Pastors

Proverbs 14:15; Psalm 127

Planned changes should come through a multiple-step process. I recommend five:

1. Define the issue. What is the problem? What is the real issue? Can it be summarized in a single sentence? Does everyone agree on what the issue is?
   
   Defining the issue may be hard work. Writing it down takes discipline. Getting agreement takes time. But without such definition and agreement, a good decision is unlikely, and successful implementation may be impossible.
2. Get the facts. Once the problem is defined, the next step is assembling the facts so we can be as objective as possible. It is rarely possible to get all the data to guarantee 100 percent accuracy; it takes too long, and some information is just not available. Like the members of a jury, we must learn what we can in order to make our best decision "beyond a reasonable doubt."
   
   Usually the fact-finding step begins with a list of research assignments. Doing those assignments often leads to a longer list because we discover how little we knew at the start. This step continues until enough data has been gathered to underpin a comfortable decision with predictability of success.

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