Why Church Change Doesn’t Last — And What We Can Do About It

Meryn Formson
Nov 28
4 min read

Here's a link to the short workbook on this topic. It has a number of questions to help you and your team reflect - there are quite a few, so we recommend taking your time as you go through them.

Have you ever noticed how churches cycle through the same conversations every few years?

“We need to be more missional.”

“We need to reach the next generation.”

"We need deeper discipleship.”

Yet after all the sermons, the strategies, the leadership summits… things slowly drift back to what’s comfortable. Back to what’s familiar. Back to the very culture that keeps the church stuck.

There’s a reason for that. As the saying goes: “Culture eats vision for breakfast.”

Vision can be powerful. It can inspire. But culture determines whether that vision ever becomes reality.

So let’s talk about why church change often doesn’t last — and what genuine, lasting transformation really requires.

Surface Change vs. Systemic Change

Most churches attempt change by launching a new theme, series, or strategy for the year.

“This year we’re focusing on discipleship. Next year, outreach.”

But the system underneath — the way people lead, relate, communicate, make decisions, and handle tension — stays the same. So the outcomes stay the same.

Trying to implement new structures without addressing the culture is like planting new seeds in polluted soil. No matter how good the seed is, the environment kills it.

When leaders confuse agreement with unity, transformation can’t take root. Until the root system — often built on fear, control, or image — is healed, the church will keep recycling the same conversations every few years.

The Deeper Root: Fear and Control

Behind almost every dysfunctional culture is a fear issue — usually hiding under the surface.

A pastor or leader may want change. They may pray for it. They may preach about it. But if deep down they fear losing relevance, authority, or the sense that “everything depends on me,” they will hold onto control.

Ideas are welcomed… but only if they fit inside the leader’s comfort zone. People are empowered… but only to the degree that it doesn’t disrupt the leader’s sense of control. Feedback is tolerated… but only when it doesn't hit at the deeper fears they've been trying to avoid.

When compliance becomes the unspoken value, growth stagnates.

I once belonged to a church with a thriving youth ministry and a passionate older community. But young adults? They were disappearing. Year after year, we watched them leave — and I’d resolved I wasn’t going to be one of the statistics.

But when I reached that stage, something shifted. A space that once carried freedom and life became tight and controlled. Leadership began shaping things “their way,” in ways that slowly suffocated what God was doing among us. Eventually, I found more genuine connection elsewhere — and I made the switch.

The irony? They kept saying, “We need more young adults." But never addressed the system that kept pushing us out. To quote something Fifi said: “You can’t change your culture without changing what you trust.”

How to Build Culture That Actually Lasts

If vision alone isn’t enough, what does real, lasting change require?

Here are four pillars that truly transform church culture:

1. Create Safety

People must know they can tell the truth without fear of punishment.

Build open feedback loops:

anonymous surveys
honest debriefs
regular “what’s not working?” conversations

Truth-telling is vital for growth, and silence is often a sign of an unsafe or stagnant culture.

2. Redefine Leadership

Leadership isn’t about maintaining control — it’s about stewarding people.

It honours God to create space for others to grow in responsibility, wisdom, and decision-making. Empowerment is not delegation of tasks; it’s delegation of authority.

When I led worship, I found deep joy in developing people — giving them room to rise in their gifting. There was something incredibly fulfilling about watching someone step into their purpose and gifting in a new way, knowing God had placed that potential inside them.

That’s the heart of leadership: letting your ceiling become someone else’s floor.

3. Embed New Practices

Culture doesn’t change through slogans. It changes through repeated behaviours.

This means putting the change you want to see into practice. It will, of course, mean doing things differently.

Identify a few small practices that embody the culture you want — and commit to them relentlessly.

4. Model Humility Publicly

Lasting transformation is more likely in a culture when the leaders are willing to say:

“I missed it.”

“Help me understand.”

“How can we make this better together?”

Humility disarms fear. It strengthens unity. It builds trust.

From Vision to Culture

Vision without healthy culture is wishful thinking. But when leaders confront their fears, release control, create safety, and build systems of trust — change doesn’t just happen.

It lasts.

At Leading Perspectives, we help leaders build cultures that ignite real, lasting change — from the inside out.

Reach out if you’d like support in navigating change, shaping healthy culture, or empowering the leaders around you.