Jun
11
Written by:
ctaylor
6/11/2009 1:58 PM
Some wisdom on beginning and ending well in a Transitional Ministry.
Some Collective Wisdom on Setting up a Transitional Ministry & Searching for a Pastor
The following insights come from the collective wisdom and brainstorming of several Transitional Leaders and Coaches who are on the front lines of Transitional Ministry. These insights address the beginning and the end of a Transitional Ministry. Beginning well has to do remembering what to keep in mind when setting up a Transitional Ministry while ending well applies to your pastoral search and conducting it from a place of wisdom and discernment.
A Check List When Setting up a Transitional Ministry
(in no particular order and not a complete list)
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Understand the context of the church you’re going into -What's the governance structure? What’s the history and background (inside the church and outside - denominational & in the community).
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Pray for discernment - “Am I compatible to work here?” “Is it a good fit?” “What is the Lord saying to me about this assignment?”
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Do I have a contract or agreement signed with clearly defined lines of accountability and responsibility?
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Do I have a job description that is owned by myself and the congregation I’m to work with?
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What is the role and expectations of the Transitional Leader or Pastor?
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What is the length of my contract?
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Who is responsible for which of the eight goals as laid out in the Transitional Ministry process?
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Have I thought through a tool(s) for proper assessment on the front end and throughout the process?
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Who will serve as the Guiding Coalition as we work together throughout this Transitional process?
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What method will I use to develop trust and relationship with the leaders and congregation?
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What are the documents that the denomination or church uses to help guide them through a transition? (find them and be familiar with them)
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What is the financial state of the church and what amount have they available for a Transitional Pastor/Leader?
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What is the capacity of the leadership team I’ll be working with? What is their length of tenure (actual and anticipated)?
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What is the churches self-perception and how accurate is it?
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What’s the level of congregational buy-in to the Transitional process - are they “change ready”? Do they perceive the need for change?
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What’s the background of the previous pastor (what type of exit was it?)
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Any unfinished business you should know about?
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Do they know where they want to go in this transition?
Ditches to Avoid During a Pastoral Search
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Don’t hire in desperation / don’t move too fast
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Present one name at a time
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Dialogue with the spouse
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Avoid over influencing towards a candidate if you are a regional leader (there were different perspectives on this point)
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Avoid passiveness
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Make sure the candidate fits the ethos of the church
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Avoid a hijacking from within the team
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Don’t allow a candidate to preach too soon (or in stealth)
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The Transitional Leader or Pastor should be upfront at the beginning that they will not apply
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Avoid the omni-competent pastor profile
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Avoid the e-bay search (or looking for the perfect pastor)
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Look for adequate courtship and chemistry
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Get references from the references (with the permission of the candidate)
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