When Staff Lead: Finishing Well

On January 1, 2011, the first of the Baby Boomers turned 65. Pastors and church staff members everywhere are privately talking about retirement. Meanwhile, normal staff transitions have accelerated in churches - due to the stress and challenges that go along with doing church in the modern/postmodern hinge point of history. If that wasn't enough, the recent recession years have caused churches to downsize and reconfigure staff leadership. All together, these issues represent a tsunami of change hitting churches. I agree with Sam Chand, author of Planning Your Succession: "80% of churches are not prepared or even preparing!" The cost to church vitality is enormous. Do you know of a church where an exit of a staff person (through retirement, downsizing, or just moving on) has gone poorly? The emotional impact of a bad transition costs churches members, money, and momentum.

David was excited to start his new position as senior pastor at Community Church in Middleton - a small city in the northwest. He was recruited by several key leaders of the congregation who sensed that, as a large church, they needed a change from a pastor/shepherd model to a leader who equips and delegates, as a senior pastor. Little did David know about the meddling attitude of the retired former pastor, John. John, a seemingly pleasant man, had retired 10 years earlier. However, he never left the church and had undermined the last three senior pastors - all who had short tenures of service at Community Church. John seemingly meant well, but his influence on members to focus on the "good old days" had disrupted the congregation for a decade. He spoke often to members behind David's back: "This new pastor! We need a shepherd and got a CEO!" The problem wasn't David. It was John, who was methodically dismantling the congregation he had led for 30 years. The problem wasn't all John, either. The issue behind the issue is that John did not finish well. The church and John never developed a succession plan. The cost to the church? Beyond calculation!

An Exercise in Extreme

Changing staff at churches is frequently an unnecessary traumatic experience. It can go bad at both ends of the spectrum: (1) the staff person who was not a good fit; and (2) the one who was greatly loved and accepted.

Sally's tenure as pastor will go down in history as a great leader who turned Emmanuel Church around. But it won't be interpreted that way for another 30 years! Sally's style was strong and direct. What she lacked in people skills she made up for in strategic thinking and tireless effort. The church made changes, but the waves rocked the boat more than many could handle. The opposition movement got organized and began to question Sally's leadership. Meanwhile, some members left the church because of the tension. One day, Sally had had enough and quit. The abrupt departure was not planned, communicated, or developed. Sally had privately received another position elsewhere, and she left. Sally could have made a plan that included dialog. It could have helped the church prepare, process, and acknowledge her departure. It would have helped Sally learn some valuable lessons - and grow her for her next position. It was all very abrupt, with many casualties.

Chris was one of the most loved and appreciated youth pastors at Orchard Park Church. Everyone liked Chris and his wife, Tina. Chris had a great personality, and he was excellent for the student ministry. The ministry grew significantly during Chris' six and a half year tenure at the church. One day, Chris got an offer from a church down state. They wanted him there within a month. It was a great opportunity to grow a ministry and stretch his skills. Without even thinking about the repercussions at Orchard Park, Chris announced he was leaving. The only person who knew was the senior pastor. Chris felt that since he had discussed it with his leader, that was all he needed to do. Chris served well, and left poorly. He had no idea about the level of abandonment, the sense of loss, and the feeling of pain.

Staff Comes, Staff Goes: Get Over It!

Church staff people are always temporary, so what's the big deal? The big deal is the way God designed ministry. Ministry, when it's at its best, is relational. Also when it's at its worst! And for those staff leaders who are loved by some and frustrate others, it's still relational. It's always complicated.

Ministry is relational because it's incarnational - in the flesh. Christianity without relationships is academic and institutional - a religion. However, Christianity is a spiritual movement, and, as such, it's all about relationships. Try as you might, it gets personal - for good or bad.

That's why, as staff comes and goes, relational sensitivity is important. People are incarnationally attached at a spiritual level. It is more than just a social connection. Try as you will to direct people to Christ, they still see the staff person as a representation of Christ. It is not difficult for church members who thank God for a well-loved person to feel deep-seeded abandonment when that pastor leaves. They feel abandoned by their pastor who is leaving, but deep down they feel just a touch of abandonment by God. It may be momentary, but it's real.

A key directive for staff is this: be sensitive about the feelings others have about you when you are choosing to leave. Make a plan, work the plan, finish well.

A Finishing Plan

Finishing well is a ministry, whether you are retiring, moving on, or being moved out. There are several elements of a good plan to transition from your position at your church:

Plan in advance, as much as possible. When you have a new job offer, the timeframe may be shorter. As you plan retirement, your planning time could be longer. If you face a sudden, serious illness or the "opposition" is forcing you out, the timing may be very short. To whatever degree you are able, the more time you spend to develop a plan, the better.
You will naturally make thorough plans for yourself and your family. Be sure to think through a plan from the perspective of your church and the people.
Pray about your plan. Ask God to direct you with the heart of a servant, and the spirit of Jesus.
Think about yourself from two polar opposites at once: (1) you are less important than you think: this church will go on without you. Christ is the Head of the church - you never could get that job; (2) you are more important than you may realize - in the lives of the people. Be sensitive to their feelings.
Make your plan with the help of an outside person who is not subjectively and emotionally involved in your church. If you can, use a professional who knows churches. This will help you the most. Your church Board will most likely recognize the emotional nature of the situation and see the financial investment involved to be a good value compared to the fallout that could occur if the transition goes poorly.
As you plan, be sensitive about communication and timing. There is a correct time to discuss your leaving with the senior leader, another time with the staff, an additional time with the Board, and another time with the whole congregation. Each of these represents different times of communication. In your communication, try to be as positive and clear as possible. Be gentle, soft, and sensitive about your relationships with the people of the church.
At some levels, you may be involved in planning through your successor. There are a wide variety of models to help the church through the transition toward your replacement. The most seamless transition is not always the most obvious. For example: if you are the leader and have an associate or assistant, the predictable approach is that the associate or assistant gets the job. Yet, in most situations, that becomes the poor choice. It activates the "Peter Principle," and programs that person for failure. Some people are gifted to be assistants and associates. Honor that!
The best and most seamless way to transition well is the model given by Jesus: disciple your successor(s). Then make sure you leave! If you can't ascend into heaven, do your best to move out of town. At the very least, leave the church!