Church 2024

For decades now some have predicted the end of the church. Such people have evidently never read Jesus' words that the gates of hell will not destroy the church. The church will never die, but we will admit that the church is struggling right now. It is going through a transition that is bringing about changes that many find frightening. These changes threaten how people view the church and have understood it for many years. It is a transition that the church needs and will weed out the pretenders from the true believers.

The Baptist preacher, Vance Havner, once said that many churches start at 11:00 sharp and end at 12:00 dull. Truer words have never been spoken. Worship in too many churches consist of singing a few songs to our hymnbooks and following an order that precludes the Holy Spirit from doing anything. Songs, a couple of prayers and listening to a talking head is not worship. There is little recognition of Almighty God in many of our services. Everything is designed to get everyone out in an hour so as not to interfere with their plans for the remainder of the day. For many church members, attending the service allows them to mark that off their to-do list so they can get on with the important things on their schedules.

Worship is changing in many churches. Hymnbooks are being replaced by more modern music. Organs are being replaced by guitars, drums and other instruments. Worship is becoming more lively. Even traditional Baptists are sometimes seen with their hands in the air worshiping God. (Shocking, I know!) The Holy Spirit is given time and space to move in people's lives, and, as a result, people's lives are being changed. 

Sermons are changing as well. As a younger person I sat in services where a red-faced, sweating preacher stomped and snorted from one side of the pulpit area to the other. I don't remember that he ever said anything especially worthwhile, but he was sincere. Today, as I preach, I tell stories that illustrate what the Bible text is teaching. I'm more of a teacher in the pulpit. I want my listeners to have a better understanding of what the Bible teaches is the way to a rewarding life now and eternal life in the future.

The church is changing in the way it does discipleship as well. While Sunday school classes can still be found, many churches offer small groups and short-term Bible studies in addition to their traditional Sunday school classes. People who attend these additional studies tend to grow more as disciples than those who simply attend whatever is offered on Sunday morning.

I have to admit that I do not know how these changes will eventually impact the church. I wish I was a younger person because I doubt that I will live long enough to see the final result of these changes, but I am excited about the future of the church. The changes will drive out many of the make-believers sitting in our pews today, or it will convert them to true Christianity. Rather than the church dying out, these changes will strengthen it and make it a much more formidable force in the world drawing people into the Kingdom of God.

To those who love the Lord, I say to you, hold on. You're about to have quite a ride, but when you get to the other side you are going to realize it was worth it!

Questions from yesterday's blog

There were some good questions raised after yesterday's blog appeared about my meeting with a church to help them transition from having a fully-funded pastor to a bivocational one. Let me try to respond to a couple of those questions.

One person asked if a current fully-funded pastor can remain as pastor if the church does transition to having a bivocational pastor. This is the plan of the church I met with Monday evening. Much of this depends on the pastor and the congregation. In some ways, this pastor will have an advantage as he has been at the church for some time and has developed a lot of trust with the congregation. If the church called a new pastor, it would take some time for this trust to develop. I have found that trust is a key element in a church that is required to make anything change possible. This pastor is willing to go bivocational, and I believe has already found another job. From his comments he also seems aware of some of the challenges he will face. I am hopeful that it works out well for him, his family and the church.

There are other times when such a transition will require calling a new person. I have met with fully-funded pastors who resented being asked by the church if they would consider going bivocational. Such people will not transition into that role well. Some felt bivocational ministry was beneath them. Others believed they did not go through seminary to become a part-time pastor (their words). With such negative attitudes, it's unlikely that they will transition into a bivocational role. In such cases, it's probably best if they move on and the church seek a bivocational minister to lead them.

A second question asked was about some of the hardest changes the church should expect. Two immediately come to mind. One is that the church may feel like they have failed and develop a poor self-image of themselves. Many smaller churches, especially those that were once larger ones, can develop serious self-esteem issues. They may feel God has abandoned them, wonder what they have done wrong, begin to blame pastors or others for the decline and struggle to see anything in their future. It's important that pastors of smaller churches address self-esteem issues with their congregations and help them get some wins under their best so they can begin to feel better about themselves.

A second challenge will be managing the expectations of the congregation. There will be some in the congregation who will still expect the same level of ministry from the pastor as he or she provided when they were fully-funded. That's why I emphasized to the church I met with that they would have to communicate over and over again to the congregation what the church now expected from their bivocational pastor and to protect him if persons began to demand more. As I told them, my experience has been that if those expectations are not controlled that the transition to bivocational ministry failed in every situation in which it was tried.

Replanting a church

 Over the years I've been fortunate to read a number of the histories of various churches. In every case, these churches were formed by people who had a vision for a church that would serve that particular area. I would say that every church that has come into existence did so first because of a vision a group of people had. The vision laid the groundwork, and then the hard work began as people made that vision a reality.

Today most churches are in trouble. They have had declining attendance for years. It is commonly accepted that 80 percent of churches in the US ae plateaued or declining. In every seminar I've led over the years I have pointed out that this number is misleading because a plateau lasts only for a very short time. In reality, the church is either growing or declining. To say it is on a plateau might make the congregation feel better, but the truth is that the church is likely in a state of decline.

