HOMEOSTASIS: is the property of an open system, especially living organisms, to regulate its internal environment to maintain a stable, constant condition, by means of multiple dynamic equilibrium adjustments, controlled by interrelated regulation mechanisms. Simply put: people and systems of people (churches) often work hard to avoid change EVEN if change is inevitable.
I came across this definition last week, and I thought it was worth taking a look at. It sounds terribly difficult to understand, but to try to put a little simpler, people fight all change as a way to regulate their environment. When things seem out of control, people do everything they can to hang on to what they are used to. It’s the only thing they may be able to control.
The problem is, when things are out of control, often change is required to restore control, and resisting change, though very natural, may tend to keep things out of control.
To apply this to churches, declining attendance in mainline denominational churches is one of the biggest threats to the church, at least here in America. In order to halt that decline, change is desperately needed. Yet churches resist that change at all costs. Many churches actually close, rather than change.
I came across this definition last week, and I thought it was worth taking a look at. It sounds terribly difficult to understand, but to try to put a little simpler, people fight all change as a way to regulate their environment. When things seem out of control, people do everything they can to hang on to what they are used to. It’s the only thing they may be able to control.
The problem is, when things are out of control, often change is required to restore control, and resisting change, though very natural, may tend to keep things out of control.
To apply this to churches, declining attendance in mainline denominational churches is one of the biggest threats to the church, at least here in America. In order to halt that decline, change is desperately needed. Yet churches resist that change at all costs. Many churches actually close, rather than change.
I find this very sad. The body of Christ is suffering because some churches in the body resist change. But God is bringing restoration and new life to those churches that will change. Which church is more like your church?
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