Succession: Making A Smooth Transition

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Succession Making A Smooth Transition

• Chicago Conference with Lyle Schaller

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Background

• Virginia Baptist Mission Board invited eight
  pastors of very large churches to attend this
  conference in Chicago with Lyle Schaller.
• Lyle Schaller is the author of many books. In
  recent years, he has focused on growing the Very
  Large Church.

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Background

• Before the conference, each pastor prepared
• Biographical information about himself
• Brief over-view and history of his church
• Staff make-up and scope of present ministry
• Statistics for worship, Sunday school and
  offerings for the past 10 years

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Schallers General Comments

• Americans choosing to attend very large churches
• Worship Attendance Number of Churches
• 1 - 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . 21,684
• 100 - 200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . 7,943
• 200 - 300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . 2,639
• 300 - 500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . 1,917
• 500 - 800 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . 799
• 800 - 1000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . 209
• 1000 plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . . 425
• TOTAL CHURCHES 35,616

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Attendance Statistics

• Most SBC churches are small, but most members go
  to larger churches
• Worship Attendance of SBC Churches
  attending
• 1 - 125 72 31
• 126 - 500 24 38
• 500 plus 4 31

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Why People Choose Larger Churches

• Not primarily because they are large churches but
  because they are the only churches able to
  provide QUALITY, RELEVANCE, and CHOICES.
• Quality facilities, ministries, preaching,
  staff, etc.
• Relevance whatever the church is doing must
  apply or connect as being relevant to my life.
• Choices at every level (ministries, ways to
  plug-in, times and variety of services, etc.)

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Schaller Bonsacks No. 1 Issue is Succession

• The larger the CHURCH, the longer the TENURE,
  the sharper the GROWTH pattern, the more crucial
  is succession, and the more difficult it is
  to work it out.

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Schaller Bonsacks No. 1 Issue is Succession

• Whenever there is major change in a church,
  people need stability zones to see them through
  the transition.

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Schaller Bonsacks No. 1 Issue is Succession

• Continuity in churches is usually found in
  RELATIONSHIPS. Thus, long pastorates help
  churches grow because the pastor becomes a
  stability zone in the midst of continued change.

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The Way Weve Always Done It

• The long tenured pastor retires and the church
  finds an interim for a year or so.
• During that time, the church thinks about what
  kind of pastor theyre looking for.

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The Way Weve Always Done It

• Finally the new pastor is called and the church
  works to adjust to its new leader.
• The retired pastor steers clear of the church...
  so they can finish grieving and make an
  attachment to the new pastor.

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Why The Old WayDoesnt Work

• First, pulpit committees in long-tenured
  pastorates have little experience in what theyre
  doing.
• Second, in very large churches, the new pastor
  doesnt understand the DYNAMICS or the CULTURE
  of that particular church.

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Why The Old WayDoesnt Work

• Third, new pastor is usually a generation
  younger... relates to a different group of people
  other than the old leadership, and has no
  attachment to the current staff.

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Schallers Suggestion A New Approach

• First, pastor puts together a small group of key
  leadership and staff to formulate MINISTRY
  direction for the next 7 to 10 years.
• Second, work with the same group to consider what
  kind of staff will be needed to do this ministry
  plan.

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Schallers Suggestion A New Approach

• Third, find a new pastor, (in the next 2 to 3
  years), with current pastor heavily involved in
  the process.
• The church must take advantage of his knowledge
  and experience while hes still here.
• In talking with a prospective pastor, the church
  will already have its ministry direction and
  staffing to share with the new person.

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Schallers Suggestion A New Approach

• In the very large church (over 800 in worship),
  PREACHING must be EXCELLENT. New pastor must be
  able to consistently deliver A or A
  messages.

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Schallers Suggestion A New Approach

• The current pastor must agree to continue to STAY
  ON in ministry to the church... for an additional
  5 to 7 years with two major responsibilities in
  his new job description
• Focus on the things he really wants to do.
• See that things work out well for the new pastor.
• Lay leaders involved from beginning in this
  process must be committed to making things work
  out with the new pastor.

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More About Dr. Moores Responsibilities

• Dr. Moore would provide a SECURITY ZONE for
  those who love him his ministry... so the
  church didnt end up losing these people while
  the new pastor learned the church CULTURE and how
  to pastor a very large church.

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More About Dr. Moores Responsibilities

• Dr. Moore would continue to preach... as would
  the new pastor.
• Preaching could be worked out in a variety of
  ways. Presuming new pastor is an excellent
  preacher/teacher, he would help continue to draw
  new people.
• The church would get used to several
  teaching/preaching pastors who did exceptional
  jobs, even if different styles.

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Some Added Benefits Of This Plan

• If this model worked, then when Bob did leave,
  several things would likely happen
• He would leave a much smaller hole with much less
  negative impact on the church.
• Hed be free, indeed expected, to help out with
  training, teaching, preaching (JBS Easter
  Pageant... 6 week sermon series, etc.)....
  without being a threat to the current pastor.

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Some Added Benefits Of This Plan

• Longevity of current staff would more likely to
  be preserved, adding value to the church.

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