Fast Break: The Path to Effective Succession

Join Dave Workman on the Elemental Leaders Fast Break Podcast as he explores the complexities of senior pastor transition and succession within churches. Discover the importance of establishing a clear process for selecting the next pastor, initiating conversations with potential successors, and embracing the release of leadership in the pursuit of fresh energy and effectiveness.

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Transcript

Welcome to the Elemental Leaders Fast Break Podcast. A quick download to jumpstart your leadership, visit us at Elemental Group dot org for more resources and free downloads.

Everybody, this is Dave Brockman with the Elemental Group. There's been a lot written about senior pastors transition and succession, particularly as boomers are in the throes of figuring out what's next. I've been on both sides of transitions following a catalytic lead pastor and church planter, as well as turning over my senior pastor leadership to a next gen leader.

The reality is it's rarely easy because all of us carbon based bipeds are complicated and easily blur the lines between what we do and who we are. No matter how integrated we think our psyches are. What's more, while boards and lead pastors either avoid or gingerly approach severance and finances, it's undeniably at the forefront of the outgoing pastor's concerns.


No matter how much he or she may downplay it, face it leadership change and how we process it can be complex. But as many of us have said for years, it's not about me. And as leaders, we should add, it's about the kingdom and this local expression and ongoing effectiveness. A few years back, the Hartford Institute did a study on senior pastors tenures.

Their findings showed a diminishing spiritual vitality in churches as pastors grew older. The corollary was simple. The older the pastor, the more likely that worship has ceased to be creative or open to change and improvement. Or, as the report expressed it, the older the senior pastor is and the longer at the church, the greater likelihood that the church will routinized and become less flexible within an ever changing cultural context.

Of course there are outliers, but that's just it. Outliers are not the norm for healthy, effective churches. Any senior pastor worth their salt will want the best for the people they lead, no matter how difficult the decision. And the simple truth is that every church will have changes in leadership. It's unavoidable. But while there's no one size fits all approach, I think it's smart to take a step back and think about some succession stages.

First things first. As a general rule of thumb, I think it's wise for pastors in their forties to make sure the church has a clear process and how the next pastor is selected. Is there a need for improvement or clarity in the bylaws or church constitution? What parts do the elders or board play? Is the pastor involved? And to what extent is there a search team and how are they selected?

Does the congregation or staff have a role? Is there a clear job description and profile? There may be dozens of different methods and approaches, but the point here is to make sure that everyone understands what the process is in their fifties. It's ideal if a pastor has someone potentially identified at some point during this time, it's wise to begin the conversation.

We worked with one church that had been without a senior pastor for nearly a year after they lost their senior pastor to a sudden retirement. They had a very strong contender in an associate pastor, and the elders all recognized him as the next senior pastor. Only one problem. They had never shared that with him. The lack of conversation caused this potential leader to assume they were not and with his pastoral leadership clock ticking, he moved on to another church.

The Sixties are generally a good time to release leadership. It doesn't mean the senior pastor is quitting per se, but rather is recognizing the need to create space for younger, empowered leaders. They see the power of letting go of personal power, of releasing fresh energy into the organizations they love. When succession is done well, the church looks forward to new challenges while honoring the past in a way that doesn't handicap the new leader.

How is your church handling succession? Have these earlier conversations taken place yet?

Thanks for listening to this fastbreak podcast. Visit us at Elemental Group dot org for more resources and free downloads.