Helping A New Pastor Succeed
Susan has created a fantastic garden in our backyard. When she puts in a new tree or bush, she considers whether it has enough space and adjusts her expectations for when the first leaves or blossoms will appear. She knows that healthy growth takes time.
Paul described ministry the same way: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6–7). I do not want to push the analogy too far, but it offers a helpful picture for pastoral succession. Calling a pastor is not the end of succession. Church leaders and congregations also have a responsibility to cultivate the conditions in which a new pastor can take root and lead fruitfully.
One of the most important of those conditions is trust. Trust is extended by a congregation and earned by a pastor. It grows through patience, consistency, honest communication, and shared ministry. That trust runs through four areas that deserve attention.
Give Space
A new pastor needs space to settle in. Beyond moving and learning a new community, a new pastor is learning people, history, ministry rhythms, staff relationships, traditions, and the stories behind why the church does what it does. Much of that cannot be learned from a written report or a weekend of interviews.
Even an internal successor needs space. Knowing the church as an associate pastor is different from carrying responsibility for the whole church. Relationships and expectations change when responsibilities change.
Giving space communicates trust. It says, “We do not expect you to know everything immediately. Take time to learn us, and let us learn you.” Give the new pastor room to learn before requiring them to lead everything.
Adjust Expectations
Expectations can quietly undermine a transition. A congregation may expect the new pastor to preach like the former pastor, preserve everything it liked, change everything it disliked, improve attendance and giving, and do it all quickly. No pastor can carry that burden well.
Comparisons are especially damaging. A new pastor cannot reproduce years of shared history in a few months. A new pastor should be received for who they are, not measured against the memory of their predecessor. In my experience, it can take several years before a pastor fully understands a church and begins to hit stride.
A new pastor may also inherit distrust they did not create, especially after a difficult departure. Trust must be both extended and earned. The congregation gives the pastor room to lead, while the pastor builds trust by listening well, keeping commitments, admitting mistakes, and caring for the church.
Establish a Healthy Pace
A younger pastor may arrive full of energy and ideas. A seasoned pastor may believe experience has already shown them what will work. Both may be right about some things, but neither yet understands this church as well as they eventually will.
A close relationship between the pastor and established leaders is especially important. Trusted leaders can say, “That is a good idea, but we may not be ready yet.” They can also say, “You have taken time to listen. We believe it is time to lead.” The board is not simply there to slow a pastor down. Sometimes it needs to encourage the pastor to move forward.
Healthy pacing grows out of prayer, candid conversation, and grace. Trust allows the pastor and leaders to correct course without treating every disagreement as a crisis. These are exactly the kinds of conversations Converge Great Lakes’ fall Succession Cohort is designed to help pastors and boards have, before the pressure of a transition makes them harder.
Measure the Right Things
We live in a results-driven society, and churches are not immune from the pressure for quick outcomes. Attendance, giving, baptisms, and new ministries matter, but they may not be the best early measures of a new pastor’s ministry.
Some of the most important early signs of health are difficult to put on a spreadsheet. Is trust growing between the pastor and leaders? Is the pastor learning the congregation and community? Is the staff functioning well? Are people beginning to see this pastor as their own?
The appropriate measures change according to the season. Early progress may look less like visible fruit and more like healthy relationships, clearer communication, and growing confidence. These are part of the work that makes lasting results possible.
Before looking for fruit, look for evidence that the roots are taking hold.
A church cannot make a pastor fruitful. God gives the growth. But a congregation and its leaders can cultivate an environment in which healthy roots can develop. Give space. Adjust expectations. Establish a healthy pace. Measure the right things. Through it all, extend trust wisely and give the pastor the opportunity to earn it through faithful ministry.
Susan knows that a new plant needs time, care, and the right conditions. The same is true of a new pastor. The church has invested prayer, energy, and hope in finding the person who will lead it into the next season. That work should continue after this pastor arrives.
As mentioned above, this fall’s Converge Great Lakes Succession Cohort is open to pastors and board chairs who want to prepare thoughtfully for pastoral transition. If succession is on the horizon for your church, or if you want to begin planning before it becomes urgent, contact me or Brian Petersen for more information.
