Who Stole My Church?

About a month ago, a friend of mine recommended that I read Gordon MacDonald's Who Stole My Church: What to Do When the Church You Love Tries to Enter the 21st Century. MacDonald has crafted a work of fiction that authentically captures the dynamics of congregational conflict that arise when the necessity of change threatens church traditions.

My favorite part of the book was when MacDonald discussed the bell curve featured in Everett Rogers's book The Diffusion of Innovations. Rogers's research revealed that the different ways people react to change can be charted on a bell curve, and MacDonald used this diagram to identify the various groups found within a given congregation: 

• Innovators are the folks who fall on the right side of curve (2.5%). Innovators absolutely love change, are willing to take risks, and lead the way to make new things happen.
  
• Early adopters come next on the curve, just as the line is beginning to climb (13.5%). Early adopters recognize a good thing when they see it, and since they are typically trusted leaders in the congregation, when they get onboard others will follow.
• The early majority (34%) and late majority (34%) fall in the middle of the curve - the hump. The early majority is deliberate in their decision-making, while the late majority is skeptical and approach any change with great caution.
• The final group on the bell curve are the laggards (16%), people who are bound to tradition and will be the last ones to change - if they change at all.

I think I fall into the "early adopters" category. What about you?