In my 14 years as a judicatory leader I worked with many churches seeking new pastoral leadership. In my first meeting with their search team I would ask what they wanted in their new pastor. In almost every case they responded they wanted a pastor who would grow their church. I eventually would follow that response by saying, "So, in other words, you want a pastor who will come in here and change everything you are doing." That usually resulted in an immediate "No!" I would then explain that if they could grow their church by doing what they were already doing, they would already be growing. If they are serious about wanting to grow, they must accept that significant change will be required. Sometimes, these comments resulted in a good conversation; other times I was not invited back to help the search team find a new pastor.

I have come to the conclusion that when a church has been in a significant decline for an extended period of time they need to replant their church. In other words, they need to start from ground zero just like a church that is just starting out and begin to build a new church. In our judicatory we have helped closed churches for a couple of years and started over, but this is not always required if the church is willing to see themselves as a replant.

Replanting a church is not easy. In fact, it may be harder than starting a new church from scratch. In a replant the church has to overcome the traditions that exist in the church. Everything has to be open for change, and this is not easy for an existing church. The key to replanting a church is that EVERYTHING HAS TO BE FOCUSED ON THE CULTURE YOU WANT TO REACH. This is not an easy concept for the current membership. When the church was first established, it was focused on the people it sought to reach. The same must be true in a replant.

Traditional churches like choirs, organs and hymns. Is this the culture you need to reach to grow the church? Probably not, which means that new forms of music needs to be introduced, which the current congregation may not enjoy. Traditional churches like committees, boards, and incremental change. Is this mindset found in the culture you hope to reach? Probably not, which means your church structure may need to change. One of the most helpful rules of thumb I have ever learned is "YOUR STRUCTURE IS PERFECTLY DESIGNED FOR THE RESULTS YOU ARE GETTING! If you want different results, you have to change how your church is structured, and not every church is willing to do that.

Replanting a church is one of the most difficult things a congregation can do. Many will refuse and will eventually find themselves among the approximately 5,000 churches in the US who close their doors every year. Those who begin this journey will find it difficult but one of the most satisfying things they've ever done.

Back in the pulpit

 Last week I announced that I was asked to serve as the Transitional Pastor of North Madison Baptist Church. I just want to remind everyone that my first Sunday in the pulpit will be this Sunday, November, 5. If you do not have a church home and live in the Madison, IN area we would love to have you join us for worship. The service begins at 10:30.

The message for this Sunday is entitled "The Waymaker." So often we find ourselves in a place where we think we are stuck, all alone with no way out. We feel hopeless and fearful. I've been there, and it's not a good feeling. The good news is God can make a way when we can't see a way. I believe you will find this message to be an encouragement.

Some have asked me what it means to be a Transitional Pastor. The church is seeking a pastor, and in Baptist life the person who served the church during their time of seeking new pastoral leadership was usually referred to as an interim pastor. I prefer the term Transitional Pastor. For me, the word interim suggests you are just killing time, holding ground until the church finds a new pastor. During this time many churches seem to go into neutral, merely coasting along until a new pastor arrives. I see no reason, and certainly no biblical reason, this should be the case.

The word transition suggests that things are moving. The church is moving from one stage of its life to the next stage, but in the process it remains actively involved in ministering to one another and to the community. During this transition time it seeks a fresh vision from God and begins to live into that vision. This is my third church to serve as the Transitional Pastor since my "retirement." I admit that I am excited to begin.

Someone asked if I was ever going to actually retire. The way I look at it is that God has blessed me with good health, He called me 44 years ago to serve Him as a minister, and so far, He hasn't told me I'm done. Rather than retire I prefer to re-fire, and I am fired up and ready to begin a new challenge.

Again, if you do not currently have a church home and would like to be part of this challenge, I encourage you to join us this Sunday at 10:30.

Special Announcement

 A couple of weeks ago I mentioned here that I would soon be making a special announcement, and the time is now. I'm pleased to announce that I have accepted a call to be the Transitional Pastor of North Madison Baptist Church here in my hometown. I will begin November 1 with my first Sunday in the pulpit on November 5. This is my third church to serve as Transitional Pastor since I retired (?), and I am very excited to get started.

As a young boy involved in BYF back in the day I always looked forward to our BYF rallies which were held in the churches in our association. North Madison BC was one of those churches. Since we attended a small, rural church NMBC seemed huge to me at the time, and it was one of the churches I most looked forward to going to for our rallies.

Jump forward many years (decades) later, and I am serving as a Resource Minister for the American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky. This was one of the churches in my Area. I filled the pulpit there a number of times and worked with the church during some of their transitional times. Having lived in this area most of my life and because of my previous involvement with the church I already know many of the folks who attend there.

The church has been without a pastor for some time now and has been served by a great interim pastor and dear friend of mine who was feeling led to leave. The timing worked out great for me to step into this role, but, of course, God's timing always works great. I believe He has called me to this place for this time, and I look forward to seeing what will happen in the next several months.

There will be challenges as there is in every church. Attendance has not returned to its pre-Covid numbers. There are few youth and children. But, this church has a number of strengths as well. Those who attend are warm and friendly people with great talents. The church has the location and facilities necessary for growth. Some have already shared with me some ideas they have about new ministries they want to start. Although this church began in 1849 and has a marvelous history I firmly believe that the best days of the church are ahead. I'm honored they have invited me to be a part of that future.

If you live in the Madison, Indiana area and do not have a church home, I invite you to come worship with us. Our service begins at 10:30. We would love to have you.

