Pastor is Leaving

Don't panic!

Chances are you will have at least some notice and there is plenty of help available.

According to Christianity Today, there were close to 400,000 churches in 2012. I think it is safe to say that number covers a great deal of diversity; diversity in size, practices, health, etc. Church health becomes really important when the pastor leaves. It can mean the difference between disaster and smooth sailing.

There may be some churches that can continue without much interruption, but the majority need help. I know this because a whole cottage industry called Intentional Interim Pastor has sprung up.

The basic idea is that the time between pastors is an opportunity to re-examine and make peace with your past and to imagine a new beginning. The trick is to get the right interim pastor with the right skills for the particular church you are in.

Easier said than done and you can get yourself into a heap of trouble if you are not careful. Fortunately, a number of organizations have developed training programs for pastors who wish to become interim pastors. Some of them will help you match with a pastor who is particularly well suited for your situation. Others work more like referral sources where you are more on your own.

Here are some of the pitfalls that might derail the purpose of hiring an interim pastor.

The interim takes the job, but neglects to disclose that he is really a candidate for the permanent position. Interim pastor positions are intentionally temporary and for a predetermined period of time. This allows the congregation to work through some difficult issues which the interim will take with him when he leaves.

The interim tries to force his denomination's or his own theological views on the church. It is OK to have them, but they cannot be a part of the interim process. You may be able to hire someone who is skilled at smoking out if the candidate harbors a hidden agenda.

Transitional Ministry Today: Successful Strategies for Churches and Pastors (I may earn a commission on purchases made via this link)

With the shift from mainline denominational churches to independent churches over the past few decades, a need for independent help with transitions has emerged. This book helps both church leaders and those contemplating serving in this capacity.

Choosing Church Leaders

Introduction

Some churches have a flat leadership structure. Others have a more hierarchical one. Some are part of a denomination where leaders are chosen at a central level. Others choose their own leaders locally. This is for you if you belong to a church where much of the control lies with local leaders. If so, you will probably be asked to vote for leaders at various levels from time to time. This is my attempt to figure out how that works.

When God allowed the children of Israel to choose Saul as king, it didn’t go so well, did it? So how does God choose leaders? God rules from the top down. His rule is not a democracy.

How Does God Choose Leaders?

He Chooses Them

God chose David. “I have chosen one of his sons to be king” (1 Samuel 16:1) explaining “the LORD looks at the heart.” (v7). He could have just told Samuel who he had chosen and why, but God made Samuel go through all Jesse’s sons before he got to David, the least likely of them all in the eyes of the world. Why? “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8).

Moses: “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3). His qualification is that God is with him (v12).

Paul: “This man is my chosen instrument” (Acts 9:15). Again, God chose the least likely.

He Casts Lots

He doesn’t actually. God does not gamble, but sometimes He does reveal His plan for us in this manner. The Urim and the Thummim were placed in the breastpiece of Aaron’s priestly garment and used as a “means of making decisions for the Israelites” (Exodus 28:30). It is a way for us to ensure that it is the will of God, not ours.

Matthias: The disciples nominated Joseph and Matthias as successors for Judas. “Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26).

What Made These Men Good Leaders?

Simple: They followed God. David especially, but even Moses, had a few slip-ups, but as long as they followed God, they did just fine. It is not a coincidence that Jesus called the disciples this way “Come, follow me” (Matthew 4:19).

When a leader follows God, he leads people to God. That is the mission of the church and that applies to the local church as well as the universal church. So how do you know if a person you would consider as a future leader follows God?

It’s a matter of the heart. It has nothing to do with who is most popular, most handsome, richest, loudest or any of those external qualities. God only looks at the heart. Because God is in charge, the question becomes do they have a servant’s heart? Are they willing to serve according to His rule? “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant,” (Matthew 20:26). Obviously, you cannot just ask people if they have a heart of God. The answers are more likely to reflect the person’s humility or lack thereof more than his or her qualifications. God has provided a way for us to know the heart of other people. It is called community. When we spend time with people, talk to them, we learn about them, what they are thinking, how they make decisions and so on. When we listen to them, it will be revealed if they have a servant’s heart or not.

How Do We Prepare Leaders to Serve?

