Church-In-Transition

Help for Churches Experiencing Pastoral Leadership Transitions

Every church experiences changes in pastoral leadership, ushering in a season of change, questions, and opportunity.  We desire to assist every church in our District to effectively navigate the season of transition - with the help of a transitional pastor or coach a time of transition can become a significant window for your church to experience renewal of vision, purpose and spiritual vitality.  Our vision is to provide resources, guidance, coaching, and assistance to help churches thrive through a season of transition.  

We have developed a Transition Manual as a primary resource for churches that are going into a season of transition or are already in transition.  This manual may be downloaded or a hardcopy can be ordered from the District Office.  Additional resources to compliment the material in the manual are continually being added to this website.   

The following links provide many helpful transitional resources.  

 

Transition Manual

This manual is an overview resource for church Boards who are leading a church through a season of transition.  It is designed to be easy to use - written primirily in point form.  It addresses the following key areas: 

1. Understanding Transition

2.  An Asssessment Tool to help Board's consider Transitional Leadership Options.

3. Seven Major Phases of a healthy Transition (with resource pages for each phase)

To download this manual and powerpoint file see the list of attachments below.

Additional resources for each section are listed in the links below.  

 

Regaining Stability Resources

To be updated

Assessment of Church Health Resources

To be developed

Developing a Transitional Plan Resources

In progress

Preparing for the Pastoral Search Resources

In progress

Developing an Effective Search Strategy

When churches enter into transition, often one of the first things they do is to strike a search team to find a pastoral replacement.  "Let's jsut find our new pastor and get on with it!"  is a common response.  This can and does reglularly set up the search team and hiring process for failure.  Before search takes place there are other important issues to address so that search can be conducted in the church from a posture of health and clarity.  A Transitional leader can work with your search team to help them not only conduct a pastoral search with a great process, but also under optimal circumstances.  Each situation is unique, therefore, a search process should be created that fits the context of the local church.  There are many more resources available through our District Office and our Transitional Pastors and Coaches. 

One of the key steps in preparing for search is to develop a Pastoral profile that addresses four key questions which significantly shape the search.  These questions require diligent research and deliberation that should be done collaboratively:

1.  Who were we as a church?  (history, DNA)

2.  Who are we now as a church? (our current reality)

3.  What is important to us? (our values)

4.  What is our context?  (internal and external)  

5.  How do we want to relate to our community? (missional enagement)   

6.  Who do we hope to become? (vision)

7.  What kind of pastoral leader do we need at this time in the life of our church? 

We will continue to post links to recommended resources for the pastoral search at this page. Here are a few guiding documents to assist in organizing the search process. 

 

Conducting the Pastoral Search Resources

In process

Considerations should a current staff member apply for the Lead Pastor role

When an existing staff member indicates an interest in applying for the vacant Lead Pastor's role, a whole new set of dynamics emerges during the season of transtion which require careful consideration.  This can become even more complex should more than one staff member indicate an interes in the position.  The District Office in collaboration with Pathways Forward Transitional Ministry Consulting has created a roadmap to address how to address potential internal candidates.  When considering potential candidates for the Lead Pastor role in the multiple staff setting church Boards have three options:

1.  Consider only internal candidates.
2.  Consider both internal and external candidates.
3. Consider only external candidates

Our experience has shown that when there is the potential of an internal candidate it is best to determine which option the Board considers best for the church prior to engaging in the Search Process.  The attached document provides a step by step process for each option. 

 

Hiring a Lead Pastor

In Process

Evaluation Resources

In Process

When your Pastor resigns

The resignation of a Lead Pastor is a profound event in the life of a church.  Inevitably it raises many questions and touches the heart of the community life of a congegration.   In most cases when a staff member resigns, they submit their resignation to their supervisor or  the Lead Pastor.  When a Lead Pastor resigns, it is usually to both the District Superintendent and the Chair of the Board of Elders.  What happens next can do much to set the tone for a healthy transition within the church community.  We recognize that not all pastoral departures are easy situations.  Sometimes significant differences of opinion exist.  Additionally, the actual process of resignation and how it gets commuincated can add further stress for church leaders and congregations alike. 

We provide support for churches experiencing pastoral transition.  Setting up a meeting with the District Superintendent when a pastor resigns is a pro-active step to get started.  It provides a way to talk about how pastors and churches alike can be prepared to walk through the departure of a Lead Pastor in as healthy a manner as possible.  This includes preparing to address such matters as healthy protocols, communication strategies, employment standards, severance considerations, and exit interviews.   In addition it is our desire to assist in developing a game plan to help church boards to work through the season of transition - the time between the departure of a Lead Pastor and the arrival of new one.  Transitional pastors and consultants work closely with our District Superintendent to provide help, guidance and support for churches in transtion. 