2000th blog post

 This article marks the 2,000th post I've made on this blog. For many bloggers that is not a huge number, but I'm sure there are many people who cannot believe I would have 2,000 things to discuss! Frankly, I didn't realize I had written that many posts until I happened to see the number on my screen.

While the posts have covered a number of different items, most have focused on challenges and opportunities facing the small and bivocational church and those who lead these churches. I have always been, and always will be, an advocate for the smaller church. While there is nothing wrong with larger churches, I am convinced the smaller church can offer things that may be missing in the larger ones. For many people, a smaller church is simply a better fit. There is a sense of family and community commonly found in the smaller church that many are looking for. It is easier to provide personal pastoral care to individuals in the smaller church. Often, people are more engaged in ministry in the smaller church than they might be in a larger one. After all, it's pretty hard to hide in a smaller church. The list of things the smaller church can offer would include much more than I have space to list here.

With my commitment to the smaller church I am also committed to those who lead such churches, especially those serving in bivocational roles. For much of my bivocational pastorate there were few good resources available. I'm excited that has changed dramatically in the past two decades. Books, journal articles, doctoral theses are now available that focus specifically on bivocational ministry. Some schools and seminaries now offer programs especially developed for persons planning to enter bivocational ministry. There are also a growing number of ministers who do plan to serve in that capacity. I cannot tell you how rewarding this is to me.

I've now served in ministry for 40 years. Not everything I've seen change in ministry has been good, but some have. As I continue to view the church world I see many more changes coming, and I am certain there are far more I cannot see. I do believe God is doing a new thing in His church, and as we make the transition to whatever that might be it will be a glorious thing. After all, this is God's church, and no power will prevent it from accomplishing His purposes for it.

The power of a vision

 One thing that is lacking in many churches is a fresh vision from God for the direction of the church. Too often we find ourselves content to repeat the same things over and over without ever stopping to consider if God might be leading us in a new direction. One of the things the pandemic has taught us is that if we persist in doing everything the way we've always done them we will one day find ourselves unable to do anything. Churches that never dreamed they would broadcast their services online suddenly found that was the only way many people could attend their services. To their credit, many churches quickly learned how to use the available technology to offer their worship services to their online congregation.

Vision addresses how we are going to do ministry now and in the future. It shows us the direction our journey should take to arrive at the destination God intends. Vision is not merely something a pastor or board determines, but it is to be discerned by the church with much thought and prayer. Once that vision is understood plans can be made for how to achieve it. This allows the church to focus on the things that will help it achieve its vision and eliminate the things that would distract from it.

No vision is permanent. It's important to review the church's vision every few years to make sure it is still relevant to those we seek to serve. When are good times to revisit a church's vision?

• Any time the vision has been fulfilled. One church had a vision to build a new fellowship hall. When the building was completed and dedicated it was time for the church to seek a fresh vision.
• Whenever a church is going through a pastoral transition. Many churches make the mistake of waiting until the new pastor arrives expecting him or her to provide a vision. It's much better to discern where God is leading the church and then calling a pastor who can help the church achieve that vision.
• When a church finds itself becoming stale, its ministries ineffective and people becoming satisfied. All of these are sure signs that a fresh God-given vision is needed to get the church back on track of fulfilling its ministry.
• Every 5-7 years. Even if things are going well, it's important to take a fresh look at the church's vision to make sure this is still the path God has for the church. This can be challenging because when things are good people can be reluctant to rock the boat by looking if there is something else they should be doing. Never let the good get in the way of the best, especially God's best.

As the Transitional Pastor of the church I'm now serving I will begin leading the church in a visioning process in early spring. This is a process I've used in numerous churches as a Resource Minister for our denomination. We are hoping the Covid situation lessens by spring so we can have as many people as possible attend the process. The more people who participate the better results we can expect.

How long has it been since your church has sought a fresh vision from God? I'm not talking about having a vision statement that is sitting in a dusty file somewhere on a dusty bookshelf. I'm referring to a vision that actually drives your budget, your ministries and every decision your church makes. If your church lacks such a budget, you may want to invite a denominational leader or consultant in to lead your church in such an exercise.

Is your church ready for a bivocational minister?

 Yesterday I wrote about a pastor who had asked permission to seek part-time employment to supplement his salary due to financial challenges the church was having due to Covid. I mentioned that he would probably have no problem finding such employment in his area, but the greater challenge will be for the church making the shift from having a fully-funded pastor to one who is bivocational. During my time in denominational work I found that churches often had more trouble making that transition than did the pastor.

Churches whose pastors move into a bivocational role cannot expect that individual to be available as they once were. Their other work now requires a certain amount of their time, and they still need time for their families and their own well-being. That means the church has to assume more of the ministerial tasks that they may have asked their pastor to perform. For instance, he or she is not going to be able to be in immediate contact with everyone in the church. When the pastor is at the other place of employment he or she cannot be reached at the church office as before. His employer likely will not want him or her taking phone calls regarding church business when he is at work. 

Some bivocational ministers contract with the church for a set number of hours each week. I've never been a fan of this. No minister is going to refuse a phone call because they have already worked their contracted hours for the week. When I served as a bivocational pastor I told our church there were some weeks I probably didn't do more than 5-6 hours of church work a week. There were other weeks I did 50. I felt it all balanced out. Like most bivocational ministers I know, my motto was "Whatever it takes." So I didn't worry about tracking hours.

