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The Center for Healthy Churches & PneuMatrix

Church and Pastor Consultants and Coaching

Leadership Transition Consultation

One of the most significant opportunities for enhancing the health of a church comes during a time of leadership transition. Some of the leadership transitions that take place in churches are planned, others are unexpected. Regardless, how a congregation travels into, through, and out of a transition is often a key predictor of the future health of the church.

sitting in church pews

When Should We Consider a Transition Consultation?

A “transition” is a passage from one state, circumstance, person, or place to another. While leadership transitions are really just a neutral zone between an ending and a new beginning, as the heralds of change, they are often met with upset and distrust. Change is hard, but it’s important to remember–and remind your flock–that it’s also one of the only constants in life.  

CHC has extensive experience in helping churches and ministers across the country manage leadership transitions in a healthy and biblical way. A sample of the types of leadership transitions we have helped congregations and ministers manage include:

  • Retirement
  • Resignation and transition to a new job
  • The forced exit of clergy
  • Staff downsizing
  • Staff rightsizing
  • Staff expansion
  • Congregation growth and enlargement
  • Congregation shrinkage and implications
  • Graduation from Divinity School
  • Entry into a new position

In all of these cases, it is normal and healthy for people to experience a wide range of feelings. Some will experience loss, sadness, uncertainty, fear, or even anger. Others will sense relief and anticipation. Disorientation, setbacks in progress, and a decline in motivation and productivity are also very normal. What’s most important during this time is that the church communicates that this is a temporary state while building excitement for God’s plan for the future.

What Are the Benefits of a Leadership Transition Consultation?

Your CHC transition consultation will include a rundown of the positives during this time and how to take advantage of them for the betterment of the church and the congregation. The fresh air that comes with changes also brings:

  • An opportunity to clarify uniqueness
  • Fresh energy 
  • A chance to build a new identity
  • A chance to build new and stronger relationships
  • The ability to restructure, rearrange, or remove obstacles to growth
  • Space to heal and grow

When approached with intentionality and thoughtfulness, times of leadership transition can help people understand, accept, and embrace change in their church. And yet, church leaders and clergy members are often so busy with the transition itself, that they neglect to maximize this experience for the congregation and their staff. 

Enlisting a third party to perform a leadership transition consultation provides the support and guidance needed to increase the likelihood of a successful and relatively painless transition. CHC’s approach to guiding congregations through the leadership transition process is Spirit-led and compassion-based. We want to:

  • Address the transition with compassion and transparency
  • Maximize the time between changes with coaching and listening sessions
  • Prepare for the new in a way that allows it/them to be successful

Planning appropriately for a leadership transition ensures that the painful period of adjustment is shortened while increasing the likelihood of success. When planning ahead is not possible, dealing with a transition appropriately and quickly lessens the damage it can do to your congregation’s faith in the church and the community’s perception of your mission. 

Whether you’re planning on an upcoming leadership transition or an unexpected transition has popped up, you can count on the consultants and coaches at CHC to help you ease the discomfort for your staff, leadership team, and congregation. Learn more about how we can help you, today.