Customer Reviews

Navigating the Winds of Change

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This is a very good book and Dr. Anderson's 40+ years of ministry experience make the book extremely helpful on a practical level. My favorite section is the chapter entitled "A Church that Connects." All ministers should read this book.

Books on congregational change usually have a brief shelf-life, because while there are many timeless principles of effective change, each new era places the punctuation marks differently on that process. Also, most books on the subject usually engage in change advocacy, i.e. they advocate certain changes and suggest healthy process for getting there. The changes they advocate address the issues current of that time and place, and in our culture, these issues change rapidly. It is therefore rare to find a book on this subject that has enduring value, but Lynn Anderson's Navigating the Winds of Change is one of them. There is change advocacy, particularly for growing churches to adopt contemporary forms of worship. Churches still struggling with this issue will resonate with sections one and four, comprising six chapters. The remainder of the book, however, is a treasure trove of insight into change process that is broadly applicable to most any setting. Of special value is Section Five: The Art of Change Management, where Dr. Anderson skillfully summarizes and applies best practices for organizational change. He discusses forging new futures while respecting the past, determining what must and must not change, minimizing chaos, getting change into your system, and distinguishing between change and transition, and changing perceptions. Written by a visionary who has the heart of a pastor. I highly recommend this book.