One pastor who moved from a fully-funded role to a bivocational one in his church was able to make the transition smoothly, but his church didn't. Although they agreed he could go bivocational, they could not overcome the mindset that they held when he was fully-funded. They resented he wasn't there at their every beck and call. I had met with the church before he made the transition and explained to them the differences they would experience. They were in agreement with all of them until they actually began to experience them in real life. I understand it eventually led to so much conflict in the church that the pastor resigned.

If your church is considering making the shift from a fully-funded pastor to a bivocational pastor make sure you understand all the changes that will occur. Bring in a consultant who understands bivocational ministry or a denominational leader who has helped lead other church through this transition to meet with the pastor and congregation so everyone is fully aware of how things will change. Make sure there is agreement within the congregation as to their willingness to accept greater ministry responsibilities. Identify who will be primary contacts for people when the pastor is unavailable. With proper planning this can be a smooth transition that can benefit both the church and the minister.

Starting a new ministry

As I posted on my FB page yesterday, next Sunday I will begin a new ministry as the Transitional Pastor of Westport Baptist Church in Westport, IN. This is a great church that I have known for a long time, and I feel honored to have been asked to serve them during this time of transition.

Having worked 14 years in a judicatory role I had the opportunity to work with many churches during their search for a new pastor. One of the things I learned was that many of them did not especially value that period of time in their church's life. Many of them wanted to shorten the time they were without their next pastor as much as possible not realizing the value this transitional time could bring to their church.

This is a time when churches can get reacquainted with themselves. Chances are the church and community have changed since they called their last pastor. People have moved in and out bringing different gifts to the church. As the community changed it may have brought new ministry opportunities to the church. This transition time give the church time to recognize these changes and respond to them.

It's also a time for healing. If the previous pastor had served the church for a number of years there is a sense of loss when he or she leaves. Sometimes the pastor leaves under less than ideal conditions, and there may be some anger felt in the congregation towards those they believe caused the pastor to leave. There is often some confusion about why God called the pastor away at this time. Regardless of why a former pastor leaves a church, some healing will need to take place before the next pastor is called. This interim period is the right time for this healing to occur. It's important that the church not call its next pastor until that healing happens or some of the anger and mistrust may be transferred to the new pastor which isn't fair.

Few churches have a sense of vision for what God wants them to be and do. This transitional time is an excellent opportunity for a church to spend some time discerning what that vision might be. Too many churches want to wait until the new pastor comes who will then, in their minds, tell them what their vision should be. That's a mistake. It's far better for a church to understand God's vision for their ministry before calling a new pastor. It's far more effective to be able to explain that vision to pastoral candidates during the interview process and then ask how they can help lead the church in fulfilling that vision.

If a church is a member of a denomination, this is an excellent time to build upon that relationship. As churches get involved in its various activities it's easy to get separated from the larger body of Christ. Association and denomination involvement can suffer. Most denominations provide a process they can use to help the church identify pastoral candidates. As the church works with their denominational representative it helps renew that relationship. This can be very healthy long-term for the church.

I find this transitional time can also be a great time to explore new ways of doing ministry. Churches can sometimes be willing to try something new when the transitional pastor is leading it because they do not  view it as permanent. When it works out well, it might become permanent, but if it doesn't work out so good at least their regular pastor won't get the blame for it.

It's easy to see why I prefer the term Transitional Pastor rather than interim Pastor. When done right the church isn't sitting around waiting to call a new pastor. The church is active, involved in ministry and transitioning into a new period of ministry. I'm looking forward to my time with this church and excited about this new opportunity God has given me. Please pray for us as we begin our life together. 

Don't play "Follow the Leader" when the pastor goes to another church

One Sunday when I was a pastor, our youth minister announced at the start of the service that he was leaving for another church. As soon as he said that, two of our youth got up and walked out of the building, never to return. It was not easy to preach after that!

Anyone who has been involved with churches for very long has seen similar things happen. A pastor leaves the church, and some people start to leave as well. Sometimes, it is planned. Some pastors consider this church planting. As a Resource Minister I worked hard to get a pastor a severance package from the church when he resigned under pressure. A couple of weeks later I received a call from a very angry church leader who told me the former pastor was starting a church in the community and using the church directory as his prospect list. I tried several times to call this pastor, but he refused to accept my calls or return them. Highly unethical. In another situation, a music minister left the church, and for the next several weeks nearly the entire choir met with him at a nearby lake for worship.

Often, the former pastor moves far enough away that the people don't follow him or her. They just leave the church. Perhaps they came to faith under this pastor's ministry, or they developed a close relationship with the pastor. Now that the pastor is gone they have no connection to the church. This is unfortunate because we are not supposed to follow a person; we are to be followers of Jesus Christ.

Pastors come and go. It always amazed me how surprised church members can get when their pastor leaves. Every pastor is a departing pastor from the first day he or she begins. Whether the pastor leaves vertically or horizontally, unless the Lord returns, that pastor will one day leave. But, Christ is always there at the church. Where two or three are gathered, He is there. If our eyes are upon Him, as they should be, the pastor leaving should have no impact on our relationship to the church.

I pastored one church for twenty years. The last four weeks I was there I tried to remind everyone that they should not look for another pastor like me. (I doubt they could have found one anyway!) As I explained to the congregation, if God wanted their next pastor to preach like me, to minister like me, to act like me, He would have left me there. They needed a pastor with different gifts than I had.

