Conflict that arises in the transitioning process can often find its roots in identity problems. Jesus understood the identity of the people He taught. Jesus' style takes a person from where she is to where she ought to be without losing a sense of identity along the way.1 Those who lead a church through transition need to be aware of this pattern whether it involves a change in programs, facilities, outreach, worship style, preaching, order of service, or even the arrangement of the platform. Process Process describes the underlying flow and dynamics of a congregation. How leadership is exercised and shared, how decisions are made, how communication occurs, how problems are solved and conflicts managed-these are some of the processes that are critical for congregational life.2 Tasks refer to the substance of the organization's life, its purposes and rationale.
Process has everything to do with how goals and changes are accomplished.
The transitioning church needs to consider these four basic elements of the change process. The perfect program in the ideal context may be ineffective if the identity of the people involved is threatened along the way or if ownership is not assumed because the leader was unaware of the formal and informal channels of implementation.