I got on my computer this morning to see that Facebook had changed the newsfeed layout again. As always, the changes had only been in effect a short time and there were already plenty of critics.
By now, some of you have been holding meetings for a month and you may be noticing that there are some things that need to change. Maybe it’s the way you welcome new people, the style of worship, or even the person leading worship that needs to change. I’ve talked before about how we should be constantly reevaluating our ministries and making necessary changes to get better. There are likely to be some naysayers, but if they can’t provide a good enough reason for why the costs outweigh the benefits then don’t be afraid to make the change.
The point I’m trying to make is that while Facebook will always make people angry when introducing changes they continue to do it and people eventually adapt. They are consistently asking, “How can we make this better?” In all the changes they have made over the years they haven’t lost numbers – they have only continued to grow. In fact, Facebook now has over 750 million active users. They definitely make the case that if your product is good enough making changes won’t drive anyone away. I hope that as a leader God is giving you vision, which sometimes means realizing what is best for your group before the students do. Don’t be afraid to change – even if it is only a month into the new year.
The one exception to this is making major changes that could greatly effect freshmen. They probably do not yet have the same attachment to your group that others do due to their limited involvement at this time. If you’re looking to make one of those types of changes you may want to hold off for another month or so.