If you think you might be chosen and would like to serve, I would like to recommend that you seek out a few of the current leaders. Find out from them what kind of things they do, what it is like to be a deacon or a trustee or whatever capacity you might be interested in.

There may be a number of practical things you are expected to do and there may be times when you may have to go through some difficult times dealing with personnel issues or other leaders. When that happens, it is vital to have a solid foundation in the Word of God. Spend time with the Lord daily. Go into your room, close the door and pray, but also be prepared to seek the counsel of more mature leaders.

Lead Like Jesus Revisited

Ken Blanchard has written a number of books on leadership. He is not only a well known and respected expert in church leadership context, he is also regarded as an authority on the subject by corporate leaders.

You will come away with practical ways make disciples who make disciples.

Investing the Church Trust Fund

At first it may seem like a blessing when someone leaves a sizable inheritance to the church. The roof can get fixed and the boiler replaced. It can also be anything but. It is far too easy to slip into complacency. Offerings may decline. The focus may shift from evangelism and disciple making to operation. Let us assume you have found a way to deal with these challenges and want to be good stewards of the funds with which you have been entrusted.

The Parable of the Three Servants
In the parable of the three servants (Matt. 25:14-30), the master rewards the two servants who both had multiplied his money the same way (v21 and 23). Remember, they had received unequal amounts, but according to their abilities so they both got the same praise. God wants us to grow what we have been given. We can do that when we honor God; when we love Him.

But what about the third servant? He paints a different picture of this master, one who is harsh and abusive. He reaps where he does not sow (v24). When we live in fear, our focus shifts not only from God, but also from our neighbors and unto ourselves. Remember, we are supposed to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Socially Responsible Investment
What this parable tells us is that it does matter how we use funds that have been bequeathed to the church. Yes, we are supposed to be good and faithful servants and grow the funds and to use them to make more disciples, but we are not to do so in a way that does not honor God or takes advantage of other people. It is with this in mind that a need for socially responsible investment options has developed and investment managers have responded. So what constitutes a socially responsible investment?

Investment Criteria
Different investment managers have responded in different ways picking stocks that meet certain criteria. Some have been successful. Others maybe not so much. Among the criteria most often cited are:

1. Environmental concerns
2. Social concerns
3. Governance concerns

Therefore, the acronym often used is ESG investing. To make things really simple, there is now even an ESG index, the FTSE4Good Index. All you have to do is find out if the stocks contained in the index are aligned with your own values and buy a mutual fund tracking that index.

Of course it is possible to pick your own stocks if your values are really important to you, but few have the resources to do that. If that is your reality and you really aren't satisfied with the options the professional managers give you, it might be helpful to think of it as a journey instead of a destination. You have an ideal goal you want to reach, but you can't just now. Wouldn't it be perfectly OK to invest the funds the best you know how at the moment and then begin to take small steps towards your ideal?

Christians in an Age of Wealth: A Biblical Theology of Stewardship (Biblical Theology for Life) (I may earn a commission on purchases made via this link)

Biblical stewardship is taking care of something that belongs to someone else, God, including His wealth.

Invite Someone to Church

Did you know that most people who come to church for the first time were invited by someone they know? Facebook, social media or website advertising do not even come close in effectiveness.

Traditionally, the upcoming holiday season brings many opportunities to invite someone to church. The idea is that people may be more open to it this time of year than at any other time, but asking them may still feel a little awkward.

Many Christians are closet Christians. They may go to church on Sundays. They may even attend social events from time to time, but otherwise, they tend to keep their faith a secret. Sometimes, not even their closest friends know. In our society, faith has almost become a taboo subject. We do not talk about it much. People who openly proclaim their faith are in the minority.

Many have assumptions about what church is, so inviting strangers probably will not work very well. You might as well hand them a keyring or a pen with the church logo on it. That would be easy. It would look a lot like trying to fill pews rather than leading them to Christ. It is much harder to invite them to become part of a community that will disciple them to lead others to Christ as well. You kind of need to be friends with them first. Let your friendship deepen to the point where it becomes natural for you to talk about your faith. Only when you are sure you genuinely want them to experience the joy you find in the body of Christ and not just adding another point on the scoreboard, then you can invite them.

