The loss of a senior pastor can be like losing a family member. Congregations grow comfortable with their pastor–their personality, sermons, and humor. The staff and board with whom the pastor worked closest within the ministry also feels a pastoral loss.
A pastoral transition is often sudden. The congregation and staff may be left with feelings of confusion, even anger or betrayal. This is accompanied by the fear of the unknown and questions such as
- What will happen to our current pastor?
- Is he leaving for another, possibly better, church?
- What did we do wrong as a congregation?
- Did he have a moral failure (if it isn’t outlined clearly)?
- Will I like the next pastor?
- Will that pastor care for me like my previous pastor did?
These are all legitimate concerns in the life of a congregation when they are facing pastoral transition. But, there are 8 practical things you can do in response.
1. Grieve the Loss
Losing a pastor is like any other loss in life. Not only is there a void left when the pastor leaves a congregation, but there is grief, too. All loss carries grief. So, the congregation needs to grieve corporately and individually.
The interim pastor should talk openly about grief. One way to do this is to preach on the death of Moses and how Israel responded. Many times the congregation is trying to quickly move past their feelings. They might want to talk about Joshua and moving into the Promised Land, and overlook the extreme grieving that Israel showed when Moses died. But grieving the loss helps the church bond together over good memories and even their feelings on the pastor’s departure.
2. Pray for the Pastor’s Family
Grieving loss puts the focus on the individual’s feelings. Praying for the pastor and their family is outward focused. It is a selfless action that helps the congregant also think about the pain and loss the pastor is going through. They should pray for the grief the pastor is experiencing from leaving, pray for their spouse and children in the next season of transition and pray for God to bless them greatly as they enter their next pastoral assignment.
This outward focus will also help the congregation move toward a healthy view of transitions.
3. Read the Scriptures That Deal with Transitions
The Book of Acts is chock-full of transitions as Luke records Paul’s missionary journeys. Acts 20:36-38 talks of one of Paul’s hardest transitions from Ephesus. Luke records that the Ephesians grieved and wept, knowing they would never see him again.
There are other transition examples throughout the Old Testament, too, such as Elijah leaving Elisha in the chariot of fire, and as has been established earlier, Moses and Joshua. These Scriptures can help the congregation understand that leadership transitions are normal. It also helps as they see how people in the Bible grieved over loss.
The greatest comfort, though is asking for God’s help the same way he helped each person in the Bible move through the stages of grief.
4. Write a Letter to the Pastor and Family
Ask each family or person in your congregation to write a letter of their greatest memory or takeaway from the ministry of their pastor. This would help both parties feel blessed as the transition takes place.
For instance, it would help the pastor know that they made an impact and were loved. Many pastors do not feel they are impacting the lives of people. Some do not feel loved due to the high level of conflict and criticism that they face.
Writing such a letter would also help the congregant continue to keep their thoughts positive instead of letting anger from feelings of betrayal or resentment creep in.
5. Intentionally Focus on Positive Thoughts
Due to the feelings of anger, betrayal, a sense of abandonment and bitterness, a congregation can unintentionally be filled with negativity. It is important to think of the positive things the pastor contributed to the ministry or each individual life. If everyone does this then it will help the church heal faster before they find their next their next pastor.
A good practice of this would be a gratefulness journal that focuses on what they were grateful for with the last pastor and what they are grateful for in their church.
6. Refuse to Participate in Gossip
Gossip destroys congregations. And the church is especially vulnerable during seasons of transition.
Some church boards may not make it clear exactly why your church is experiencing a pastoral transition. This is where gossip can try to fill in the gap. Gossipers will take rumors or half-truths and spread them through the congregation like wildfire. This creates thoughts of betrayal. Then the emotions of anger and bitterness can takeover. Gossip can be detrimental when the church begins to look at filling the role of the next senior pastor.
7. Ask Your Acting Pastor What Help is Needed in Serving.
The season of pastoral transition can affect the morale of churches in different ways. Some churches step up and fill in the gaps when a pastor steps out. Other churches can become discouraged and lose momentum. This loss of momentum can result in loss of volunteers especially. People may just start serving less because they are disappointed or discouraged. This is a time when each person should find out if they need to start serving for the first time or start serving in a different role to fill in the gaps. There may be vital roles that the last pastor could not fill that the congregation can step up to serve in that area.
8. Pray for What God has Next for the Church
Prayer is essential to a transition of this magnitude. After the congregation has had some time to grieve their loss, there will come a time for pastoral search for the new pastor to begin. The interim leader(s) should have a prayer list of what the church should be praying for as the search begins.
Enlisting in prayer will help the church be more spiritual focused with the search and expectant for God to answer prayer. A new leader can mean a breath of fresh air and momentum for the church. Praying for what God has next helps fill the church with a great expectation that the best is yet to come for them. It helps them to move past what was lost and to believe for the future.
Pastoral transition is difficult for a congregation. Loss is hard on anyone who faces it. Losing a pastor can be demoralizing for a congregation, especially if they felt a connection over a long time. However, if the church is encouraged to grieve, pray, get involved, and stay positive, then this time of transition can be a catalyst for a church. It will be up to each person to employ these tactics, and up to interim leadership to lead them through these practices.
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