Many congregations who need to transform are myopic and defensive about their situation. They are stuck in the “Ain’t It Awful” Zone. They are primarily talking to themselves about their situation. When they talk to people in their family and friends network these people say to them “why have your let your congregation fail like that?”
Such congregations need to escape their figurative shell. They need to be in dialogue with other congregations who are on a journey towards transformation. They should engage in dialogue with congregations who are two to three years ahead of them in their transformation journey.