\u201cThe only constant in life is change.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n
We know this is true. Our bodies are constantly changing (not always in the ways we want them to), our external circumstances shift, our relationships evolve, and even our perspectives can change over time.<\/span><\/p>\n In my own experience, I\u2019ve been on a leadership team in three churches that have all undergone some degree of change. All three recognized that change was necessary, for one reason or another. And they each coped differently with the invitation to change. As we know, change is always an ongoing process; these churches are all continuing to undergo different metamorphoses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For leaders, change is not just something to navigate\u2014it\u2019s something to steward. Leadership is a continuous process of becoming, marked by seasons of growth, challenge, and loss. [1] The most effective leaders are not those with superhero-like control, but those who shape a culture of trust, integrity, and humility.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe work of leadership is\u2026 physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. It requires strength of character, an ability to make tough decisions, and a determination to remain true to core values against the tide of popularism\u201d [2]\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The invitation of leadership is not about accumulating power but about using influence with integrity. That core idea from Karise Hutchinson in the journal <\/span>Illuminaire<\/span><\/i> [3] is one I wish I\u2019d learned years ago. As I reflect on it now\u2014the concept of influence as a way to shepherd people through change\u2014I see how I can begin to assist change through influence in my current position.<\/span><\/p>\n So how can leaders walk through seasons of (sometimes challenging) evolution with wisdom and grace? It starts with understanding why change is not just inevitable\u2014but necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n Throughout Scripture, we see that God is in the business of transformation. He called Abraham into an unknown future (Genesis 12:1-4), led Moses and the Israelites through a wilderness of change, and transformed Saul into Paul, reshaping his entire mission (Acts 9). When we follow Jesus, we must also be willing to be transformed, becoming more like Him.<\/span><\/p>\n Both personally and organizationally, change can be disruptive, even threatening. But it is necessary because it is usually the path to growth, renewal, and greater impact. Jesus spoke about this principle in John 15:2: \u201cEvery branch that bears fruit, He [the Father] prunes, that it may bear more fruit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In his book, <\/span>The Master of Change<\/span><\/i>, Brad Stulberg writes, \u201cA central narrative in our culture urges us to seek stability, yet this doesn’t reflect the reality that change is constant\u2014and that, with the right skills, it can be a dramatic force for growth.\u201d [4]\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Stulberg goes on to explain that change itself is neutral; its impact is determined by our perspective and, especially, by our actions in response to it. We tend to \u201cresist change in order to maintain stable, relatively constant internal environments.\u201d [5]\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That constant, stable environment is called <\/span>homeostasis<\/span><\/i>. Stuhlberg proposes that instead, we can embrace <\/span>allostasis<\/span><\/i> which, almost paradoxically, represents stability achieved through change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Allostasis involves a cycle of order, disorder, and reorder, suggesting that healthy systems can return to stability, albeit in a new form. We are perpetually navigating this cycle. Our ability to achieve stability amidst change lies in how effectively we manage this process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Recovery means progressing forward with an increased capacity to handle distress, highlighting the importance of adaptability and flexibility. Paul demonstrated adaptability when he said, \u201cI have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some\u201d (1 Corinthians 9:22).<\/span><\/p>\n Leaders who resist change\u2014whether out of fear, comfort, or attachment to the past\u2014risk stagnation for both themselves and the people they serve. Leaders who refuse to adapt will eventually become ineffective. The world moves forward whether or not we are ready.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Most importantly, when confronted with inevitable change, we can reflect on the fact that <\/span>God may be calling us to something even greater.<\/span><\/i> I keep coming back to this thought, for encouragement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Staying the same can feel safe, but God\u2019s call is rarely about comfort or safety. More often, He invites His people into the unknown, requiring faith and dependence on Him. The disciples had to leave behind everything they knew to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:19-20). Likewise, leaders must be willing to step into uncertainty with faith.<\/span><\/p>\n Great leadership is not about clinging to what is familiar but about faithfully walking the path God has set before you.<\/span><\/p>\n A humble leader sees change not as a threat but as an opportunity to grow alongside their people. It requires some level of vulnerability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHumility is powerful because it allows you to treat others well and with respect. It is real, not perfect. It inspires trust and helps to build bridges as you try to connect the dots between who you were, who you are, and who you are becoming\u201d [6]\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Jesus exemplified this in His leadership. Though He had every right to claim power, He chose to lead with humility and service: \u201cWhoever wants to be first must be your servant\u2014just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve\u201d (Matthew 20:26-28).<\/span><\/p>\n As leaders, our role is to help others grow and flourish, and change is necessary for this growth.