Interim pastors are often brought into churches that have experienced the sudden loss of a lead pastor. He may have abruptly resigned, been forced to leave, passed away suddenly, or become too ill to continue in his role. Whatever the reason, a church that has experienced the unexpected loss of a pastor will likely find themselves in a difficult place. There will be a lot of questions about what will happen next. Who’s in charge now? Who will fill the vacated role of lead pastor? Who will be preaching next Sunday?
While bringing in an interim pastor to fill the position of lead pastor can be beneficial, it can be even more beneficial to bring in an intentional interim pastor. What’s the difference? An intentional interim pastor is one who states upfront that he will not be considered as a candidate for the permanent lead pastor position. He will only be there temporarily to help the church through their season of transition.
Here are some of the benefits of an intentional interim pastor:
Benefits to the Congregation
Bringing in an intentional interim pastor can provide a congregation with the time they need to heal or move on from whatever has happened in the past. It also provides them with some stability as they seek out a new lead pastor. Knowing that the intentional interim pastor will only be with them for a season allows them to be more open to the pastoral search process and look for someone who truly aligns with their church’s beliefs and values.
Benefits to the Interim Pastor
When an interim pastor knows he is only in a church for a relatively short season, it frees him up to say some hard things and implement some changes for which he might get some criticism or pushback. Since he isn’t in the running for the permanent lead pastor position, he doesn’t have to worry as much about rocking the boat a little (or a lot). This can make his job a lot easier and allow him to get much more done than if he was hoping for a permanent position at the church.
Even when changes are desperately needed at a church, people can resist and get upset when “the way things have always been done” gets challenged. However, an intentional interim pastor is uniquely positioned to make the needed changes that will benefit a church long term.
Benefits to the Next Permanent Lead Pastor
When there is no ambiguity about the interim pastor regarding whether or not he will be the next lead pastor, the church can look forward, and the congregation to open themselves up whomever will be called to that position. This is a huge benefit for the next lead pastor. Although some in the congregation may compare him to the interim pastor, there won’t be anyone clamoring for interim pastor to stay, because it was never an option for him to stay on long-term.
In addition, the intentional interim pastor may have already addressed some or all of the church’s major issues prior to the new lead pastor’s arrival. This allows the lead pastor to step into a church that is healthy and ready for its next season of ministry.
Is your church looking for an intentional interim pastor? There are organizations like VitalChurch Ministry that place intentional interim pastors in Christian churches throughout the United States.
