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 Temporary LeaderHow do you maintain morale and momentum when you're filling the gap between ministry leaders?
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Once a temporary leader is selected, the next step is to establish firm support. The outgoing leader's affirmation of the new leader makes a world of difference in how the new leader starts. People have fewer doubts concerning who is in charge, especially if the decision is clearly supported by the senior pastor and church leadership. Before he left, Matt announced to the ministry that I would be taking over and encouraged everyone to support me. The senior pastor also stepped in to take any heat that might come my way. "Just send all the complaints to me," Pastor Mark said. Without their outspoken support, my leadership would have been much more difficult. Be Honest About the TimetableUncertainty about the length of the transition makes it difficult for people to plan. Sometimes no one can predict when a new permanent leader will be found. But interim leaders can help people feel more at ease by communicating the timetable and the process for finding a new leader. If you do not know how long it will take, be up front about it. Matt told the worship teams that some of them would be on the search team, but we had no idea when we might find a new pastor. People appreciated that leaders they knew would be on the search team. We tried to be positive, despite our uncertainty about the timing. We emphasized that our priority was finding the right person, rather than rushing into a decision and later regretting it. This approach paid off. "Thank you," someone said months later. "I'm glad you are taking your time in carefully examining the candidates so we can find the best person for this ministry!" Matt's participation in the early stage of the transition was very helpful, but the second stage of a transition begins when the leader actually leaves the ministry. For a new leader, it can feel overwhelming to suddenly bear the whole burden. It may also feel awkward to be in authority over people who were previously peers. But there are things that can be done to make this adjustment period go more smoothly. Equip Yourself SpirituallyTo lead others in spiritual work requires that a leader is growing himself or herself. It is easy to become immersed in ministry and lose sight of what the work is all about, unless we make relationship with Christ a priority. Leaders will face opposition, problems, uncertainty, criticism, and spiritual warfare. Prayer is essential. Interim leaders need to seek protection during the upcoming struggles, pray for wisdom, and ask God to accomplish his work. The Bible may also take on a different role for interim leaders. I had never really looked carefully at passages about worship until I took over the ministry. Suddenly, so many passages I came across helped me grow in my knowledge of worship. Having a solid foundation of the biblical basis for ministry can help leaders better understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. |             |
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