Does your church need to innovate?

Let me ask another way: Is there anything in your church not adding to the mission? 

That answer is “yes.” Every church could benefit from innovation. I’ve never met a church so great that nothing needed improvement. Yet, while church leaders often talk about innovation, how often do they act on it?

I bet you could list several areas, programs, or experiences at your church that could use a bit of innovation. You’re doing some things simply because you’ve always done them, even though you know it’s no longer relevant and working. You’re doing other things because a volunteer offered to lead it without your involvement, even though it’s not aligned with your mission. And you’re not doing something you should do because starting it means stopping something else people like.

The Struggle to Innovate

Ask most churches why they struggle to innovate, and you’ll hear plenty of rational-sounding reasons:

• “We don’t have the financial margin to try new things.”
• “We’re too busy keeping up with our current responsibilities.”
• “Our congregation won’t take kindly to changes.”
• And my personal favorite: “God never changes.” (True—but this has nothing to do with your methods.)

While these reasons sound valid, they mask a deeper reality: lack of innovation harms the mission.

Here’s the hard truth: innovation requires more than lip service. It’s a choice—one that starts with leadership. And often, we are the problem.

Innovation forces us to make uncomfortable choices. Are you ready to make them?

1. Choose What to Lose

Leaders love results—but we also love comfort, stability, and clarity. Unfortunately, comfort and innovation don’t mix.

Real innovation challenges the status quo. It asks you to let go of what’s familiar to embrace what’s new and uncertain.

And guess who stands to lose the most if innovation doesn’t work? The leader.

Innovation is risky. It forces you to leave the comfort of what works today for the unknown of what could work tomorrow. And there’s no guarantee of success.

But here’s the thing: nothing can stay the same and change at the same time. So, will you choose comfort—or progress?

2. Choose Your Loyalty

Every leader loves loyalty—but misplaced loyalty can stifle progress.

For churches, this often looks like a loyalty to methods rather than mission. Leaders cling to what’s familiar, even if it no longer serves the greater purpose.

Here’s a question to ask yourself:

• • Am I protecting something God is asking me to change?
  • Am I more committed to my way of doing church than to God’s mission for the church?

If your loyalty to the status quo outweighs your commitment to innovation, you’re not leading—you’re managing.

3. Choose Your Fear

Innovation always involves fear. But you get to choose what kind of fear you’ll embrace:

• • The fear of failure that comes with trying something new.
  • Or the fear of regret that comes with doing nothing.

Risk or regret—you choose.

Yes, there’s a chance your new idea might not work. You might even face criticism for a failed attempt. But here’s the bigger picture:

Our mission is too important to let fear of risk hold us back. Regret lasts longer than failure—and its impact is eternal.

4. Choose Your Perspective

Here’s why regret often wins over risk: regret feels distant, while risk feels immediate.

When you innovate, the potential for failure is right in front of you. The discomfort is real and present. But regret? That won’t hit until much later—and by then, it’s too late to act.

A shift in perspective can help you overcome this trap. Focus on the long-term impact of your choices, not just the short-term challenges.

Ready to Choose?

Innovation is never easy. It demands that you:

• Let go of comfort.
• Question your loyalties.
• Face your fears.
• Shift your perspective.

The choice is yours, but the mission is God’s—and it’s worth every risk.

One More Thing…

I recently released my second book, The Ministry MBA: 10 Practical Courses To Lead A Thriving Church.

I created some highly practical Bonus Materials (Video guides for each course, a free Leadership 601 Workbook, and a Resource Partner discount) and a Companion Podcast. Check them out today.

Go further and grow faster in our community…

You’re probably aware of our Church Accelerator Community. All our Partners have unlimited access to our resource section, full of courses, frameworks, supporting documents, and our new Custom AI tools (Sermon Outline Creator, Sermon Evaluator, Small Group Question Writer, and more).

Partnership starts at $149, which gets you about $5,000 in resources. Don’t wait. Become a partner today.

Check out the Strategic Partner and Community Partner options if you’d like personalized coaching for you, a staff member, or your church. I limit the number of these options to maximize my investment in each church and pastor. Let me know if you are interested.

Leading With You,
Dr. Gavin Adams