One of the things I often recommended to pastors when they were seeking placement in another church was to move far enough away that no one would be tempted to follow them. While pastors need to be sensitive to God's leading, I think this is sound advice. Taking another church in the same community or the same association or district invites the problem of people following the pastor to the new church. Personally, I think we do our former church and its new pastor a disservice if we do that.

It's perfectly acceptable to grieve over the loss of a beloved pastor, but please do not attempt to follow him or her to their new place of service or leave your church when the pastor moves. Your gifts are needed where you are.

Transitioning from bivocational to fully-funded

A friend of mine responded to my previous post about some of the challenges of transitioning from being a fully-funded pastor. He wrote that he is facing the opposite situation. He is nearing retirement from his other career and will be looking at becoming a fully-funded pastor. This can also be a significant transition with a lot of challenges, especially if the pastor remains at his or her current church.

First, it's important to consider if God's call on your life has changed just because you can retire from your current outside job. I retired from my factory job in 1997 but never felt led to leave the church I was serving bivocationally. Perhaps that is because a couple of years before my retirement we had taken ownership of a small business which I was managing. I've often wondered if that was something God  made possible so I would remain at the church and continue to serve as its bivocational pastor. Regardless, I remained at that church until 2001 before I was led to accept a ministry role with our denomination. Even then, I continued to manage the business until 2010 when we closed it.

Retiring from one's other career opens up a lot of possibilities that do not necessarily mean that one becomes a fully-funded pastor. For example, I had time to write my first book which was published in 2001. That then led to several other books and speaking opportunities in the US and Canada. Perhaps if I had immediately began looking for a fully-funded church when I retired from the factory I would not have had the opportunity to do these other things.

The key is to discern God's will for your life and ministry. I have never felt led to serve as a fully-funded pastor. My calling has always been to bivocational ministry. My ministry has changed and my other careers have changed, but the call to bivocational ministry has remained the same. For others, retiring from their second careers may be God's way of sending you into fully-funded ministry. Just don't assume that is the case until you've spent much time in prayer and discernment.

For those making the transition from bivocational ministry to fully-funded ministry I would advise finding a mentor or coach to assist with that transition. It will require a different mindset and will involve different expectations from both the congregation and the minister. Having someone walk with you through that transition can help smooth out the rough places that you will encounter.

Transitioning from fully-funded to bivocational

When I was serving as a denominational minister one of the things I began finding was that a number of pastors were concerned their church may not be able to continue to afford having a fully-funded pastor. These churches were marginally fully-funded anyway, they were not growing, and even if the congregation had not realized their financial situation the pastor had. Sometimes the pastor simply began looking for another church. The ones who contacted me were willing to stay at the church but had a lot of questions about how they would transition from being fully-funded to bivocational.

One concern was what would they do for a second job. One pastor told me he had gone from high school to college to seminary. His work experience was part-time jobs during the summer months while he completed his education. Almost in panic he told me he didn't know how to do anything other than be a pastor.

I tried to reassure him that was not true. Many of the things we do in ministry are transferable to other careers. As pastors we teach, we counsel, we do social work, we lead, we manage, we work with people to get things done. We have been trained to do critical thinking, at least some of us have! We work with boards and committees and work within a budget. Hopefully, we have people skills that make us accessible to others. You can probably add many other things to this list, but it demonstrates that we have many skills and qualities that will work well in careers besides ministry.

My next question to this one pastor was what did he want to do when he began college. Many pastors begin their academic studies planning to go into a career other than ministry. He was no exception. He had originally planned to be a teacher. I reminded him that every school system I know always has a need for substitute teachers which would give him a great deal of flexibility and allow him to do something he had wanted to do before entering ministry. He could also develop a workshop and teach it. I have several seminars that I've taught across the US and Canada. Community colleges often need adjunct teachers as do small local colleges and universities. Teaching for a university online is sometimes an option. The fact is, he had numerous options available to him if he ever needed to become bivocational.

If you find yourself facing the prospect of transitioning from fully-funded to bivocational, don't get yourself in a panic. Find someone to help you think through what possibilities might work for you. Believe me, you'll find some.

Actually, the work aspect is the least challenging thing you'll have to address if you do go through that transition. Preparing yourself emotionally will be your biggest challenge. We ministers are wired to minister. You might find yourself spending a significant part of your day doing work that doesn't feel anything like ministry. That can be challenging emotionally, but it might also reflect a misunderstanding of ministry.

For the past few years I've operated an auction business. I got my auctioneer's license, and I conduct auctions for people in addition to working in ministry. But, I see that business as an extension of my ministry. I am serving people who need to downsize and perhaps move into a smaller home. I am ministering to people who need to settle an estate. I'm able to relieve them of a great burden in their lives that often comes at a difficult time. I also serve people who make their living buying and selling. You might also be surprised at the number of times I've been able to pray for people who are grieving at the loss they feel as they close out a family member's estate or have to let go of a lifetime of accumulation in order to downsize. I've also had the opportunity to refer people who do not attend church to a good church near them who can walk with them through this difficult time in their lives.

With the right attitude you will probably find that your outside job will offer you many ministry opportunities you might not have if you remained fully-funded.

So, if you find yourself in this situation, don't panic. Trust that the God Who called you into ministry in the first place knows exactly what is going on and is making a way for this to work out well for you and the church.

