any prediction, also not on a statistical basis. The more uncertain the world is, the harder it is to predict.
Complexity – Complexity refers to the number of factors that we need to take into account, their variety and the relationships between them. The more factors, the greater their variety and the more they are interconnected, the more complex an environment is. Under high complexity, it is impossible to fully analyze the environment and come to rational conclusions. The more complex the world is, the harder it is to analyze.
Ambiguity – Ambiguity refers to a lack of clarity about how to interpret something. A situation is ambiguous, for example, when information is incomplete, contradicting or too inaccurate to draw clear conclusions. More generally it refers to fuzziness and vagueness in ideas and terminology. The more ambiguous the world is, the harder it is to interpret.
Any of these would easily be adjusted for in the world. Yet, all four represent distinct elements that make our environment – the world, a market, an industry – harder to grasp and control.
The tendency is to wait to think about the future. It is hard to be intentional about your visioning and planning when you are constantly pivoting. When staff is in transition, when the decisions you postponed during covid are all piling up, when lay leadership is not committed in the ways they were just a few years ago. But all signs say, this season of transition and change we are in will not stop anytime soon. If you wait to get clarity about your future, to get clear about your purpose as a congregation, to redesign the systems and structures and to answer the hard questions, it will be at the detriment to your congregation. Every story that is written continues to build on its past while setting the stage for the future. The story of your congregation is continuing to be written and lived out, even while the ground is not solid.
In the past, a consultant or coach was brought after a time of significant transition was over. Now, rather than a consulting process looking like moving your congregation from one solid place to another solid place, we need to begin thinking of it as a season of spiritual discernment. Gaining clarity about the story your congregation is writing in this season of its life, knowing there have been chapters already written and new ones in the future. What will guide your congregation in the story it is writing now? You cannot wait to get clear about who you are or who your congregation will be in the future. No interesting story is without tension and change. Instead, think of clarity of vision, purpose and goals as leaning into the tension and change your congregation is experiencing. Only then will you story continue to build.
And remember, you aren’t the only congregation whose story is experiencing the change and tension! Reach out to the Center for Congregational Health if we can help your congregation in understanding its present and help in writing the story for the future.