- Spell out the steps from former pastor leaving to new pastor beginning using a roadmap graphic for print/handouts—see a sample roadmap below.
- Develop an interactive roadmap for digital applications such as the church website and social media.
If you're game to give interim ministry a try but wonder how to break into the field, try these ideas on for size:
Maintain an active online resume on LinkedIn or other social sites. Include recommendations from each of your references and list relevant ministry experience, strengths, and interests.
Job shadow an interim pastor. There's much to be learned from an experienced mentor who is actively working with a church in transition. Don't know an interim pastor? Sign up for a complimentary Coaching session with an Interim By Design / IBD mentor. We are delighted to talk with you.
Write a thoughtful job description outlining the desired leadership traits you are looking for: pastoral care, teaching gifts, conflict management and resolution skills, etc. Be prepared to articulate these traits clearly in the interview and explain why each is necessary.
Record online conversations and interviews—always ask for the candidate’s consent before doing this. When talking to many people, it's easy to forget details, take incomplete notes, or come away with differing opinions, so a recording provides a way to go back and replay the conversation later. It is also a helpful resource to share with others who did not participate in the original call.
Of all the advice I’ve gotten about transitional ministry, the words of a Presbyterian Exec still makes me smile: If you don’t make somebody MAD, you’re not doing your job! Maybe she was trying to impress on me that it was more important to help a church clean up log jams to provide an open stream for their next pastor than it was for them to like me.
Read More
In my childhood I recall my grandmother reveling in the Camelot years of the Kennedy's. As a teen I recall voting for Carter with the zeal of a righteous 'know-it-all'. In my early 20's I was relieved to find that my voting record did not factor into my service as an intern in the Reagan White House. Phew! You see, 1980’s Washington had a category for what might be perceived as ‘youthful indiscretion’. It was forgiven.
Read More
Have you ever wondered why we have "alarm" clocks to wake us? In order to move out of a place of sleep, we usually need something severe to cause a more conscious state. It would be more enjoyable if we could easily wake up from a deep sleep, but those other tools - soft music, a gentle touch - often encourage only a turn-over to continue the sleep.
Read More