Like most pastors, I learned early in my ministry that our fiercest battles are seldom fought over theology. More often than not, they are fought over change, sometimes even the slightest change.

There was a time when petty and negative responses to change left me feeling angry and cynical about the local church. But I've come to realize Christians aren't the only ones who respond negatively to change; it is a phenomenon found everywhere.

Here are four steps, then, to smooth the way for change:

1. Test the waters. The first thing I do with a new idea is try to find out how people will react should the change actually take place. I start by asking a cross section of our people–board members, unofficial power brokers, and the average man or woman in the pew–what they think of an idea or possible change.

I've found it's best to ask in small social settings. All I want is a reading on people's initial reactions to the basic idea.

2. Listen and respond to resisters. People who resist our ideas are ...