by Walt Brock

Someday I will find out for sure. I have often wondered whether or not Moses spent forty years tending sheep for Jethro because he got ahead of God or because God was training Moses to lead the Israelites across the desert. I am sure of one thing: the change that Moses wanted to initiate by defending the Jews against the cruel taskmasters of Egypt was obviously God’s will eventually but was not His will when Moses was forty. After Moses’ sin of killing an Egyptian, he had to wait a third of his life for God to reveal that it was time to move. The trouble was that by then Moses was set in his ways and did not want to upset the status quo. How much like me he was—wanting to move and change when the Lord is in the “wait mode” or satisfied and complacent when the Lord is in the “move now mode.” How to tell the difference and to follow God’s leading is the real challenge for the Christian leader or manager.

About a decade ago, our ministry was at a crossroads. Our choices were to keep doing what we were doing—and doing quite well—or to “pull the trigger” and take a big step by faith, changing forever the way we were doing things in our ministry. I can remember the agony our leadership team went through trying to determine what to do. About that time, I came across an article in a leadership newsletter. I added to it considerably and presented it to our board. We discussed each of the ten questions below and the answers to them. The question of should we make the change and if so, how, was becoming clearer and clearer. In the end, the answer was so simple that we wondered what the big deal had been all about. The only reason it was simple was that we had done our homework and had real answers to the questions. I remember using the verses listed as a devotion at the beginning of the board meeting where we made the final decision based on real, honest, and complete answers to the questions.

Remember that answering these questions is all predicated on the fact that you are already in a ministry God has called you to and that you are seeking to do ministry better.

Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
Proverbs 20:18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
Proverbs 21:5 The thoughts [plans] of the diligent tend [lead] only to plenteousness [advantage]; but of every one that is hasty only [surely] to want [disadvantage].

If your ministry is contemplating change, managers should ask the following questions:

1. Is real change necessary, or do you only need a moderate change? Why are you in ministry? Will you be able to accomplish your purpose if you do not change? Will you survive if you do not change?

2. Is there a need for a shift in tactics? Evaluate the methodologies you use to accomplish your purpose. Sometimes what used to work well is now just limping along. Can you better accomplish your purpose with a shift in strategy?

3. Who will really benefit from the proposed change? What are your motivations? Are you considering change simply because others have changed and you want to be well thought of? Are the benefits really for others, or does your ego get pumped by a new building? Will those you minister to really be better off with the change? Do you really know? Do you have enough good information? Is it honest information?

4. What part does pride play? Is this really for you or for those you serve? Is this what you want or what others want? Are the real needs being addressed?

5. What were you doing before? Do you know why good people in the past decided to do it this way? Understanding the why of yesteryear will often tell what things you can or cannot change without affecting your core beliefs and purpose. Failure to understand why often leads to the opposites of timidity or recklessness—either of which can destroy a ministry’s purpose.

6. What about the way you have done things in the past? Do you never want to change? The issues of tradition and innovation must be balanced; either one alone will spell ineffectiveness.

7. Has the homework really been done? Have you really and honestly done due diligence? Is the need real? Are the finances there? Will it hurt or help the accomplishment of your purpose? Can you get the necessary permits? Can your staff handle the extra burden? Have you really prayed over this decision?

8. Does your leadership agree that your biblical foundation and core values are being followed? This goes much deeper than the previous questions—can change be made with the context of your beliefs without undermining the truth of God’s Word? It is the duty of leadership not only to get good answers to the previous questions but also to make sure that change does not change the core of what and who you are and why you are doing it.

9. Is the timing right? Is it in God’s thelemic will? Is your leadership understanding and sensitive to God’s leading and timing?

I have always found that what God desires to get done, He will in some way make possible financially. A ministry needs to think long and hard here concerning the advisability of going into debt. That can change the whole focus of the ministry if it is not in the Lord’s will. Like other aspects of trying to make things work, I have found here that if I force things so that I can do it myself, the Lord will leave it all in my hands, a burden much too heavy for me.

10. How will you go about sharing the need with others in order to see God provide and do His work for His honor and glory (Nehemiah 6:16b)? Remember to give God the glory (credit); and remember that a plan is not a plan until it has been shared (Nehemiah 2:17–18), organized (Nehemiah 3), and put into action (Nehemiah 4–6).