Then, with apparently little notice, the course suddenly changes. Perhaps one of the founding partner retires, or there's a change in the market. Sales begin to drop, morale droops, and fears that the company might go under begin to be whispered by even the most loyal employees. At such times, for the team on the field or the team at work, members try to make some sense out of what is taking place. Not finding easy answers, someone suggests that there needs to be a fresh look at the fundamentals, or the basics of that endeavor.
Runners run more, jumpers jump more, and throwers keep at it a little longer than before.
Slowly the tide begins to turn, the team begins to win again. If it's a business, managers remind each other what it is that the company really does well, and concentrates on that work. Sales people receive fresh training, customer service people are given a little more attention, managers work harder at giving words of encouragement to good workers. The ship that was thought to be heading for the rocks, is now being turned around, optimism returns. This same principle applies to the church.