Change is a natural part of ministry, but it’s rarely easy. You can be excited about a new idea, ready to share it with your team, and still face resistance. I’ve experienced that firsthand. After a youth ministry conference, I was eager to introduce mid-week small groups alongside our Sunday program. I thought it was a great idea, something that would take our ministry to the next level. But my team didn’t share my excitement, and the pushback hit hard.
Looking back, I realize I hadn’t thought through how to communicate the “why” behind the change or whether the timing was right. I was still new in ministry, less than a year in, and navigating that kind of resistance wasn’t easy. But it taught me a valuable lesson: sometimes, resistance isn’t about the change itself—it’s about how, when, and why you present it.
THE PUSHBACK
When my team wasn’t on board, my first instinct was to push harder, thinking maybe I hadn’t explained it well enough. So, I repeated my idea, trying different words, but it didn’t work. The more I talked, the more resistance I encountered. Eventually, I stepped back and took time to rethink how to approach the situation.
At the time, I felt pretty alone in my excitement for the idea. But the truth is, resistance doesn’t mean your idea is wrong or bad. It just means you might need to approach things differently. In my case, I learned that trying to address the whole group at once wasn’t the best way to introduce change.
BUILDING SUPPORT ONE CONVERSATION AT A TIME
After reflecting on the pushback, I realized that I needed to have more personal, one-on-one conversations to build support for the change. I started connecting with a few key people—those who were open to thinking outside the box. They gave me feedback and helped me process how to present the change to the larger group.
These conversations weren’t just about refining the plan. They also gave me a chance to be vulnerable and share both my excitement and my concerns. By the time we presented the idea to the rest of the team, I had people in my corner who could affirm the plan and speak on my behalf. It wasn’t just me pushing for the change anymore—there was a shared vision, and that made all the difference.
LAYING A FOUNDATION WITH A LEADERSHIP TEAM
One of the biggest lessons I took away from that experience was the importance of having a core leadership team. When you’re trying to introduce change, having people around you who understand the vision and can give you honest feedback is crucial. This small group of trusted individuals becomes a sounding board where you can work out the details and handle potential issues before presenting the idea to the larger group.
Testing ideas in a smaller setting allows you to refine your approach. By the time you bring the change to a larger audience—whether it’s teens, adults, or volunteers—you’ve already worked through the kinks, and people are more likely to get on board.
ADVICE FOR NAVIGATING RESISTANCE
If you’re facing resistance, here are a few steps that helped me, and hopefully, they’ll help you too:
- Take a Step Back - When resistance shows up, it’s easy to push harder, but that usually doesn’t help. Instead, take a step back and reflect. What’s causing the resistance? Is it the timing, the way you communicated the change, or something else?
- Find Your Core Team - Don’t go it alone. Sit down with a few people you trust—those who are open to the idea of change—and ask them to help you process the plan. Their feedback will be invaluable, and having their support when you present the idea to the larger group will make a huge difference.
- Break It Down - Big changes can feel overwhelming, so break the process into manageable steps. What needs to happen first? How can you roll out the change in stages? Work with your core team to create a clear, step-by-step plan, and celebrate the small wins along the way.
- Test It in a Small Setting - Before you introduce a change to the entire group, test it with a smaller group. Get feedback, make adjustments, and when you’re ready to present it to the larger team, you’ll have a refined plan that’s easier to sell.
Resistance doesn’t mean your idea isn’t worth pursuing. It’s an opportunity to pause, refine, and involve others in the process. Building a team that shares your vision, breaking the change into steps, and testing it before going big can make all the difference. When you have the right people in your corner, even the toughest resistance can be navigated successfully.