Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Perspectives From The Pew: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Congregants' Experiences Of Change In Their Churches, Courtny Davis Olds

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Christian churches in the United States are notoriously resistant to change, whether in regard to leadership, worship style, church governance, positions on social issues, or myriad other aspects of congregational life. Yet the ability to navigate change successfully is vitally important to churches’ continued survival and renewed relevance. A particular body of literature, consisting of both scholarly and practitioner-oriented works, has attempted to address the necessity and the challenges of change in a church context. However, the literature is largely silent when it comes to the perspectives of those who are most impacted by congregational change: namely, the congregants themselves. …