The pastor must build the case for needed change by communicating the differences between the churches current state and the desired state. Then, the pastor must affirm the members ability to change. To accomplish this, the pastor uses persuasive communication, engages members in learning activities, and manages external information to support the message. Obviously the credibility, integrity, trustworthiness, and expertise of the pastor are essential. Moreover, the leader must assess the readiness of the group and the urgency of the situation to know which of these influential strategies to employ.
Fundamental change takes time.
Therefore, the pastor must continue to communicate with and influence members so that they are ready for change throughout the process. In the late 80s, Calvary Church of Souderton was a traditional, forty-year old evangelical church in the greater Philadelphia region. Sunday morning attendance wavered around four hundred and was falling. One year after the senior pastor resigned, Meredith Wheeler, the thirty-something youth pastor, was appointed to take his place. At that point, everyone knew that things were going to change.