Many mainline congregations today face the dual challenge of finding renewed relevance within our rapidly changing society while at the same time growing in faithfulness to our calling as the Church. To respond to these challenges a congregation must be motivated. Yet this is a topic poorly understood within the context of congregational life and change. Congregational leaders would benefit greatly from an improved understanding of how motivation functions in organizational change. Motivation, as I see it, is an element and practice of pastoral care which helps people appreciate, embrace and commit to a new future that they perceive as good or right.

In this study project I will research the motivation of organizational change in order to improve my capability to encourage change as a church leader. In particular I will draw from Organizational Psychology, Education Psychology, Organization Development and Theology. This work will build on what I began in my D.Min. thesis and research I have conducted over the 9 years that have followed. I will focus particularly on four aspects of motivation: 1] the definition, nature and importance of motivation, 2] what helps make the change message influential, 3] responding pastorally and positively to resistance to change, and 4] maintaining motivation during the implementation of planned change.

I intend to disseminate my work product through the publication of a book. "Motivating Churches: Strategies for Encouraging Congregational Change" is approximately half written based on research conducted so far. I also intend to submit a proposal for an elective course that could be offered in a D.Min. program. It is my hope that this work might prompt a new point of discussion under the umbrella of pastoral leadership.