Whether you’ve had time to plan or you find yourself suddenly in need of a new pastor, it’s imperative to the health and well-being of your church that your pastor search committee process is completed wisely and with extreme transparency.
Most churches also find that they want the process to move forward without significant delays. Unfortunately, in these types of transitions, “quickly” can still mean months of uncertainty for your congregation and staff. The longer it takes to find a new pastor, the more difficult it becomes to mitigate anxiety, rumors, and opinions throughout the congregation. Every member of your church has a vested interest in how it grows and changes. After all, these developments will directly impact their spiritual lives.
Things to Consider During the Pastor Search Committee Process
As new pastors are being interviewed and considered, there are several issues you must address within the church to ensure peace and stability:
- Keep important ministries from eroding as focus drifts to the search and filling responsibilities
- Prepare your leadership team to manage the transition
- Keeping morale high
- Finding the right leader with the right qualities for the church
- Preparing your new pastor for success with genuine insight into the church and a strategic plan in place
The Center for Healthy Churches is here to help you guide your church through the pastor search committee process step by step. From finding a new pastor to preparing the congregation and implementing ministry preserving initiatives, our consultants will help you prep for success.
And remember, while transitions are a time of uncertainty and the pain of change, they can also be invaluable tools for growth within your staff and your congregation.
Critical Questions to Ask During a Pastoral Transition
When a senior pastor leaves the church, church leaders are often left to face strategic questions that don’t always have immediate or obvious answers.
- What giftings and strengths should we look for in a new pastor?
- What kind of church do we want to be in five years? Ten years?
- What areas of our church life need the most support and strengthening in the next few years? How can we find a pastor who aligns with those needs?
- How do the skills and callings of our other staff members and leadership shape the experience and skills we’re looking for in a senior pastor?
- Does the church need a period of healing or reflection before we hire a new pastor?
- Should we hire an interim pastor? If so, what are their goals?
- How do we get the right people on our pastoral search committee?
- Does our search committee need coaching on how to find the right pastor for our church?
- How can we set our new pastor up for success and make the transition as easy as possible?
- What questions should we ask during the pastor search committee process?
Your CHC consultant can help you navigate the process of finding the answers to these questions through small and large-group consultations, workshops, and coaching sessions. While we can’t determine the answers for you, we can guide you to the right decisions by taking you through our biblically-based consultation process.
Every church is unique. And that means a one-size-fits-all approach to church consulting just isn’t enough. That’s why CHC offers custom coaching and consultation plans for all of our clients, based on their individual strengths and needs.
We’re here to help you through the transition period, the pastor search committee process, and the settling-in period once the transition is complete. Contact us to be paired with a coach or consultant today.
