Temporary Leader
How do you maintain morale and momentum when you're filling the gap between ministry leaders? A short guide for interims.
Angela Yee
January 1, 2005
Matt met with our senior pastor to break the news that he had accepted a job offer from the city police department. This meant in two weeks he would be stepping down as worship pastor.
"How'd it go?" I whispered afterwards.
"He looked like he was going to die," muttered Matt.
As word got around the church, there were similar reactions—shock, dismay, surprise. It was hard to imagine what was going to happen to the worship ministry with Matt gone. He was an effective and much-loved leader.
Although he had been the worship pastor for only three years, his strong leadership had developed our worship ministry to a high level of excellence. People were happy that Matt was able to pursue a job he had wanted all his life, but questions lingered.
How would the ministry continue? How would we make it without our fun-loving leader, Matt? Who would lead in the short term? How would we find a new worship pastor? How long would it take?
Transitions are an uncertain, even frightening time. The stability of the organization is suddenly upset, the future is a big question mark.
Not surprisingly, the key to a successful transition lies in leadership. Whoever takes over during the transition time faces this challenge: how do you lead the transition so the ministry strengthens instead of stagnates?
Find someone you trust
Although I did not realize it at the time, preparation for our transition began more than a month before Matt formally announced his leaving. He sat down with me when he began testing for the police department.
"I've been thinking about what would happen if I got the job," he said. "We will need a leader for the worship ministry until a new pastor is found. I think you're the obvious choice."
My first reaction was dismay. Just a ...
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