How to Ensure a Smooth Transition at Your Next Church
If you are stepping into a new pastoral role at a local congregation, you are about to step into a process that can either go well or end with a lot of hurt and conflict. The key to success will be your ability to transition leadership in a spiritually healthy way. All it takes is 3 simple steps to avoid division within your church…
As I mentioned in a previous blog, the average pastor will leave his ministry after 5 years. Some denominations even rotate their pastors every 4-6 years. Every time a congregation loses its pastor there is relational disruption requiring a transition to take place. The real question is, is it a healthy or a harmful transition? Here are 3 things every pastor needs to keep in mind:
Learn the Story –
Like a family, every church has a story that molds and shapes the personality of a congregation. It doesn’t matter if the church is 50 years old or 5 years old, there is still a story to learn. Some stories have a painful past. Other stories yearn for “the good old days”. And others hope for a brighter future! Either way, a church’s story will shed light on how it thinks, what it values, and where you fit in. This is especially true when it comes to your predecessor. Why did they leave? How did they leave? Was it celebrative or hurtful? Did it damage the pulpit or keep integrity in place? I think you get the idea.
In order to learn the story of a new church, it’s important you ask questions and be a good listener. You want to listen for signs of pain, confusion, or even betrayal because these are the perspectives people will unknowingly put on you. That’s right! If a congregation felt betrayed by your predecessor, then why wouldn’t you betray them? Or if the previous pastor experienced moral failure, what guarantees do they have that you wouldn’t do the same? Anytime you have a leadership crisis within a church, the pulpit has also been damaged to some level. Therefore, it behooves you to be a good missionary at your new mission field called a church and learn their story.
Avoid Quick Changes –
If you are a leader, you will be tempted to change things in order to improve or make things better. That is what a leader does! Right? Yes and no. Remember, everything that is currently in place is because a previous leader thought it was a good idea. Therefore, when you make abrupt changes, you are also indirectly disagreeing with a previous decision that some still might agree with. So go slow, take your time, and try to understand the “why” things are currently in place before you make a decision to change. Like step 1, ask questions and don’t assume.
I had a friend who took the lead pastor role at a local congregation that has a 100-year-old history. In an effort to clean things up and make things look nice, he had old bushes and vines removed from the exterior of the church. Little did he know, he removed a 75-year-old grapevine planted by a beloved pastor back in the day. They used to use that grapevine to make wine for communion. Needless to say, the older congregants were mortified and thought my friend was unloving and uncaring. Because my friend was not sensitive to the issue and thought the congregants were overreacting, he didn’t last at the church and ended up leaving a few months later. All that to say, avoid quick changes, and it will go a long way in preventing any unnecessary division in the church or relational damage.
Be Patient –
Finally, remember the relationship between a church and its pastor is all about trust. We all know that trust takes time! It’s a marathon and not a sprint. When a congregation loses its pastor, it is disruptive. Depending on the nature of the departure, there will be mixed feelings, and can even cause a crisis. But assuming your predecessor didn’t have a messy departure, it is still a change that congregants have to work through. This is where your patience is needed. Some people are quicker with change than others. Some people enjoy change and others resist it. All that to say, it’s a mixed bag. Therefore, the more patient you are with people, letting them vent without reacting, the more they will begin to trust you! Without trust, your pastorate won’t last and it will just be a matter of time until you leave. But if you are patient and allow time to establish trust, you will have many fruitful years of ministry ahead.
Need Help? If you are experiencing significant congregational struggles and would like additional insight or assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact Ministry Leadership Consultant and Coach, Dr. Mark Ambrose, to discuss this further.