Interim/Transitional Pastors
The interim pastor has a tremendous opportunity to work with church leaders to address many of the issues that can be hazardous for the next permanent pastor. One of the most important questions an interim pastor can ask is, “How can I set the next guy up for success?” Several key areas will create an… read more
Eventually every church will wrestle with the interim pastor salary. It happens when the pastor leaves. Suddenly, an untrained congregation has to figure out how to move to the next chapter in the church’s story. Sometimes they are told to get busy and form a pastor search committee. This is the last thing that they… read more
Interim pastors are called by a church in need of help, but they play a very important role in the congregation’s future ministry and the next pastor’s tenure. In addition to Roy Yanke’s excellent counsel on 3 ways an interim pastor sets the next pastor up for success, I’d like to add my two cents’… read more
The first thing a church must do when its pastor resigns is retain an intentional interim pastor, especially if the church meets any of these criteria: The pastor is leaving after a lengthy tenure (experts differ over”lengthy tenure”, with figures from 7 to 15 years). The church churns its pastors (they call a new one… read more
Consultation is often the first contact you – the intentional interim pastor – has with a potential client church. Both parties have an agenda. You want to help them decide if they need an intentional interim period and if so, secure the assignment. They want to figure out if an interim is right for them… read more
An Interim Pastor is someone who helps fill the role of minister at your church while you are on a pastor search. It is a temporary position and the job description varies widely depending on what the church needs. Do you need a Transitional Pastor? What jobs will he perform while at your church? How… read more
The interim pastorate is a tough gig. I’ve done it twice, once for four months and once for three. Both times it felt similar: you have the role of pastor, but you don’t really have the authority. It’s an in-between zone, almost like a baby-sitter who steps in for the parents but ain’t the real… read more
More than once I have been asked: What options do we have as a church when our pastor resigns? In years gone by, perhaps the only option was to find someone who could “fill the pulpit” until the church called a pastor. Today, a church can consider several options when the preacher resigns. This article… read more
1. Spiritual maturity; especially a love for God and people 2. A Passion for the “Great Commission” of making disciples by leading others to Christ and maturing them in the faith. 3. Can perform well the general duties of a Pastor a. Preaching/Teaching b. Serving and managing a Church c. Overseeing and Managing Church Staff… read more
According to the nonprofit Interim Ministry Network, an estimated 60 percent of all churches suffer difficulties related to change, which can affect the congregation’s health. The network, created in 1981, has more than 1,300 members, Christian and Jewish, from more than two dozen denominations in the U.S. The nonprofit organization offers training to interim ministers.… read more