Contact the District Office for further information.

A word to the Church Board

Providing solid leadership during a time of pastoral transition can be one of the more challenging aspects of serving your church as an Elder. In our work with those who serve their churches in this capacity we often hear the comment "this is not what I had in mind when I signed up."   Without a doubt serving as a Board member during a pastoral transition places a whole new set of demands, expectations and variables on you.  We are here to provide support, guidance and information that will help you walk through the process of pastoral transition.  Some of the questions that we commonly hear include:

"How do we make Sunday work without a pastor?"  (especially solo pastor churches)

"How do we say farewell to our pastor in a fitting manner?"

"When should we start with a pastoral search?"

"Where do I turn for help or further information about how to proceed?"

"How can we calm troubled waters in our congregation?"

"What role(s) should other church staff fulfill in this season of transition?"

It is our desire to provide the support and guidance you need as a Board Chair through the transition.  The resources our District Superitendent can provide along with the network of transtional pastors and consultants who work with the District Office are here to help.  You do not have to figure this out on your own. 

Here are some suggestions that others have found helpful:

1.  Be sure to contact the District Superintendent and inlcude him in the process when a Lead Pastor resigns.

2.  Be sure that all decisions, agreements, meetings, and commitments are made in writing.

3.  Avoid making any decisions or commitments without including the Board in the discussion.

4.  Remember there is a support system to help you through this process.

5.  If the situation is conflicted - seek out third party assistance, the District Office provides specialists who are able to assist churches in conflict.

6.  Seek ways to honor your departing pastor, even if there are struggles.

7.  Recognize the tempation to engage in the search too early. Churches usually require some time to adjust and grieve the loss of their pastor.  

8.  Work to develop a transition plan for how the church will function through transition and communicate it clearly.  Even if you chose not to hire a transitional pastor they can often assist you in developing a game plan and provide coaching as needed.

9.  Communicate regularly with the congregation, even if at times it seems there is little to report.

10.  Remember you are not alone in this challenging season. 

 

 

Understanding the Transition Process

For many churches, when a Lead Pastor resigns, the urgency to launch into a search becomes a prime directive.  Most churches do not have short term or long term succession plans in place, and the pressure to immediately begin seeking for a new leader can overshadow the need to take a more deliberate approach.  Times of pastoral transition can be opportunities for your church to experience transformational turning points toward increased health, renewed vision and focus to fullfil the God-given mandate to be a missional community of believers.  Churches in transition usually will work though seven major phases that are of the transtion process.  These  phases are not necessarily followed in a linear in process.  Each church will address these areas differently based on their needs and context.

Regaining Stability
Assessment of Church Health
Developing a Transitional Plan
Preparing for the Pastoral Search
Conducting the Pastoral Search
Hiring the Pastor
Evaluation

When faced with a season without a Lead Pastor churches can sieze the opportunity to develop a transition plan for ongoing ministry while they explore important questions prior to engaging in a pastoral search.  The District office can assist your church through the season of transition with transitional coaching and trained transitional pastors who can come alongside to help effectively guide your church  through the transition. 

 

The Value of Having a Transitional Leader

There are many good reasons to consider having a Transitional Leader to help your church through a season of pastoral transition.  Here are a few of them:

1.  Support, guidance and experienced hands on leadership for the church during the transtion. 

2.  Effective pastoral ministry is provided in the time between the departure of a pastor and the arrival of a new one.

3.  Significant issues of church life and health can be explored and nurtured in order to provide a healthy ministry setting for a new pastor.

4.  A Transitional leader can help a church "buy some time" in order to deal effectively with issues of closure, change, renewal, health and vision before engaging in a pastoral search.

5.  Pastoral counsel and wisdom is provided for a church board during what is often a stressful season of church life.

6.  Sunday ministries are provided with experience and sensitivity.  This enhances a calming atmosphere during a season of change.

7.  Transitional leaders work in close liason with our District Office.

8.  Read what others have to say who have had a Transitional Leader .

The District Office can provide a number of Transitional leadership models for our churches in transition. These range from full-time on site Transitional Pastors to Interim Pastor/Transitional Coach partnerships or a Transtional Coach, depending on the unique needs of your church.  We understand through "on the ground" experience how valuable Transitional Leadership is for our churches.  As a result, our District has developed the Transitional Pastoral Leadership Network of trained, experienced, and skilled leaders who are commited to helping churches during a critical time.