Aging, transfers in and out, births, and deaths make familiar programs inappropriate, ineffective, and call for new programs and activities. Communities also under-go shifts of population and age. Areas once known for first homes and young families change into communities of retired people in twenty years. The highly needed and praised day care program of yesterday may not be needed today. Our context for doing ministry is constantly changing around us.
Healthy congregations are sensitive and responsive to the change.
The early warning signs for reshaping a congregational ministry are stability in programs and activities that had been growing. The cost of ignoring the stability is decline. The cost of ignoring the beginning of decline is serious decline and death. This flies in the face of our desire to continue forever every program and tradition that has served us in the past. Business as usual inevitably leads to less business as usual.