Making changes always involves risk. Risk always takes faith. If it wasn't risky, you wouldn't need faith. The right change is always our friend.

Ask yourself, “Why am I making this change? Will the change that is being made improve the church?”

The presence of obstacles does not determine the correctness of change.

"The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former."

-Alfred A. Montapert

Seek counsel. Find people that have done what you want to do and receive counsel.

• Proverbs 11:14 14: Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
• Proverbs 15:22 22: Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.

When the decision has been made to move forward with the change, avoid negative people.

"Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done and why. Then do it." - Robert Heinlein

Doubters will say “We've never done it that way before, you're going to fail, that's impossible.”
But we say, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12) and “Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

The staff (team) has to be on board with the change and must move forward with adaptability. Good team players have to be willing to adapt with the team. Adaptable people always place a high priority on breaking new ground. People who are not emotionally secure address change with suspicion and rigidity. Non-adaptable people react with fear when a new idea arises.

Adaptable people say; "let's try it, let's go there even if we blow it".

“If it's misty in the pulpit, it's cloudy in the pew.” There has to be clear presentation to the congregation. Communication is not communication until it has been said a thousand times more than you think is necessary, and only then are you beginning to communicate.

Understand that some people may not be able to handle the change and won't go with you. Enter change fearlessly.

Success is like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired, you quit when the gorilla is tired.

Every successful person finds that great success lies just beyond the point when they are convinced their idea is not going to work.

*These are notes from a session with Doug Combs