Years ago, my son took a DNA test to research his ancestry. He shared the interesting results. They said that he was half-Japanese. That shocked his mother because she is Korean—and quite sure he is hers. Not long after, they sent an email telling him they had made a mistake and that he was Korean and not Japanese. If you know the history of the two peoples, you will understand why this mattered.

I find the ads for these tests entertaining. I saw one where a person was sure of their German ancestry, so they wore Lederhosen and celebrated Oktoberfest. Yes, stereotypes are strong in these ads. Well, this person found out they were Scottish. So, he decided to get a kilt and learn to play bagpipes. In the ad, he said, “I want to get in touch with my real culture.” I just yelled at the TV, “That’s not how culture works!” In the old nature or nurture debate, culture is nurture. None of it is encoded in our genes. Even melatonin levels and face shape are not cultural factors. Genetics are things that define our appearance and are unchangeable. For example, genetics determine the shape of my nose. If I break my nose or have surgery on it, the shape may change, but the underlying genetics do not change. In the case of plastic surgery, genetics say, “This is the nose you will have,” while culture says, “This is the nose you need to have.” No matter how you change your appearance and behavior, genetic features do not change.

I once heard a person refer to a church’s DNA as a consideration when making changes. I had never thought of a church having DNA or genetic features, but it lined up with experience. Of course, there is no chain of proteins encoding church features. They are grounded more in culture and past experiences. But genetics and DNA are good metaphors. In each church, there is a tendency to default to certain assumptions, actions, and viewpoints. To make changes, these must be changed—or at least they must be considered. To try to make significant changes before transforming these will lead to problems. If these were established over a long period, they won’t change overnight. Often, they may have been established by beloved people or events. If this is the case, then changes can be seen as a repudiation of that cherished person or a reevaluation of that event. Is what was once considered right and holy now being called wrong and unholy?

One example that might help with this is eschatology, which has caused perhaps more division than most other issues. I have also dealt with it, so I understand. Suppose a pastor led the church for decades and always taught the pre-tribulation view of eschatology. The church people also acquired devotionals, study materials, commentaries, and other tools, which all taught the same view. They listened to radio teachers who did likewise. Taking it even further, they may not even be aware of other interpretations. He will be replaced when that pastor dies, retires, or otherwise leaves. Imagine being the next pastor who does not hold that eschatological view. You are going to have a hard time. You could decide, like many, to never teach the subject. But that doesn’t work. You are a pastor and must teach the Word—all the Word. You could rush headlong into proving your interpretation is correct. That should be fun—if you’re a masochist. I hope pastors understand that changing something so ingrained (almost like a genetic change) will take time. It is going to take time to get them even to consider change. The process is frightening for them. Guess what. The same thing can go for music, furnishing, treatment of visitors, approach to children in the service, and many other things.

If you planted your church, you could ignore most of this. You are laying the genetic code of your church from scratch. You may deal with people joining you from other churches. But they chose to leave and come to you, making them more likely to accept differences. The differences may even be why they came. But I am talking to the pastor who was sent to or called to a church needing change. I have been there many times, so I understand.

The worst advice I ever received was from a District Superintendent of my denomination. I was patient in my church, making changes slowly and carefully, bringing my people along. He told me, “No. You are in the honeymoon stage. You need to force them to do what you know they need to do. They will forgive you in the end.” I was still young in ministry; this was only my second church. I listened to him. Well, they did not change or forgive me, and I was shattered after only two and a half years. I still have nightmares about that church.

Many will hear evolution and stop reading as I speak about changing genetics. For the sake of this discussion, think micro, not macro-evolution. Genetic changes take time. It took time to establish what needs changing, so it will also take time to make those changes. You will not rewire a church and its approach to ministry and the world in a short season. The length of time differs according to the church and the disposition of the people. More flexible people are willing to make changes. Younger people tend to be more open than older. It is just a fact that many older people do not accept change, often because they disagree that change is needed. In one church, we had a closet full of old tech. The church kept it just in case we needed it in the future. Did we need a slide projector? It’s almost impossible to find film. Did we need a reel-to-reel recorder and old magnetic reels? Did we need the old movie projector? I mean, the kind I watched in Elementary school in the 1970s. How about five-inch floppy disks? We also had stacks of VHS and cassette tapes. It took some work, but we found a good home for them.

As an aside, regarding tech, I have one rule I recommend for all pastors. I refuse to use anyone else’s computer when starting at a new church. With the number of pastors addicted to porn and the availability of such material, I avoid their hard drives like the plague. If there is anything immoral or illegal on there, I do not want to be exposed to it, and I don’t want people to think it is mine.

Many features of the church are kept just like old tech. They may not be effective anymore, but they were helpful in the past, so they are held onto. Churches are often more cultural museums than world changers. Changing them takes time, and the process can be challenging. The people are “losing” what they long trusted, and the pastor is trying to bring everyone along. At least a good pastor is trying to bring the people along. Some figure, “If they are going to leave, let them leave.” But is this the attitude of a shepherd?

As we change things, we move through what I call topple points. If you have ever used an old tractor tire to work out, you should understand this. If you move the tire far enough, it will topple forward. If you don’t, it will topple back. If the tire has not moved far enough, all you can do is keep moving. If it is too heavy for you now, you may have to step out of the way and let it return to the floor. In that case, you keep training until you can move it. In a church, you push and lift—in love. At a certain point, if the people are there, the church will “topple forward.” However, if you tried to make too drastic of a move, you may have to swallow your pride, step out of the way, and let the church continue a little longer in its current condition. You then work on other things and eventually return to this change. You may think, “But this change can’t wait! We have to make this change now!” That could be true. It could also be hard-headedness—your own. I’ve found few changes must be made now. There is almost always time to work with the people and bring them along. Remember, it was the church’s people you were called to shepherd. I’ve often said, “God did not call me to drive sheep from the fold.” As you patiently make changes—flipping the tire repeatedly—you will be surprised one day to see just how far you have gone. The church will be changed in ways you may not even comprehend.

There is one thing to keep in mind, though. While you have made changes, genetic changes take longer. Even if a church has been transformed to act and respond in a way different from the DNA, there is always a danger that the old may jump out one day. I learned this the hard way. No matter how much the people and church have changed, under the right (or wrong) circumstances, the old attitude and response may come out and do so with a vengeance. When it happens, it may hurt deeply. People who were singing your praises may suddenly oppose you. Those who were lockstep in the current direction can suddenly stand in the way. You may need to go back and relay the new foundation. It could be that the latest change hits a particularly emotional button. All you can do is “let the tractor tire return to its place” and continue working on other things. By this, I mean it might be necessary to temporarily back off the latest project or change and reestablish the relationships. It could simply be that the people pushing back are feeling overwhelmed. If that is the case, you may have lost sight of them as you moved the church forward.

Of course, there will always be those who refuse to accept changes. I would not recommend letting them run roughshod over the church. The elders are still to lead and not give in to the stiff-necked and hard-headed. Ultimatums are one example of such that should not be tolerated. For instance, I once was told by a church elder, “I don’t like the direction you are taking this church. If you keep taking the church that way, my family and I will leave.” I told him, “I am willing to talk. I am willing to consider options. But if you are giving an ultimatum, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Would I have been so harsh with just any member? No. He was an elder and should have known better. He did not leave.

As you seek to make changes:

• Be patient
• Take the people with you
• Don’t drive out the sheep
• Be ready to reconsider your approach
• Look out for “topple points”