Change is an essential element of a healthy church. Think about it. When the gospel is properly presented and received, it results in life change. When the Christian life is genuinely embraced, it results in life change, (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 12:2).  Because of this, the church by its very nature is supposed to be a place of change.  This is fully supported by the book of Acts where from beginning to end the early church was all about change. And, as the body of Christ, it only makes sense in light of the fact that Jesus’ ministry was so directed towards change. Change really is an essential element of a healthy church.

And yet, these days most churches have entrenched themselves against change. While there are many reasons for this, there are two primary ones. The first stems from the mistaken idea that change in the church is wrong by principle. The second stems from a simple lack of practical knowledge as to how to positively introduce change without compromise. At Change Reaction ’08, we will be discussing and seeking to get a handle on both of these issues.

Whether your church is a new plant or existing church, innovative or traditional, modern or emerging, growing or dying, you’re faced with the need to change in order to be and remain a healthy church. It’s important to know that this conference is not about offering you another model for how you should be doing ministry. We believe that God’s plan for your church is unique and shouldn’t be just another copy of our church or any other church. Rather, this conference is designed to help you learn the important principles for moving through the changes necessary to become or continue as a healthy and growing church. It’s our desire to help you be the best church you can be by giving you and your team the opportunity to learn and benefit from our failures and successes with change. You will gain practical insight, help, and encouragement from our significant transition story. (If transition can happen at NorthRidge, it can happen anywhere.) In the past 18 years, NorthRidge has transitioned from a dying church locked in a pattern of cultural irrelevance, to an exciting, contemporary church communicating God’s Word to people from every generation. After experiencing three decades of significant decline, (a loss of 75% of all attenders and 90% of membership), we have experienced a minimum of 20% growth annually for the past six years and are presently ministering to over 13,800 people in our Weekend Services.

Last year alone we saw over 2,100 first-time decisions for Christ. This conference will address the principles we used to move from static to dynamic, from cultural irrelevance to relevance, and from ineffective to effective. We’ll speak to how you can lead this kind of change…without compromise.

“I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
1 Corinthians 9:22b-23