A major problem that is often encountered in the world of the institutional church is that we must deal with bureaucracies that require rules, order and established patterns of behavior that do not fit the rapidly changing world in which we live. Therefore, the struggle for many leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ is to lead their people to minister with effectiveness to a world that is often different from the one these Christians are involved in when they attend their local congregation. Let me suggest that perhaps the answer lies in how the Lord Jesus Christ brought change to the world He encountered.  

The word bureaucracy has in its basic meaning the “rule of the office or the desk”. Patterns and policies are established that are to be followed in order to make life orderly and sensible. Yet we know that an orderly life is often the exception rather than the rule and such order does not reflect people living with the chaos of life. In fact Jesus modeled this by not having an office or an established place of work. His methods reflected his message. His office was a mobile one that in essence traveled with as He spent time with individuals, small groups and crowds. In other words, unlike the religious leaders of his day, who were identified with the temple or the synagogue, his office moved with Him since his focus was on dealing with people in their contexts of life. I think if Jesus were with us today we would see Him ministering with a Bluetooth in his ear spending time both talking and texting while continually on the move. (Unlike us, He would also know when to jettison such tools for resting, relaxation and communion with the Father.)  

The point is not about offices. The point is that we must engage our culture, ministering to people in ways that provide meaning and hope as they seek to have life make sense. This often means breaking the old bureaucratic models of ministry. We cannot wait for people to come to us and fit into our systems. Rather we need to create a multiplicity of methods and venues in which to communicate the unchangeable Good News to the people who do come to us or to those we seek out.  

In one sense transformation is about taking the truth that was communicated with relevance and effectiveness to one generation and finding new ways to communicate that same truth with relevance and effectiveness to this generation. The forms in which the truth was communicated in the past must change while the essential message remains untouched. The willingness, understanding and commitment to doing this are what enable older established congregations to both change and again become healthy in order to grow.  

Those involved in establishing new congregations are forced to think the same way if their new works are to not only survive but thrive and grow. One common trait for transformational pastors and church planters is the willingness to read the culture and forge new ways to take the “old message” to their current generation. The biggest difference today as opposed to even thirty years ago is that what worked last year may not work this year.  

Whether we are comfortable with it or not, we live in a culture where rapid change is a constant. Our challenge is not being open to change but being open to changing rapidly.