Coming to a new church for the first time is very intimidating especially when you do not know anyone there, so be the one they know. When they do get there, make sure to introduce them to a few others.

What kind of event should you invite them to? The regular Sunday service may not be the ideal choice. This is where a fully developed relationship comes in handy. If you know them, you will just know when it is time. Maybe it is best to invite them to a smaller event first so you can introduce them to a few people so they do not have to remember a bunch of names.The time we traditionally think people are most open to come to church, may not actually be. There is a risk that the message you send is that church attendance is what defines us as Christians. Nothing could be further from the truth. What defines us is our desire to worship God, be in His presence, follow Him. Then, the color of the carpet, the choice of hymns, the length of the sermon no longer matters.

Invite someone.

Don't Invite Them to Church: Moving From a Come and See to a Go and Be Church

Much of the church marketing literature is about hitting the numbers, to get as many bodies in pews as possible. It is, but it is more than that. After all, we do want them to be saved, but what we really want are people who are actively engaged in making more disciples.

The Role of the Website in Church Marketing

Two Purposes 

Newcomers and members use the website in two very different ways. It is important to keep that in mind as you make your design. 

Outsiders 

For those who are not yet connected with your church, it provides a window into your world. It should describe in great detail what to expect when they get there. Therefore, it needs to make a good first impression, so keep it simple and familiar. It should provide helpful information and next step guidance and, finally, it helps in search engine ranking. 

Insiders 

For those who are already members, it serves as an information hub, an easy way for people to keep track of what is going on and a way to share information with family and friends. 

For Newcomers 

Newcomers use the website in two ways: 

1. 1. To find a church that meets their needs or preferences. 

2. 2. To find out what to expect when they get there. 

Being truthful about who you are, the things that makes your church a special place, is very important. What is on the website needs to match reality. If your strength is powerful teaching, it is OK to highlight that. If your strength is community and social interaction, it is OK to highlight that as well. Just be as accurate as you can. 

For Members 

For members, the website serves a different role, a more inward looking one: 

1. 1. Somewhere to find out what is going on at the church. 

2. 2. A way to share information about the church with others. 

In the past, this role was served by pulpit announcements, bulletins and newsletters. Much of it still is today. With the emergence of powerful smartphones, people increasingly use them for all their information. You may not be able to completely eliminate printed information, but there are many things you can do to encourage people to use the website instead. One of them is to design the site in such a way that the most relevant information is right at their fingertips, literally.  

It is easy to slip into using tribal language in your online communications. It is necessary to keep in mind that the reader may not be an insider who knows all the terminology. 

Rethinking Your Church Website Strategy
For your website to be successful, you need to figure out who will be using it and what they will be using it for.It does not matter what you want it to look like if that does not meet your visitors' needs. So start with who your visitors are, then go on to what they need. Only then can you begin to guide them to where they need to go.

How to be a Church Greeter

In the story of Abraham and the three visitors (Genesis 18:1-15), Abraham did not wait for the visitors to come closer before greeting them. No, as soon as he spotted them in the distance, he ran, not walked, out to greet them. He did not just say “hello,” he bowed down “low to the ground.” Not only that, he ordered water and food brought out to them. It was not just any calf from the flock he had slaughtered, but a “choice” one, the best.

Is that how we greet people who come to our church? I think you would have to admit that we fall terribly short of Abraham’s standard. Is it not true that, sometimes we get so wrapped up in our conversations with our friends that visitors could walk right by us and we would not even notice? Does that not send a message that we value our friends more than the stranger? Of course it does. So how do we create a culture in the church that visitors matter? It is important because:

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2).

Do you remember the verse that talks about who and how we should love one another?

He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Luke 10:27).

You may have come across the acronym JOY, right? It stands for Jesus first; You last and Others in between, the exact same order as in that verse. It does not begin with you, not even the visitor, but with God. You know how much God loves us, right?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16).

Why does He expect us to love Him the exact same way? Because:

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27).

He created us to be just like Him. To be like Him, we would love our neighbors the same way He loves us, more than Himself. Of course, he is perfect and Holy. We are not and that is why we fail to greet our visitors.

