Four Levels of Change

Leadership is all about implementing change. Jesus came to put "new wine into new wineskins"—consider his repetitions in the Sermon on the Mount : "You have heard that it was said...but I tell you...." He inaugurated a new kingdom with a new paradigm for leadership. He was God who served, a God who washed feet, and a God who overthrew power by relinquishing power. Jesus certainly brought about change.

Change typically happens on four different levels, increasing in difficulty as you move from knowledge to attitude to behavior and finally toward group change. Let me explain.

First is knowledge—simply give someone new information so they can change their ways accordingly. In Matthew 5, 6, & 7, Jesus gave His disciples teaching on his kingdom first before attempting implementation.

Second is attitude. A person may know the right thing to do but due to negative heart attitudes remain in the wrong. In Luke 9:52-55, Jesus had to deal with the disciples’ hostility toward the Samaritans and in Luke 18:15-17, he confronted their attitude toward children.

Third is behavior. Changing your thinking and attitudes is followed by the hard work of changing bad habits and behaviors. In John 18:10, 17, 25, & 27, Jesus had to deal with Peter’s violent behavior and bad habit of lying.

The fourth and hardest level is that of group change—getting everyone to change and move in the same direction. In Acts 1:6, even after three years of Jesus' teaching and modeling, the disciples struggled with understanding that the Kingdom of God was for all nations and not just a political kingdom for the Jews’ benefit.

An example of change on all four levels could be made with smoking. A person may know it is unhealthy and may even have the desire to drop the habit. Breaking the behavior is much harder, however, and getting everyone in a country to discontinue the practice is hardest of all.

[Next week I will look at some reasons why people resist change.]