When an Interim Makes Sense

Several months ago, on a Zoom call about pastoral succession, a presenter forcefully asserted that an interim pastorate is not the solution to a succession plan. For pastors and church leaders facing an upcoming transition, the statement sounded less like counsel and more like a verdict.

He was half right.

Scripture gives us a picture of ministry that is intentionally temporary. John the Baptist knew his assignment: prepare the way, then step aside. “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” (John 3:30, TLB). A healthy interim pastorate shares that same posture. It has a defined assignment, a defined season, and a clear goal of preparing the way for what comes next.

Here is where the presenter was right: a church that treats “interim” as its plan is not actually planning. “Well, whenever our pastor retires or leaves, we’ll just call an interim for a time while we figure out next steps” is not a strategy. It's a shrug. Scrambling for anyone willing to fill the pulpit after a departure is neither good stewardship nor good succession. Barna’s research on church leadership transitions backs this up: congregations that planned their transition in advance completed it within a year seven times out of ten; without a plan, only about half did, and one in three took longer than a year. Planning, not the presence or absence of an interim, is what separates a healthy transition from a hard one.

Here is where he missed it: an interim pastorate chosen deliberately, ahead of time, is planning. It is not a deviation from a succession strategy. Done well, it is part of one.

Interim Pastor Ministries (IPM), one of several organizations that place and train interim pastors, distinguishes between two kinds of interim service. A traditional interim keeps the lights on by preaching, leading services, providing pastoral care, and working alongside staff and leadership. An intentional interim does that and more by assessing the church's health, identifying unresolved issues, clarifying mission and direction, and helping church leaders prepare for the next pastor. The goal is not simply to keep ministry functioning, but to prepare the congregation so its next pastor inherits a church ready to move forward rather than one still processing the past.

This distinction matters most for the small church that cannot carry two pastors on payroll at once. For that congregation, the wise move is not “avoid the interim season” but “plan the exit, then plan the interim.” Before the current pastor departs, leadership can begin defining the characteristics they want in the next pastor and the initial goals that pastor will need to pursue. That work does not have to wait for a search committee to form. It can happen during the interim season itself, so the church is clarifying its future while an experienced hand steadies its present. Depending on the church’s needs, that season may look like a traditional interim covering preaching and pastoral counsel, or it may call for the deeper transition work IPM calls “intentional.” Not every church will need an interim pastor, but every church should thoughtfully consider whether one would strengthen its transition. Either way, the interim’s presence buys the congregation time to discern well instead of settling quickly.

When your church anticipates a transition like this, Converge Great Lakes doesn't want you navigating it alone. Whether that means connecting you with an available pastor or pointing you toward a ministry like IPM (interimpastors.com), our staff team is ready to help you think through what kind of interim season, if any, fits your church.

If your church is beginning to think about pastoral succession, or if you simply want to be prepared before the need arises, we invite you to join our Pastoral Succession Cohort this fall. Designed for pastors and church board leaders, the cohort provides practical guidance, proven resources, and thoughtful conversation to help churches navigate leadership transitions with wisdom and confidence. For more information, contact Alan Cleveland at acleveland@convergegreatlakes.org or Brian Petersen at bpetersen@convergegreatlakes.org.

Pastoral succession is bigger than the question “who's next?” It's prayer, planning, and honest conversation, worked out well before the transition begins. A well-planned interim season may be one important piece of your church's succession plan.