The “Seven Magic Words”…And What To Do About Them

By Aaron Brittain

As a general rule, churches are not good at change. Like many groups, churches tend to display an institutional resistance when change or adaptation is required. This resistance is famously summed up in the “seven magic words” – “we’ve never done it that way before.” This popular justification is offered by many folks in the church when they are faced with the prospect of change. It is also a phrase with which most pastors I know, including myself, are more than familiar.

The challenge for ministry leaders is to implement change while at the same time being mindful of this institutional resistance. It is not an easy balance to maintain, and more than one minister or church has been overwhelmed by the task. And yet, the reality is that change is an inevitable and necessary part of life, particularly for a dynamic, living community of God like the church. Here are a couple observations that may help in striking an appropriate balance:

1. Start small.

Remember that not all change is created equal. There is a vast difference between picking out new curtains for the fellowship hall and deciding to relocate the sanctuary building. Most pastors I know are overly ambitious and optimistic about the scale of change that is possible in a local church. Ministerial leaders, called by God, are often idealistic and see things in absolute terms. In and of itself, this is not a bad thing, but it can lead to unrealistic expectations if the minister is not careful.

Therefore, when implementing change, it is sometimes helpful to begin with smaller changes first. Think about the things that you think God is calling the church to change in the next five years. Now, think about what needs to be changed this year. What needs to be changed this month? What needs to be changed this week? Keep in mind that big changes are often the culmination of many small changes that have been made over the years. If those small changes have been rushed or handled poorly, then the chances are high that the congregation will be less willing to trust you with larger, more significant changes.

The keyword here is patience. Change is always incremental. In the Old Testament, the people of God wander around in the wilderness for forty years. In the Gospels, it takes a long time for the disciples to “get” what Jesus is doing. I think that many ministers think of change in the same way they view conversion — as a dramatic, one time event. However, the reality is that change (and conversion) frequently occurs in small, quiet ways over time.

2. Change is not something out-of-the-ordinary.

One of the most common mistakes that ministers make when it comes to implementing change is in setting up false dichotomies. For example, one dichotomy might be “change is good vs. tradition is bad.” Another might be “if you want change, you’re for the future; if you don’t, you’re stuck in the past.”

Notice that I call these dichotomies false. That’s because change and tradition are not polar opposites. A person can be for the past and for the future at the same time. Many ministers who talk about change in these dualistic ways are setting themselves up for disaster. Instead, why not openly acknowledge that both change and tradition are good things in the life of the church? Setting up change as an either/or proposition tends to alienate and divide folks rather than building a consensus. Making people feel like they have to decide between two false choices causes unnecessary conflict over change.

A much better way to view change is to see it as an on-going process. When church folks use the seven magic words, they usually do so out of fear or anxiety that things will be different. So, it may be helpful for ministers to point out that there have been other times in the life of the church when things were different. Not everything the church currently does has always been that way. Change is ever present, whether or not folks in the pews realize it.

The irritating thing about the statement “we’ve never done it that way before” is that it assumes that church life has remained unchanged since time began. But that is invariably untrue. At some point in the past, the order of worship was different. At some point in the past, new buildings were built. And helping people take this long view of change relieves anxiety that change is going to disrupt the “normal” pattern of events. In truth, the “normal” pattern of events is always undergoing revision. When ministers are intentional about the way they implement change, suddenly change and tradition no longer seem at odds. In fact, yesterday’s change has become today’s tradition.

Implementing change will always be an important part of a minister’s job. But there are ways to go about it that reduce the level of anxiety for all parties involved. Instead of giving up or going ballistic next time you hear the seven magic words, try these simple steps in making change a positive force in your congregation.

Rev. Aaron Brittain grew up in Douglasville, Georgia. He received his undergraduate degree at Berry College in Rome, Georgia, where he double-majored in Religion and International Studies. Following college, Aaron received his Masters of Divinity from the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Aaron has been on staff at churches in Georgia and Virginia. He has served as the Pastor of Park View Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia, since January 2005.