Important tasks for the church between pastors

For the past 18 or so months I've served as the Transitional Pastor of Madison First Baptist Church. The church has called a pastor who is leaving for a three month sabbatical that was already planned, and I've been asked to remain until he begins. I was more than happy to do so.

This has been a wonderful time of ministry. This is a very active church with numerous ministries, a passion for missions, and some great leadership. During my time here we've discerned a fresh vision for ministry with which the new pastor is in agreement. I believe this vision will lead the church forward for several years to come. We have spent time in the past few months looking at how to live into that vision with positive results.

I asked for the title of Transitional Pastor rather than Interim Pastor because I wanted to highlight the fact that we were in transition and not just standing around waiting for a new pastor. To me, transition implies movement, and I wanted to keep the church moving forward. The church has done that very well.

However, during this transitional time for the church there are five primary tasks that need to be done to help prepare the church for their new pastor.

1. The church needs to come to terms with its history. This is especially important if there are unresolved issues in its history. No church should call a new pastor if it has such issues that have not been resolved. That would be very unfair to the new pastor. On the positive side, this task can also help a church better understand its strengths.
2. The church needs to discover who it is today. Many churches still think of themselves as they were 20-30 years ago. This is a great time for a church to look inward to understand its current personality, its strengths and weaknesses, its passions, and its hope for the future.
3. The church needs to allow for leadership changes to occur. Some current leaders, especially if they were close to the former pastor, may feel the need to step back. New leaders might decide to step into new roles. This is normally a healthy thing unless conflicts begin to develop. When a pastor leaves there might be a leadership vacuum that people with ulterior motives might be tempted to fill.
4. The church needs to reconnect with its denomination if it belongs to one. Denominational leaders are often the first persons called when the current pastor leaves. These individuals can assist the church in finding a qualified Transitional Pastor and help the search team when they begin looking for candidates for the position.
5. The church needs to discern a fresh vision for ministry and be prepared to work with its new pastor to see that vision fulfilled. If a church is not ready to work with a new pastor it should not call one.

Too many churches just look for someone to preach during this transition time, and that is a mistake. A church will be far healthier and more ready to receive a new pastor if it intentionally works through these five steps. When your church needs to call a Transitional Pastor make sure he or she will help you do that.

*These five steps come from a booklet written by Kenneth Blazier titled Tackling the Tasks: Planning Interim Ministry in a Church. It was published by the Ministers-at-Large Program of the American Baptist Churches USA.

Transition from being a fully-funded pastor to bivocational

A few years ago I worked with a church that could no longer afford a fully-funded pastor. Their current pastor had been there for a few years and felt no leading from God to leave. He was willing to seek outside employment to remain at the church in a bivocational role. Other pastors have contacted me over the years saying their churches were considering the same transition and wondering what they should do. Some were willing to become bivocational but were unsure what other careers they should consider. A few told me they were not trained to do anything but ministry and were frightened by the prospect of having to leave the ministry if they were unable to find another church.

During these conversations I remind these pastors that their ministry training has given them many transferable skills that could be used in other areas of work. One pastor who made this transition had served several years in youth ministry before being called to a pastoral role. When he later became bivocational he found a job leading a youth center in his community, a job he's now been doing for several years. It was a perfect fit. Other pastors serve as teachers, some as substitute teachers, to keep their hours flexible. Some have gone into business or accepted leadership roles in various organizations. Some have furthered their education in counseling and have transitioned into that field while remaining in the ministry. Many of the things we do in ministry are needed in other fields as well.

One question I often ask these pastors concerns their majors in college. Many pastors were considering other careers while in college and pursuing education to prepare them for that work before feeling called to ministry. If this was an area of interest for them in the past, perhaps it is a good career choice to consider while becoming a bivocational minister.

Bivocational ministers can be found working many different jobs. For me, the most important challenge is to find a job you will enjoy that gives you the flexibility you need to also serve your church and provide financially for your family.

Tomorrow we will focus on the more difficult aspect of making this transition: letting go of some of the ministry tasks you were used to doing.

Transitioning from fully-funded ministry to bivocational ministry

I'm working on a new book. Part of it will address the challenges a pastor faces when transitioning from being a fully-funded pastor to a bivocational pastor. I believe we will see more pastors being asked to make that transition. As I've watched others make the change I've noticed many struggled and some were not very successful.

If you've made the change, what were the challenges you had to overcome? How did the change impact you emotionally? How did it affect your family? What jobs outside the church did you pursue? Anything you can tell me about the transition will be helpful, and I believe will be even more helpful to those who have to make that change in their own ministries.

I will use some of the stories I receive in the book, but your personal information will remain confidential. I look forward to hearing from you.

Communication is critical in times of change

As a Resource Minister in our Region I was occasionally called in to address church conflict. While there were many reasons for the various conflicts, one seemed to be found in almost all of them: a lack of communication. So many times people would tell me that there was little or no communication between church leaders and the congregation.

Most of the time this wasn't intentional. Often, the leaders felt they had communicated with the congregation. Obviously, they had not done so in a way that was received by the congregation. When people feel leaders are keeping things from them they quickly begin to distrust those leaders. They become suspicious of everything that goes on in the church fearful that somebody is trying to get away with something.

Even worse, when people do not have the facts they begin to create their own. Rumors begin to fly and the gossip mill begins to churn out information hourly. Often, these made-up facts are not even close to the real truth, but because the truth has not been communicated to the congregation this is all they have.

