The ‘Politics’ of Organizational Culture

You want to change the organizational culture of your church, but wonder what that looks like? Bob Burns, Tasha D. Chapman, and Donald Guthrie, have answered the bell. They masterfully write a resource to help pastors navigate the tough terrain of leading organizational change. And the reality they highlight might surprise you: politics. Filled with real-life stories taken from a variety of ministry settings, Guthrie, Chapman, and Burns offer sage insight as the following: (1) Interests are deep-seated values, goals, and beliefs that reflect the way we think the world should function. Interests are deeply personal. (2) Politics is what happens when they try to get something done together. And (3) political work involves the four shared activities of perceiving the dynamics of power among people, understanding difference between the interests of people, engaging explicitly in negotiation between people involved, and considering the implications of actions, decisions, and resulting consequences. This is not a how-to or quick guidebook. Rather, the authors propose an entire framework and emphasize tools for affecting change and leading in ministry— especially when challenges and tensions arise. Moving our churches to change will be messy; however, God promises to lavish us with his wisdom and he promises to enable us by the Holy Spirit. And he, on occasion, provides us with great resources like this new book.