To make a long story short, the way we become more welcoming as a church is to become more like God, to glorify Him above all, to believe in Him. The way we do that involves opening His word to our hearts. Then, He will open our hearts to His word. In other words, we need more Bible study. We need to get rid of the things in our lives that distract us from following Him.

Unwelcome: 50 Ways Churches Drive Away First-Time Visitors


It is very easy to accidentally turn people away instead of inviting them in to your church. Jonathan Malm has written this book so that you can avoid that.

Who is a Church Greeter

Well, everyone, of course. Romans 15:7 is quite clear about that.

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

The problem is that when it is everyone’s job, it is pretty much no one’s. Everyone else’s job, not mine, is probably closer to reality. Even worse, the longer you have been around or the higher up you are in the leadership hierarchy, the more likely this is your situation.

When someone comes to a church for the first time, they may have thought about it for as long as a year. Not only that, it is quite likely motivated by some sort of void in their life aching to be filled. Such a person is incredibly fragile. It would not take much to discourage them. They might be polite and not turn around immediately, but they are not likely to return. So what do you do to avoid that? Clearly, it can not be left to chance or whoever happens to be available.

Some stores (although motivated by Dollars) do this better than churches. A few steps inside, you are greeted with a cheerful “hello.” As soon as you get to the first aisle, someone immediately stops what they are doing and asks you if you need help with finding something. Not only that, they do not just point you in the right direction, they take you there and locates the item for you. They may even offer to help you carry it if it is a large or heavy item. Does that make you feel like you matter at that store? Of course it does.

Who is a greeter at your church? If your answer is “whoever is available,” chances are that no one really is. Wouldn’t it be true that everyone thinks someone else is more available than they are?

With that in mind, it might surprise you that I am here to tell you that everyone is a greeter. Yes, but not in the sense the world sees it. How does the Bible tell us to live our lives? Totally yielded to Him is the correct answer. Your remember Romans 15:7 mentioned above, don’t you?.

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

In other words, we do it, not for us or for them, but to glorify God.

The trouble is that we constantly get distracted and turn away from Him. Fortunately, He gives us two ways to prevent that from happening: His Word and prayer. Study the Bible daily and pray continually.

Church Greeters 101: Putting the Pieces Together for an Effective Greeting Team and Ministry

People who come to a new church for the first time, will typically have been contemplating it for as long as a year or more. Often, they are people with some sort of void in their lives. They may be very fragile, so when they finally work up the courage to come, they will decide within the first few minutes whether they are coming back or not. They may not turn around and walk away on the spot, but be polite and endure the experience for never to return.

Church greeters serve a critical role in deciding whether to return or not. There is a lot you can do to make it a favorable decision.

Meaningful Relationships

Research shows that people are looking for meaningful relationships when they search for a church family. That should not really be a big surprise. After all, God created us to be in relationship with Him and with each other. ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,’ He said (Luke 10:27).

Then, it should also not be a big surprise that, if they do not find meaningful relationships, they will leave again. Therefore, we need to pay attention to what happens after they have decided to return a second or third time. Will they keep coming back? They will if we offer them meaningful relationships. We do that by loving them as ourselves, not more than or less than ourselves, but as ourselves. 

In practical terms, it means giving them what we would want ourselves. Ask yourself why you keep coming back. More than likely, one of your reasons is the relationships you have with people at your church, the conversations you have with them, the friendships. The newcomer is here for the same reason and it is up to us, you and me, to give it to them.

So if you see someone you haven’t met before or just haven't seen in a while, it is OK to leave your friends and go over there to say "hello." Could you do that? Of course you could. You could do even better, you could look around to see if there is anyone who looks like they could use a friend. I think you will find that there will be more than you thought.

Chances are that they are seeking something. Something is missing in their lives. Quite possibly all it takes to fill the void is a kind word or gesture from you no matter how small that might be.

And why would we want to do that? To increase attendance? To get more donations? No, to equip more disciples to spread the word of God. We cannot do that if they leave, can we?

Caring for One Another: 8 Ways to Cultivate Meaningful Relationships

Coming to a new church for the first time can be especially intimidating. This could be because the very reason the person decided to go in the first place is that he or she has some kind of void; some kind of pain that needs to be healied. Such a person is very fragile and needs our utmost attention. Meaningful relationships is quite likely to be at the very top of their list of things they are looking for.