Transitions for clergy
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This document discusses transitions and navigating change. It provides advice on managing transitions in personal life, churches, and congregations. Some key points: - Transitions involve major shifts that require new ways of operating and occur over time, with an in-between "wilderness" period. - Both individuals and congregations experience emotions like denial, anger, and depression during transitions. - Successful transitions require acknowledging loss, embracing new learning, and having a process to guide the period of change. - Churches transitioning after trauma need healing, reconnecting, and redefining roles while focusing on spiritual formation. - The type of leadership needed changes from focusing on process during transition to spiritual growth in
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Transitions for clergy
- 1. ComplementaryComplementary TransitionsTransitions TransitionsTransitions see www. billkemp.infosee www. billkemp.infoby Bill Kempby Bill Kemp
- 2. Here and now, we are children of God. What we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be made like him... (I John 3:2 )
- 3. Rembrandt 1633 Decent from the Cross the Cross the Cross the Cross
- 6. The Resurrection is perfect joyThe CrossThe Cross is perfectis perfect sorrowsorrow t
- 7. Rediscover Process & Relationship Process & Relationship pre-modern modern 1700 - 1980 post-modern
- 8. Holy Week 2013 where are you? Rate your experience 1....2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9..10
- 9. Holy Week 2013 What happened to you? 1) Too busy to experience it 2) Personal Problems / Conflicts Intruded 3)You were anxious about being reappointed 4)You didn’t find anything new in the Passion Story
- 10. Transition involves a major shift in expectations and values that leads to new operating procedures Transition occurs over a period of time and has a middle ground place (the wilderness) which is not like what is before or what comes after. Having a process helps us travel through this middle ground. The journey of transition forces us to acknowledge what is lost and affirm our ownership over what will be gained Transition versus Change
- 11. Which is the real Gulf Fritillary?
- 12. Which is the real Bill Kemp?
- 13. • Adolescence • Marriage/Divorce • Imprisonment • Career Entry • Unemployment • Empty nest • Chronic or terminal illness • Relocation / Home loss • Recovery from an accident • Other Transitional Moments in our Personal Lives:
- 14. What happens when we... when we...Deny our feelings? Fail to recognize what is lost? Refuse new learning Do not take the time to orient the map or to reset our clock? Forget why we are on the journey?
- 15. What?
- 16. Mandatory Bananas Birth Childhood to Teen Teen to Young Adult ★Young Adult to Older Adult (Midlife) Elder to Death
- 17. Kubler-Ross / Scott Peck: [Transition creates] a place of “psycho- spiritual growth,” and like the dying, we find ourselves engaged in denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, but not always in that order, as we process the new learning that [transition] thrusts upon us.
- 18. Bible Transition Stories: NoahNoah ExodusExodus RuthRuth JonahJonah Babylonian CaptivityBabylonian Captivity John the BaptistJohn the Baptist AdventAdvent Jesus in WildernessJesus in Wilderness LentLent Post-EasterPost-Easter Paul’s Arabian RetreatPaul’s Arabian Retreat
- 19. Narrative elements of transition: Wilderness, Loss of the Familiar, New Learning, Unexpected Healing or Salvation, a required period of Time (40)
- 20. What does a bride wear? •Something Old - what is left behind •Something New - what is to be accepted & anticipated •Something Borrowed - remembering our indebtedness to past & elders •Something Blue - naming what is makes us sad
- 24. Transition in church seasons Eastertide -Eastertide - PentecostPentecost
- 26. Congregational transition is often caused by trauma • Loss of or betrayal by key Leadership • Congregational Conflict • Change in Context (External) • Shifts in Congregational Size
- 27. Hints about Congregational Trauma 1) The effects of misconduct or betrayal last long after the leader departs 2) Those that left probably contributed far less than people thought 3) Change always creates new opportunities for ministry
- 28. Signs of a bad transition: • Personal investments are ignored • Inappropriate reliance on technology and tradition • Forward momentum is lost • Hopelessness abounds • Misdirected behavior is systemic • Psyche/culture becomes risk-adverse
- 29. Every congregation and every individual will experience trauma, loss, grief... In the wilderness we will either discover transformation or become bitter
- 30. Navigating a transition is a lot like coming about in a sail boat: • Maintain momentumMaintain momentum • Don’t get tangled up in looseDon’t get tangled up in loose lineslines • A leader’s job is toA leader’s job is to communicatecommunicate • Timing and pace are to beTiming and pace are to be respectedrespected
- 31. Transition Phase - Congregation focuses on healing, adapting to change, and reconnecting with the denomination, and redefining the pastoral role Deepening Phase - Spiritual formation is achieved through more worship, study, fellowship, and mission related activities Management Phase - Work is done to realign church structures with church mission, vocation, or current reality I wash, I rinse, I dry... then I do it all over again!
