Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Mastering Transitions by Edward Bratcher, Robert Kemper, and Douglas Scott

Mastering Transitions by Edward Bratcher, Robert Kemper, and Douglas Scott

Last updated on: February 27, 2018 at 7:59 pm by Jim Erwin

Mastering Transitions by Edward Bratcher, Robert Kemper, and Douglas Scott 2018-02-27T19:59:31-05:00 Jim Erwin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mastering Transitions by Ed Bratcher, Robert Kemper, and Douglas Scott is a comprehensive guide. The book shows what a minister should expect when they decide to move from one church to another, or one ministry to another. The book is divided into three parts. The first part of the book addresses “hearing the call.” Unique to Christianity is the idea that God calls a person to a ministry. This part of the book addresses how that happens. The three-step process of hearing a call.

Part 1: Hearing the Call

The first step in the process of hearing a call is to see if God is calling the minister when the church calls the minister. It is important to know if God is calling a minister to change places.

The second step in the process is learning how to deal with the candidate process. In secular positions, one is usually hired by a manager or someone in Human Resources. In ministry, candidates usually deal with a search committee. The search committee is usually made up of different people in the church. However, they will not necessarily make up people whom the candidate will regularly deal with after employment.

The third step is about coming to terms with the committee and the questioning process. This is the period of negotiating the terms of employment. Questions such as salary, housing, insurance, vacation, as well as other benefits can be addressed. These additional benefits may include a car allowance and expense account. Agreements are also delineated during this time. This will include the job description, performance review, and termination, continuing education, as well as vacation and study leave.

Part 2: Making a Move

At some time during a ministry, the pastor may sense that it is time to leave. During the end of the ministry, it is a time to “prepare to leave.” This can be a very emotional event. At the same time, when a pastor is called somewhere else, one is still the incumbent pastor until the last day of employment. It can be a time of reconciliation with people who have been alienation. One will get invited to receptions and farewell suppers.

Once the minister has left, the change begins. Moving right into a new location or form of service can be challenging. It is a time of anticipation. At the same time, it can feel very lonely. It is helpful to develop symbols or rituals to help deal with this new transition.

Making can move can also be uncomfortable when it is a forced termination. Anger can set in. Yet, this kind of dismissal still requires some form of negotiation. Therefore, it is important to keep one’s emotions in check. The reason is that the pastor is not the only one being fired, Firing affects the pastor’s family as well. Anger, shame, and doubt may set in. This kind of change still requires that the minister make a move. However, the pastor may be deeply hurt by this forced move. This new move can be a long process.

Part 3: Building a Ministry

Once a pastor has moved, it is time to build a new ministry. The first year of ministry becomes the most critical year in ministry. The minister needs to build mutual trust, hold off on change, and continue to preach to the best of their ability.

The First Year

As the pastor builds a new ministry, harnessing the church’s history is essential to success. The church’s history shows God at work. The history of the church creates community. This same history also shapes the church’s future. The pastor must learn the real history. If history can provide hope, it can also steal hope. The pastor can lead the church best by bringing the history of the church forward, make it present to the church, and also point the church to the future.

Challenges

One of the most difficult challenges is leading your new church in the shadow of your predecessor(s). The new pastor has to deal with selective congregational memories. Sometimes the predecessor long dead, and sometimes that person is literally present in the church. The new pastor has to learn how to deal with the predecessor. Preferably, it helps to make use of the predecessor.

Another difficult challenge is leading the church following a difficult pastorate. In trying to get the total story, the new pastor can learn that there are a variety of problems. There are a variety of leadership strategies a new pastor can use to help the church grow. For example, work with the church’s leadership, concentrate on preaching and visitation, combat the spirit of failure through constant encouragement, help the church to focus outward, and celebrate what is good in the church.

While leading the church through change, it is important to also preserve yourself. This may include spending more time in prayer, asking help from others in the church, finding other sources of renewal for yourself as a pastor, as well as exercise. Building a ministry is a long process. A pastor must accept that it will take time.

Part 4: Shaping the Future

The first few years of the pastorate are called the honeymoon. During this time, the church may accept the pastor. Yet, after the honeymoon, conflicts may arise that need resolving. While serving in the church, it is important that the pastor take care of himself. The reason is that these conflicts and other parts of ministry can be stressful.

Stress

Stress can really come when a pastor is confronted about his leadership. The pastor can fight or die. But the process involved gathering information from other people in the church and then telling the truth to the people who confronted the pastor in the first place. Secrets feed a church illness. Truth sets the church free.

While serving in a church, we may feel discouraged. The first response is a desire to flee. So a pastor may apply to lead another church. So much energy can be spent on that process that the pastor neglects the work in the present church. In times of crisis (marriage strain, financial burdens, children’s behavior, or poor health), it helps to seek out help from within the congregation. The congregation can be a source of help to the pastor.

A pastor may serve for a long time, whether in one ministry or many. Following a long time of service, the pastor may need to prepare for retirement. That includes preparing to leave the church. The pastor should give the church good warning. The church will feel stress and pressure during this time. The pastor can alleviate this pressure by making a few adjustments. For example, the pastor can also let the board lead. The minister should remember the congregation and protect the staff. During this time, it is important that the pastor doesn’t call attention to himself. In the end, the pastor should work well to the end and yet say goodbye well.

Retirement

A shift to retirement can be challenging. The pastor should be ready to really live during retirement. This includes being ready for any move. Retirement can be a challenge for ministers. One must be prepared financially, emotionally, and spiritually for this change. However, retirement can be fulfilling when it is fully embraced.

I found this book to be a comprehensive look at the life cycle of a minister. The book does a good job and preparing the minister for the transitions that may happen in their work. I highly recommend this book for pastors as well as people who are interested in serving in the ministry.

You can find this book on Amazon, Google, and Logos.

You can check out my reviews of other books related to pastoral ministry:

Lead Like Jesus by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges

Your Signature Work by Dianna Booher

Managing Through People by Dale Carnegie and Associates

Being Leaders by Aubrey Malphurs

Super-Vision: Developing and Directing People on Mission by Doran McCarty

Survival Tactics in the Parish by Lyle Schaller

Leadership As a Lifestyle by John Hawkins

Previous Post

February 26, 2018

Unfriend Yourself by Kyle Tennant

Next Post

March 8, 2018 Living Revision by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Chronicles 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Kings 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Chronicles 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John Acts Advent Amos Book Review Colossians Comics Culture Watch Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galatians Genesis Guest Post Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Hosea Humor Inspiritational Isaiah James Jeremiah Job Joel John Jonah Joshua Jude Judges Lamentations Lectionary Lent Leviticus Link Love Luke Malachi Mark Matthew Micah Movie Review Nahum Nehemiah Numbers Philippians Political Watch Prophecy Watch Proverbs Psalm Revelation Reviews Romans Ruth Science Watch Sermon Series Sermons Simple Thoughts Song of Solomon Titus Top Ten Uncategorized Video Review Zechariah Zephaniah

Select a Month May 2026 October 2025 September 2025 June 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 January 2022 June 2021 January 2021 October 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2009 June 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does Paul tell Timothy to do with myths and old wives' tales?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ignore them Correct them Have nothing to do with them Refute them