Changing leaders on purpose …

One way to improve leadership within the church is to change it.

On purpose.

Perhaps even a few times.

There is a traditional school of thinking that every vocational ministry position is supposed to be long-term. In fact, if you want to quickly pique church members’ attention, just announce a change in a key pastoral position. The first question asked is usually, “Why?”

“To better serve the mission and needs of the local church body,” would be a good answer, and it’s a reason why some churches need to consider making leadership changes, even if the change is only seasonal.

The idea that one person would be equipped to lead a church through every season of its life is a stretch for many in ministry. Some leaders have neither the giftedness, talent, skill, experience, or interest in taking the lead in every situation or season in the life of a church. Sometimes, a church can grow and serve best under leaders who are more directly equipped to lead through certain seasons or situations the church may face.

For example, I know of multiple leaders who thrive in planting new churches and leading them to stability within the first three to five years of their start. But then they are ready to turn the leadership over to someone else while they move on to plant other churches. These men are gifted in evangelizing and leading a church in its early formation. They aren’t wired to spend the next 20 or 30 years leading the same church in maturing.

Likewise, there are some great shepherds who would be overwhelmed with the challenges of planting a new church, but have the giftedness of settling in with a congregation for many seasons of growing, maturing, and serving.

Some pastors thrive on the demands of a quickly growing congregation, but are completely overwhelmed when having to add to that a capital building program. Others wind up with so much to do they need someone to share responsibility with.

All of these, and other, scenarios from the life of a church can be met by providing the right leader for the season of the church. This can be done various ways, including:

• Seasonal Leadership. When a church is going through a transition in its congregational life that will last for an extended period of time, it may require changing leaders to provide leadership that is seasoned to the changing needs of the congregation.

• Situational Leadership. Different situations can bring new needs for leading a church. Going through a capital development campaign, recovering from a split, revitalizing an outward look, or any number of situations a church may face can result in the need for either a different kind of leadership, or additional leadership. Perhaps a church needs to change leaders to meet the situation, or simply supplement its current leadership with additional leaders equipped and experienced for the situation the church is facing.

• Shared Leadership. Sometimes key leaders benefit the congregation by sharing their leadership with someone who rounds out broad leadership needs. For example, a senior minister leading a church during a time of vibrant growth while also trying to build new facilities could benefit by sharing responsibilities in order to continue momentum and meet all the demands of leadership. A few churches are purposely making the senior minister role a partnership of two men, thinking the responsibilities are too demanding for one man to carry alone. A group of churches with similar needs could share a leader, or a larger church with a larger staff could “loan” a leader to smaller churches for a temporary period.

• Supplemental Leadership. Sometimes current leadership are a blessing to the church and have about every gift or skill they may need, minus one. In such instances, supplementing leadership with the temporary expertise of another leader for a short period could be just the boost a current leader needs. Preparing now for the future with additional study or training is another way current leaders can supplement their leadership in preparing for additional needs in the “foreseeable future.”

The New Testament doesn’t provide us with just one model of church leadership which starts with the birth of a church and lasts for the life of a leader. The example of the Apostle Paul’s leadership is very different than that. What is important is providing each local church body with the type of leadership it needs when it needs it. How to accomplish that might be something some churches need to be more flexible and innovative about.

Scotty