Where there has been a history of poor communication there is often a low-trust church. Such churches must begin immediately to improve their communication. In such cases it is almost impossible to over-communicate. This communication will, in time, begin to restore the trust needed for a church to enjoy an effective ministry.

Communication is critical in times of change. Many churches do not handle change very well. It creates a level of stress that these churches would prefer to not have. It is important that the WHY of the change is communicated. In fact, this should be communicated before discussing the WHAT of the change. John Kotter, author of
Leading Change, tells us that most change efforts fail because the leaders failed to create an urgency around the change. Talking about the why of the change does create this sense of urgency in the minds of the congregation.

It is also critical during times of pastoral transition. As I've often told pastor search teams, "Inquiring minds want to know." The church is very interested in the progress the search team is making. While it's important that the team keeps the congregation informed of where it is in the process, it must also maintain certain confidences such as the persons with whom they are speaking. Most people in the congregation will be satisfied with knowing that the team is making progress and won't push for more information that should not be shared.

One pastor was proposing something that the church had never done previously. Rather than make a big announcement at a business meeting that may have generated a lot of opposition, he presented it first to the church leadership. When they approved, it was taken to small groups within the church for feedback. Although there were some questions, there was no real opposition. More importantly, people felt that the pastor had not gone behind their backs and tried to do something new. Good communication had occurred, people had been heard, and it was possible to move forward with the suggestion.

This is the way good communication should work in a church. Make sure people are informed and any concerns they have are heard. Over-communicate if necessary. I have found that most people in the church can be trusted to do the right thing if they have the right information.

Transition times are not for rest

As many of you know, I am currently serving as the Transitional Pastor of Madison FBC in Madison, Indiana. This is one of the oldest churches in the state of Indiana with a rich history of ministry in this area and around the world. It enjoys a sister church relationship with a church in El Salvador, is a strong supporter of American Baptist mission work, supports a number of individual missionaries, and has numerous ministries in the community. In the few short months I've served in this current ministry I've been impressed with the dedication and commitment of its members as well as the fellowship that exists in the church.

I was called to be the Interim Pastor as is common in churches seeking a new pastor, but in my first message I shared that I would prefer to be seen as a Transitional Pastor. The term interim seems to have the image of something that is biding its time while it seeks more permanent leadership. The word transitional sounds more like something that is moving forward. A transition is going from one place to another, and that seems to be a better image for a church than one that is just sitting around. The church responded very well to that shift in thinking, and we are moving forward even while the Pastor Search Team is doing its job.

In January we will begin a visioning process to see where God might be leading the church in the next few years. It has been ten years since the church went through a similar process and formed a vision statement. Vision needs to be re-visited every 5-6 years anyway, and the transitional time between pastors is a great time to do that.

We will also begin small groups in January. These groups will meet for ten weeks and address a number of subjects designed to help persons grow in their faith. We've had several people volunteer to lead these groups, and we are praying that a large number of our members and others from the community will join one of the small groups.

Our Sunday night Bible study has begun a study through the book of Acts with a special focus on the first century church. It's been interesting to see how many of the challenges that church faced are similar to ones the church is currently facing.

We will begin the new year challenging people to read through the Bible in 2017. Many, including myself, have found this to be a meaningful devotional exercise, but there are many others who have never read through the Bible in one year. We want to encourage people to spend more time in God's Word, and this is one way to promote that.

There are a number of other events being planned for 2017 that are designed to increase the ministry and fellowship opportunities in the church and community. Transition times are not times to settle in but a time to grow and expand what God wants to do in and through the church. This is exactly what this congregation is doing. When they do call a pastor he or she will not have to figure out how to get them started doing ministry. The new pastor's biggest challenge will be trying to figure out how to get on board a moving train! Believe me, most pastors would prefer the second challenge over the first one!

5 questions the church must answer

Yesterday marked my first Sunday as the Transitional Pastor of Madison FBC. As a church seeks new pastoral leadership it is important that it spends time reflecting on its history and even more on its future. In my message I challenged the church to begin asking five questions to prepare them as they move forward. These questions need to be asked periodically by every congregation as it seeks to minister.

1. Why are we here? This goes to purpose and mission. Many churches struggle with their purpose for being. They don't understand the mission they've been given. Actually, the mission for every church is the same: The Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Churches that do not understand that fulfilling this mission will find themselves struggling to enjoy a productive ministry.
2. How will we accomplish our purpose? This goes to vision. While the mission of every church is the same, the vision will be different for every church. Churches are made up of different people with various gifts and ministry interests, plus each church serves in different areas that have different needs. The challenge for each church is to understand God's vision for their ministry.
3. What will hinder us from achieving our purpose? This goes to leadership. As John Maxwell reminds us, "Everything rises and falls on leadership." No organization, including a church, will rise any higher than its leadership. This includes both pastoral and lay leadership. Churches need strong leadership, and we need to develop leadership pipelines that are developing future leaders so when time comes they will be ready to provide the leadership the church needs.
4. Who are we here for? When a church answers that question it is ready to begin preparing its budget for the upcoming year and to develop its programming. The church should be the one organization that exists for its non-members. While we do need to minister to one another and enjoy times of fellowship, we always need to remember that our primary focus must be on those who do not yet have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
5. Is what we are doing here today worth the life of the Son of God? This may be the most powerful question we must answer. When I think of some of the things churches have focused on, fought over, and divided because of, I have to ask this question. Did Jesus really leave the glory of heaven to die on a cross just so churches could do some of the things they do?

