Strommen, The Innovative Church

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Merton Strommen, The Innovative Church: Seven Steps to Positive Change in Your Congregation. Augsburg Fortress, 1997.

Referenced in: Leading Change and Transition

LifeandLeadership.com Summary

This book reflects an Innovation Study based on Howard Davis’ and the National Institute of Mental Health’s 1970s review of the 1,200 best research studies on the factors that must be considered in effecting change. Using these factors, researchers conducted a national survey of 2,261 respondents from 191 randomly selected clubs among five participating youth organizations (e.g. 4-H Extension). They discovered five indicators of an organization’s readiness to change:

  1. An attitude of openness
  2. A listening stance
  3. A strong mission focus
  4. A motivation to improve what is being done
  5. A minimum of internal conflict

Building upon these findings, they devised a seven-step “F.U.T.U.R.E.S.” model for congregational change which is developed fully in this book. The seven steps are:

  1. Free people to participate in effecting change
  2. Unite around needs
  3. Tie innovations to mission and values
  4. Use the input of legitimizers
  5. Rally broad ownership
  6. Engage in action
  7. Sustain the innovations long-term.

This process makes strong use of congregational task-forces to guide the process in such a way that barriers are overcome and churches address the pressing missional issues that surround them. The book contains excellent information on building change-friendly cultures, creating an “inner persuasion” of needs that should and can be addressed, defining and organizing around congregational mission, utilizing key influencers, involving affected constituencies, and implementing viable action plans. Excellent resource.

From the Publisher

Many pastors and lay leaders see that congregations need to change in order to carry out their mission, yet attempts at change are often blocked and resisted. Religious researcher Merton P. Strommen asked the question, “How do churches change?” Using a major grant from the Insitute of Mental Health, Strommen studied the change process in congregations and youth survey organizations across the United States and shares the results in this book.

In The Innovative Church, Strommen analyzes the need for change in congregations, shows why change is difficult, and offers a practical seven-step strategy for innovation. With inspiring stories of congregations that have managed to change well, this much-needed manual on organizational change is ideal for clergy, lay leaders, church councils, and leaders of youth serving agencies and schools.

About the Author

Merton Strommen (PhD, University of Minnesota) is the founder and former president of Search Institute. His publishing credits as author or coauthor include Five Cries of Youth, Five Cries of Parents, Five Cries of Grief, The Innovative Church, and Passing on the Faith: A Radical New Model for Youth and Family Ministry.


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