Few would deny that the pace of change in society is accelerating. Peter Corney has resourcefully written Change and the Church to aid church leaders, councils or boards initiate and manage constructive change in the local church.
The book begins by providing a valuable snapshot of Australian society today. The second chapter offers a challenging image of the trends in Australian churches but disappointingly fails to acknowledge that the decline many denominations have experienced is at least partly a result of apostasy from biblical Christianity.
The rest of the book helps equip the reader for the task of engaging our multifaceted modern Australian culture. Several excellent tables aid the reader to understand the vast differences between people in different generations and their expectations in life. Each chapter ends with well thought out questions for group discussion.
Full marks go to Peter for affirming that the word of the cross is God’s power to save. However, apart from a decaying world, it is not immediately clear from this book what we ultimately need to be saved from. What happened to God’s forthcoming judgement?
Corney rightly asserts - in chapter six - that leaders must provide an exciting, inspiring and realistic vision, but only after key leaders within the church have been involved in the decision making. This will lead to ownership of the vision. While at the cutting edge of modern church leadership practice, this chapter’s principles are too briefly explained to thoroughly equip ministers in leading their congregations towards forming a strategic plan. Corney’s book is an admirable appetiser but I would advise wider reading on such a strategy before embarking on the 12 to 18 month marathon needed to come up with a strategic plan with substance and overwhelming acceptance.
All ministers who lead a church which is constantly changing, and living with the resultant stress, ought to draw from as much wisdom as possible. Corney’s book is not an exhaustive treatise but is nevertheless an admirable work worth owning.
The Rev Zac Veron is rector of St James’, Carlton.
