8 minute read
Should we Consider an Interim Pastor?
by Dr. Don Dennison
My journey to serve the church in an interim pastor role took me to the southwestern suburbs of Tulsa, OK. This was my sixth church as an interim and my first outside of Ohio. One million-plus residents live in the scenic Tulsa metro area. Being among the 50 largest cities in the USA, it might be bigger than where you live. It had the feel of a vibrant city nestled in the countryside. I came to love the best of both worlds in that northwest corner of “the Bible Belt.”
No matter the location, churches go through transitions when their pastor leaves. I served as an interim to guide Sapulpa First Church of God (Anderson) through its transition period and prepare them for its next pastoral leader. Despite the presence of many churches, this area needs new churches as well as more churches with a renewed passion for reaching lost people. Over 25,000 people with no faith connection or involvement live within an 8-mile radius of this church facility. Furthermore, there is greater respect for and receptivity to the gospel here than in many areas of our country. Do we need to be reminded of Jesus’ words: “…open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35)?
The previous senior pastor served ten years. Studies have shown that unless a church brings in an interim pastor after a long-term pastor (10 years or more), 72% of the next pastors stay for just two years or less. That means the successor is an unintentional interim, a scenario that usually causes more harm than good. Other factors warranting consideration of an interim include when there is church conflict, a history of poor transitions, a vision shift, and avoiding the pressure to select the next pastor too quickly.
Pastoral transitions always create some level of anxiety. Members grieve the loss of a beloved pastor who either retires or responds to a call to serve elsewhere. Uncertainty about the future creates more anxiety: Can we find a capable pastor? How long will it take? A shortage of viable candidates exacerbates this conversation. Will the absence of a pastor set up power plays between people in the church? If there is an obvious conflict, it’s far better to have an interim deal with it and assist with healing the body prior to the arrival of the next pastor. No matter what the cause(s) of anxiety, churches should not select pastors during this anxious period.
Unfortunately, some churches have a history of short-term pastorates. Transitions from one pastor to another have been rocky, at best. That’s more likely when the process has been rushed, only to discover (too late) that the last pastor was not a good fit to lead the church. When the next abrupt departure happens, why not take a step back and take the time to do it right? A skilled interim pastor can alter that pattern by giving the church more time.
Churches that have plateaued or declined (the majority of U.S. churches) could benefit from having an intentional interim while they work through a vision shift. Let’s face it: there is a natural life cycle in any organization, including churches. If a church does not periodically take steps to renew and readjust its focus, a downward spiral will inevitably ensue. The in-between-time of pastoral change is an ideal time to take inventory so the church will be better prepared to follow God into the future. That’s even more important if the community has changed, but the church hasn’t adapted to minister in that changing context. The outside voice of an interim can help rekindle and nurture that vision.
Churches need to make good transitions when change occurs. Change is external. Transition is internal. Transition is the gradual adjustment that occurs inside of us as we adapt to loss and change. An interim period prepares a church to make a transition from anxiety to anticipation.
Excellent interim programs provide three benefits: (1) they are very intentional about helping the church plan for the future; they are not just about “filling the pulpit” with a capable preacher; (2) they build a process that moves the people from anxiety to anticipation of the future; and (3) they provide a seamless transition between the interim pastor and the next pastoral leader. The more seamless it is, the less anxiety there will be.
An essential part of the process of helping the church prepare for the future includes addressing needed changes before the next pastor arrives. A thorough assessment of the church’s ministry will help disclose what many people already know:
“We have deficiencies limiting our church from reaching its full potential. An effective interim pastor can assist the church in addressing those areas. This can be a very good time to make needed changes—whether they involve staff, facility, or program. Doing so then saves the next pastor from unnecessary criticism when promoting what should have been done long ago. Leadership boards have heard me say: “Tell the people to blame me! I can take it! I’m leaving soon!” My goal is to make the ride easier and smoother for the next pastor.
The North American church is going to experience a massive tsunami when the baby boomer generation of pastor retirements is fully realized. The Covid pandemic seemed to accelerate that exodus as pastors said, “Enough!” and stepped away to enter early retirement or change to less-stressful careers.
100% of churches in the Western Region—and everywhere else—will eventually lose their pastor. Why not accept that fact and have conversations about it well before a change occurs? Instead of mourning our losses, we should anticipate the future as people of faith and prepare with intentionality for it. In some cases, that would mean raising up pastorally-gifted leaders who can eventually step into that role.
Well-known author A.W. Tozer served many years in Chicago as a Christian Missionary Alliance pastor but spent his last years in Toronto, Ontario. Tozer had a reputation for being a spiritual heavyweight. Many of us have read and loved his books. Tozer once remarked that “leaving a church is like dying and going to heaven and looking back to see what kind of a fool your wife married.” For Tozer, the real question was not whether my wife’s new husband is better than me. Rather the question is, “How have I prepared my wife for life without me? And now that I’m gone, can I trust God to provide for her.”
Some churches are blessed to have a gifted staff member who has been groomed to move up to the lead position when the senior pastor retires or relocates. The people already know the person and (hopefully) have confidence in what they can provide. Having staff members move up can provide stability to the church…if he or she has the necessary gifts for that top leadership position. That kind of succession plan can work, but it is fraught with numerous challenges. Not every staff person or elder has those leadership gifts or has them developed sufficiently to be able to lead well.
In my two most recent interims, I helped the church navigate the waters of moving forward when staff persons seeking to become the next senior pastor did not have the gifts or personalities to do so. Neither person had the blessing of the church elders and/or leaders. One of the staff members remained; the other departed. Not everyone was happy with the outcome, but interim pastors aren’t there to make everyone happy.
One of the things I love about what I’ve been doing is that I get to help the local church understand (1) who they are, (2) what God has called them to be and do, and (3) then guide them towards becoming a healthier church. At my age, I’m not interested in simply “filling the pulpit” for a church in a holding pattern while they await the arrival of the next pastor.
Looking back on a previous interim, I’m thankful that in working with a motivated Transition Team, that church’s organizational dysfunction was repaired, the prayer ministry was strengthened, a gifts-based approach to serving in ministry was implemented, communication at all levels in the church was dramatically increased, mission and vision statements were updated, new ministries were launched, and “first impressions” were upgraded to provide a more positive welcoming experience for new families who arrived every Sunday. Those kinds of changes made the transition easier for the next pastor so he could hit the ground running!
When Ed Stetzer was interim pastor at the famed Moody Church in Chicago, they had a habit of saying: “Moody Church is not on pause; it’s on mission!” And so should every church whether they have a pastor they love or are in the in-between time.
That’s certainly a goal for the organization with whom I currently serve. NXTSteps Church Services (www.yourncs.org) assists local churches and leaders with a variety of services. One of the ways they do that is “to assist in the strengthening of the local church during transitions.” They are currently serving 30+ denominations. The process includes assessment, spiritual renewal, planning, and then the implementation of the plan tailored to the local church and facilitated by a trained Transitional Interim Pastor.
If your region has a functioning interim program, consider the benefits the next time your church has a pastoral vacancy. If no interim program exists, then I highly recommend this ministry. Review the NXTSteps website and/or contact me for more information.