\u00a0 In his book <\/span>Strong and Weak,<\/span><\/i> Andy Crouch writes,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We are meant to flourish, not just to survive, but to thrive; not just to exist, but to explore and expand\u2026 To be fully alive would connect us not just to our own proper human purpose but to the very heights and depths of divine glory. To live fully, in these transitory lives on this fragile Earth, in such a way that we somehow participate in the glory of God\u2014that would be flourishing. And that is what we are meant to do. [7]\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Approaching change with humility reminds us that we are all fragile. Participating in change means being willing to take a risk that we will be hurt. As Crouch points out, that risk requires humble vulnerability. He adds, \u201cIf we want to be agents of transformation in the world, we must be willing to bear the burden of <\/span>visible<\/span><\/i> authority with <\/span>hidden<\/span><\/i> vulnerability\u2026 [Only in this way, at the right time] will we bear the image of the most transformative human being the world has ever known.\u201d [8]\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Humility shifts the focus from control to empowerment<\/b><\/p>\n Humble leaders don\u2019t hoard power\u2014they equip others. True leadership is not about maintaining authority but about empowering people to reach their full potential. [9]\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Indeed, Jesus led with <\/span>ultimate authority<\/b> and <\/span>deep vulnerability<\/b>\u2014washing His disciples\u2019 feet, grieving openly, and ultimately laying down His life (John 13, Philippians 2:5-8).<\/span><\/p>\n Leaders who hold both authority and vulnerability create environments where people trust them enough to move through change with confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n Trust is the currency of leadership, and without it, change efforts fail. Hutchinson writes, \u201cInfluence cannot be obtained without trust.\u201d [10]\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n People won\u2019t embrace the discomfort of change unless they feel their leader is trustworthy and has everyone\u2019s best interests in mind. Deep trust takes time; it is cultivated through consistency, integrity, and care.<\/span><\/p>\n Hutchinson explains that research identifies<\/span> four pillars of trust:<\/b><\/p>\n When there is enough trust built up, leaders can guide people through transition.<\/span><\/p>\n You see, many leaders assume people resist change itself. But what they truly resist is the pain of <\/span>loss<\/b>\u2014the loss of familiarity, control, or comfort. Change is external, but transition is internal, requiring people to let go of the old before they can fully embrace the new. Instead of resisting change, leaders encourage people to grow through the process of discovering something new.<\/span><\/p>\n This mirrors how faith works\u2014our security is not in <\/span>what stays the same<\/b> but in God, who walks with us through every transition (Isaiah 43:19).<\/span><\/p>\n When faced with disorienting change, leaders\u2019 most important responsibility is to offer and encourage a sense of <\/span>hope<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n In <\/span>Rising Hope<\/span><\/i>, we read: \u201cHope is not just an idea. It is not simply an emotion. It is far more than a feeling. It is not a wish or even an expectation. Hope is about goals, willpower, and pathways.\u201d [12]\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Paul also emphasizes this biblical hope: <\/span>\u201cMay the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him\u201d<\/span><\/i> (Romans 15:13). Leaders are called to be <\/span>carriers of hope<\/b>, guiding people toward a future that is not just different\u2014but better.<\/span><\/p>\n By acknowledging loss, balancing authority and humble vulnerability, and offering real hope, leaders become <\/span>true shepherds<\/b>\u2014guiding people through the uncertainty of change, through internal transitions, and toward a flourishing future.<\/span><\/p>\n “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).<\/b><\/p>\n 1 – Karise Hutchinson, \u201cLeadership in the power of influence. The problem with power\u201d, <\/span>Illuminaire<\/span><\/i>, Vol. 1 (2024), 11.<\/span><\/p>\n 2 – Hutchinson, 10.<\/span><\/p>\n 2 – Hutchinson, 11.<\/span><\/p>\n 4 – Brad Stulberg, <\/span>Master of Change; How to Excel When Everything is Changing\u2014Including You.<\/span><\/i> (NY: Harper Collins Publishers, 2023), 3.<\/span><\/p>\n 5 – Stuhlberg, 5.<\/span><\/p>\n 6 – Alfred Abolarin, \u201cThe Power of Humility\u201d, <\/span>Illuminaire<\/span><\/i>, Vol. 1 (2024), 44.<\/span><\/p>\n 7 – Andy Crouch, <\/span>Strong and Weak; Embracing a Life of Love, Risk, and True Flourishing<\/span><\/i>. (Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Press, 2016), 10-11.<\/span><\/p>\n 8 – Crouch, 114.<\/span><\/p>\n 9 – Hutchinson, 15.<\/span><\/p>\n 10 – Hutchinson, 20.<\/span><\/p>\n 11 – Hutchinson, 20.<\/span><\/p>\n 12 – Casey Gwinn, Chan Hellman, <\/span>Hope Rising; How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life. (<\/span><\/i>New York: Morgan James, 2022), xvi.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cThe only constant in life is change.\u201d We know this is true. Our bodies are constantly changing (not always in the ways we want them to), our external circumstances shift, our relationships evolve, and even our perspectives can change over time. In my own experience, I\u2019ve been on a leadership team in three churches that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3396,2967],"class_list":["post-40344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-hutchinson","tag-dlgp03","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/197"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40344"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40346,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40344\/revisions\/40346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Don\u2019t Resist Necessary Change<\/h2>\n
The Role of Humility in Transformational Leadership<\/h2>\n
Building Trust to Manage Transition<\/h2>\n
\n
Leading Toward Hope<\/h2>\n
Reflections for Leaders:<\/b><\/h4>\n
\n
\n
\n