Change

Change is a neutral word. It is not inherently good or bad. Whether change is good or bad depends on the situation, and in order to make such a determination there are several questions that must be answered. Does the situation require a change? If so, what sort of change is needed? What is the best method and timeframe for implementing an appropriate, needed change?

If changes are made when they aren't needed, or if changes are needed but the wrong sort of change is made, the change is a bad one. Even the right kind of change when change is truly needed can turn out to be a bad thing if not implemented well. When the context is a religious one, bad changes can have eternal consequences.

In a situation where a pastor or other church official makes a change that people object to there is a temptation to stereotype the matter as visionaries versus those with a vested interest in the status quo. As with most blanket statements, this represents a failure in the level of analysis. We won't make any blanket statements of our own and claim that this can never be true, but it is not the case with Takoma Park's situation.

The Group's efforts aren't about opposing all change or defending personal interests in the status quo. We don't even dispute that change is needed at Takoma Park. What we are saying is that what happened was the wrong kind of change for the situation. Instead of fixing Takoma Park's problems this change is making them worse. This particular change needs to be reversed to make way for the right kind of change.