“If someone with fresh eyes were to come into this organization (church), with no emotional attachment, but they’re committed to the Great Commission and they’re committed to leading people into a growing relationship with Christ and committed to reaching unchurched people, what would they change?” -Andy Stanley

I recently heard Andy Stanley ask this thought-provoking question. The staff at VALLEY Christian Church and I have been wrestling with the answers to this question for weeks now, and we are moving toward a complete, top to bottom, reorganization of our church. We’re doing this NOT because things are plateaued or in decline, but because the church is healthier and growing faster than ever before. That is why it is precisely the right time to make these changes. Five years ago, we reorganized, and the church has practically doubled in size since. Over the last five years we have added new staff and new ministries to how the church functioned in the summer of 2007.

Churches (just like any organization) become more and more complex and inefficient over time (no matter what size they are). They get into ruts and ways of doing ministry and lose sight of the clear mission and purpose of the church. It is for this reason, because things are going so well, that we need to put everything we’re doing under a microscope, ask some really hard question and discover the good things we are doing that are keeping us from the GREAT things we should be doing!

I’ve spent the month of May preparing myself for leading the staff, then our leadership and finally our church family through these wonderful and significant changes that will allow us to reach more unchurched people and make more mature followers of Christ. Personally, I’ve never been more excited about what God is doing at VALLEY, and that’s saying a lot after 22 years as a pastor there! Over the next few posts, it’s my hope to share more about the process we are on and some of the conclusions we arrive at. In the meantime, any and all prayers on our behalf are greatly appreciated. One thing for sure, following Christ is NEVER boring!