- 32. Transition - Process leaders who can weigh options, guide change, and redefine relationships Deepening - Experts in spiritual formation and congregational growthManagement - Detail oriented leaders who can help the church develop stewardship and realign assets to fit their mission Leadership Needs:
- 33. Holy Spirit grows the church Transition: spiritual passion is tested found authentic (winter/early spring) Deepening: spiritual passion grows as congregation develops authentic worship, study, fellowship, and witness (summer) Maintenance: structures are shifted to support the mission and vision of the congregation’s spiritual passion (fall harvest)
- 34. Buffer between long pastorates Bring healing to traumatized congregations Help with Leadership Change Reconnect with denomination Focus on Process Motto: “The process is more important thanMotto: “The process is more important than anyany one decision”one decision” Intentional Interims
- 35. Presence?
- 36. Do you think of churches as complex family systems?
- 37. 3 ways to make a decision Implementation Range Process Time Leadership expectation Authority Soon Short Decisiveness Majority Weeks or Months Medium Fairness Discernment Long Long Resource provider
- 38. During Transition: •Simplify •Avoid Added Stress •Celebrate the grace of God •Reconnect with biblical/ spiritual images
- 39. Five Developmental tasks (Loren Mead) Task 1. Coming to Terms with History Task 2. Discovering a New Identity Task 3. Allowing Needed Leadership Change Task 4. Rethinking Denominational Linkages Task 5. Commitment to New Directions in Ministry
- 40. Marks of Level 5 Leaders: • Personal Humility • Take responsibility when things go wrong – give credit to others when things go right • Keep the focus of the organization on its main thing • They often will sacrifice their own gain for the sake of the organization • Committed to long-term results
- 41. Notperfectyet.com Practical thoughts for Pastors: • Seek to participate in and understand the existing worship form before making changes • Do an assessment (NCD) early • Listen to history - discover land mines • Create shared ownership of missional vision (strategy vs. tactics) • Don’t criticize your predecessor • Look for a easy “win”
- 42. Notperfectyet.com Practical thoughts for congregations: • Do a good goodbye • Have a worship service in which the exiting pastor is released from pastoral duties • Let the laity handle the first service after the pastor arrives • Do cottage meetings • Do a church photo directory • Do an assessment (NCD) early • Listen for boundary issues - respect the parsonage family’s privacy • Share your history • Share your expectations but be prepared to negotiate
- 43. Here and now, we are children of God. What we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be made like him... (I John 3:2 )
- 44. The Spiral Rule The spiral rule applies to every church It applies to small and large churches It’s not a Methodist thing
- 45. The Spiral Rule Congregations that focus outward, Travel Upward Congregations that focus inward, Travel Downward
- 46. Changing Religious Climate Loss of trust for institutions and/or hierarchyLoss of trust for institutions and/or hierarchy Lack of willingness to become a member or joinLack of willingness to become a member or join anythinganything Give by texting / serve by showing upGive by texting / serve by showing up Whatever...Whatever... (relativistic attitude about beliefs)(relativistic attitude about beliefs) Relational approaches to problem solvingRelational approaches to problem solving
Editor's Notes
- Vision-ing is a particular form of decision making. It involves decisions made for the long haul. It requires discernment. If a family moves into a new home, how do they decide where to put the new clothes line? They could just trust the husband to make a decision based on his control of the tools (Authority). Or they could take a vote (Majority). Or they could discuss each of their long term hopes for using the backyard and come to an intuitive decision based upon how their various concerns and hopes interacted. This last way to make a decision is similar to discernment.