These are not easy questions to answer, and no congregation that seeks to answer them should expect every answer to be pleasant. However, answering these questions will prepare us for the future ministry God wants to do in and through us.

When your church is between pastors

The first day a pastor begins his or her ministry in a new church that person is a departing pastor. We seldom think of it that way, but at some point that pastor will leave the church. He or she may leave for another church, leave the ministry completely, retire, or die, but, if the Lord tarries, at some point the church will be seeking a new pastor. Instead of being surprised when this happens the church should be planning for that eventual transition.

For many years this was often referred to as an interim time in the life of the church. The person called to lead the church during this time was usually referred to as an interim pastor. In recent years many are calling this a transitional time and the individual serving as pastor is a transitional pastor. I think this is a good change in terminology.

The word interim seems to me like a time when things are at a standstill. Everyone is waiting for something to happen, and that something is the calling of a new pastor. On the other hand, transitional provides a sense that things are happening. You are moving from one place to another. In fact, my dictionary defines transition as "a passage from one state to another; a movement."

This time between pastors should not be a time when a church is idle and waiting, but should be a time when the church is reflecting on who it is and where God wants it to be going. It is a time to seek a fresh vision from God so the church has a better idea of the gifts and abilities their next pastor needs to have to help them achieve that vision.

Too many churches are waiting for a new pastor to tell them their vision. Think of the time that is wasted. It's not unusual to take a year or two to find a new pastor. That person needs to take some time to get to know the congregation and the community, and only then can a vision discernment begin. A church waiting on a new pastor to give them their vision for ministry could easily spend 2-3 years doing absolutely nothing but waiting.

Besides, it's not the pastor's role to "give" the church a vision. A vision discernment process should be done by the entire church, or in the case of a larger church by the leadership. For any vision to truly be owned by the congregation they need to have input into the process of discerning what that vision is. The transitional time between pastors is a great opportunity for such discernment to occur.

It's often helpful to have someone from outside the church lead that process. Denominational and judicatory leaders can often lead that. Church consultants and coaches can do so as well. Regardless of whom you use to lead the process, it's important to do it.

When you can match your next pastor to your ministry vision, you are more likely to call the right person. You also won't lose valuable time when such vision discernment is done before the new pastor begins. Use the transitional time between pastors wisely. Your church's ministry will benefit greatly if you do.

Election 2016

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post for this blog that looked at the changes taking place in the church. I compared the church of today to a trapeze artist. The performer must let go of the safety of the swing he or she is holding onto in order to leap to the next swing. It is when the trapeze artist is in between the swings that he or she is in greatest danger. The church today is in between the swings. We are having to let go of the familiar, what we know, to be able to catch the other swing. That second swing is unknown to many of us, and that is what makes is frightening.

The political system in America is in a similar state today. I doubt that anyone would have predicted the events of this political season. Donald Trump not only ran against the Republican establishment, but he did and said some of the most outrageous things that should have ensured his defeat. He is now the Republican nominee for President.

Hillary Clinton has been investigated throughout her primary by the FBI for the way she handled her e-mails and national security information as the Secretary of State. Another investigation covered her actions in the Benghazi attack. The FBI concluded she violated numerous laws and put some Top Secret information in potential jeopardy, but since she didn't know what she was doing they recommended she not be prosecuted. The Benghazi investigation found that she and others had been warned numerous times by her own advisers that additional security was needed at the diplomatic compound but had taken no action. Two episodes of such incompetence would hardly qualify someone for the highest office in the land, but this week she will be the Democratic nominee for President.

Both candidates lack the support of key elements of their respective parties. Leading Republicans refused to attend their convention, and Ted Cruz' refusal to endorse Trump will follow him throughout this election. Bernie Sanders, Clinton's primary opponent, complained throughout the primaries that the Democratic National Convention had stacked the deck against him getting the nod. This past week e-mails were released showing his complaints to be valid. The DNC had ensured Clinton would be the nominee. The chair of the DNC was forced to resign because of her role in undermining the candidacy of Sanders. The day after her resignation she joined the Clinton election team. This was way too much for the Sanders' supporters many of whom are refusing, at this time, to support Clinton.

For either nominee to claim the moral ground in this election would be a travesty. Republicans are always looking for the next Ronald Reagan as the Democrats continue to seek the next John F. Kennedy. Both have settled for far less.

Many evangelicals have publicly stated they will not vote for Trump because of what they perceive as his lack of morals and decency. I wonder how many of them also refused to vote for Mitt Romney because he was a Mormon and then spent the next four years complaining about President Obama. They seem unable to see that not voting for Trump is a vote for Clinton.

Some on the far left fringes of the Democrat party are saying they will not vote for Clinton because her VP nominee is not progressive enough. Sanders supporters claim they will not vote for Clinton because of the way their candidate was cheated out of a fair primary. One of my fears is that because of the candidates we may see a poor voter turn-out and have a new President elected by a very small percentage of voters who will then claim a mandate to force through his or her plans. That may not be good for the country.

Not only is the church going through a time of major transition, so is the political system of this nation, and virtually every other aspect of national life. This is a time the church needs to pray and come together for the good of this nation and its future role in the world. Personally, I do not believe God is done with America, but we have far to go to become the nation we once were. The church needs to take 2 Chr. 7:14 seriously and ask God to send a spiritual revival to this nation.