The Inside Transition

By Dr. Glen Wolf

As you embark on transitioning your leadership position to a next-generation leader—your successor—you must understand the difficulties this type of transition brings and make sure you and those close to you are spiritually and emotionally healthy.

Seventy-five percent of the outgoing lead pastors who partici­pated in my research for my book Switchpoint disclosed that their succession experience was the most difficult leadership challenge they had ever encountered. It was more emotionally, financially and spiri­tually draining than they anticipated. Literature also supports that succession moves beyond strategy and execution—it is extremely emotional.¹

That is why your first step is to make sure you and those close to you are spiritually and emotionally healthy. You may naturally approach the complexity of this leader­ship transition by focusing on the external (developing the plan, solving the problems and collaborating with the right people).² I want to encourage you to first deal with your internal world. Pete Scazzero, explaining why leaders avoid the internal side of their lives, observes:

Most leaders search out books on leadership to discover new tools, ideas, or skills. We are charged with the task of knowing what to do next, knowing why it is important, and then bringing the necessary resources to bear to make it happen. Yet the first and most difficult task we face as leaders is to lead ourselves. Why? Because it requires confronting parts of who we are that we prefer to neglect, forget, or deny.³

If you and your family are emotionally and spiritually unhealthy, this leadership succession may include unnecessary challenges such as marriage conflict, loss of church momentum, separation of relationships and overall regret. Conversely, if you and your family are healthy emotionally and spiritually, you will be better positioned to humbly and skillfully follow Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit through a rewarding and exciting pastoral succession.

One spiritual leader notes that “at the heart of spiritual lead­ership and spiritual journey is discernment.”⁴ That discernment happens best from a place of spiritual and emotional health. Four primary activities will ensure that you have spiritual and emotional health as you embark on this journey:

1. Spending time daily with Jesus and the Holy Spirit through the practices of silence, solitude, prayer and Bible study. Experts believe that these practices, if taken seriously, can guard against feeling spiritually and emotionally empty.⁵ Because you have extensive ministry experience, I do not need to go into detail about how to best execute these practices in your life. Since I have observed that outgoing pastors are typically exhausted by the time they decide to think about succession, it is essential that you get back to the basics of personal spiritual renewal before that happens.

During these practices, you can assess your attitude and spir­itual fervor. Ask yourself tough questions about your walk with God, unmet expectations and future endeavors.⁶ You do not want to lead out of fear. Instead, approach this transition from a place of faith.

It is important during this step to pay attention to God’s voice and direction. Authors Barton, Ford and Haugen say, “If spiritual leadership is anything, it is the capacity to see the bush burning in the middle of our own life and having enough sense to turn aside, take off our shoes and pay attention!”⁷ Moses did not notice the burning bush while he was surrounded by a city full of people but rather in a moment of solitude.

Each of the outgoing pastors I interviewed received confir­mation and conviction from God that the leadership transition they were embarking on was at the right time and part of the Lord’s plan. The transformation God wants to do in you and the leadership transition God wants to bring about through you will best be accomplished when you slow down enough to hear His divine directive to you (see Mark 1:35).

2. Practicing a weekly sabbath rest. How do you practice a sabbath? Scazzero says, “A Biblical Sab­bath is a 24-hour block of time in which we stop work, enjoy rest, practice delight, and contemplate God.”⁸ He explains why many people avoid a sabbath: “We are afraid of what we might find inside of us.”⁹

Every pastor I interviewed practiced a weekly sabbath and considered it an essential factor in the success of their pastoral transition. A weekly sabbath is important for three primary reasons. First, it honors God (see Exodus 20:8). Second, it allows you to rest and recharge. Third, in terms of succession, it sets a job expectation for the future leader who will replace you. In other words, if you never participate in a weekly sabbath, you are not only modeling poor spiritual rhythms, but you are also setting an unhealthy example for your future replacement.

3. Partaking in a sabbatical. Choosing to move on from being the primary pastor of a local congregation is a major life-changing decision. Give yourself the proper time to evaluate all the complexities and possibilities this type of transition may expose. A sabbatical is a helpful venue for this evaluation.

Sixty-two percent of all the leaders I interviewed in my research participated in a sabbatical. They found it helped them think more clearly about what was most important in their lives and ministry and allowed them to hear from God for future direction.

If you can, engage in a six-week or up to a twelve-week sab­batical as early as possible in your succession narrative to avoid interfering with your transition timetable. One outgoing pastor created a policy that allowed every pastor on staff to take a sabbat­ical every six years. During his scheduled sabbatical, God spoke to him about his succession. He felt this time was integral to his health as a leader and provided clarity for the transition.

There are many ways to formulate your activities and expecta­tions for your sabbatical. Expert on sabbatical rest Keith Meyer shares his experience: “I had four rules for my sabbatical: 1) Be restfully present to God and my family; 2) No work, or commu­nication about work at all; 3) Continuing if possible to meet with and enjoy my friends from work (this was tough for some); and 4) Finding and being part of another expression or tradition in the Body of Christ.”¹⁰ Meyer’s rules can be a good starting point for you.

4. Offering the proper amount of time for your friends and family to process your transition. This succession journey involves not only you but also your family and your close friends. You need to lead the way in conversation with them early on in the process to ensure they have the proper time to emotionally process the approaching transition. This is especially important for your spouse (if applicable). The Barna Group adds, “I would strongly encourage them not to forget the spouse of the person who is leaving.”¹¹

Determine how this change will impact your family. The earlier you tell them about the pos­sibility of transition, the better they can process the change and walk through the transition successfully.

One of the outgoing pastors had a spouse who was very involved in the church’s ministry, so that made the transition difficult for her. The wife of another outgoing pastor was not heavily involved, so the transition was easier for her. The more involved the spouse is, the more difficult the change will be.

Consider it a priority to lead your family in this process. Engage in weekly times alone with each of your family members to help them process the transition. Explain to your board, staff and congregation that honoring your family is a way of honoring you.

5. The more involved the spouse is, the more difficult the change will be. Consider it a priority to lead your family in this process. Most lead pastors have a strong inclination to lead forward, but this is where you need to slow down and almost take the role of a counselor. Do not rush through this process. Allow proper time for the emotional side of this transition.

The important part of this step is to ensure that you and your family are spiritually and emotionally prepared for this succession.

NOTES:

1. William and Susan Bridges. Managing Transitions, 25th Anniversary Edition: Making the Most of Change. 4th ed. Boston, MA: Da Capo Press, 2017. Bridges and Bridges, Managing Transitions, 5.
2. Larry C. Spears. Insights on Leadership: Service, Stewardship, Spirit, and Servant-Leadership (New York: Wiley, 1997), 202.
3. Scazzero, Peter. The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply Transform Your Church, Team, and the World. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015.
4. Ruth Haley Barton, Leighton Ford, and Gary A. Haugen. Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2018), 192.
5. Wayne Cordeiro and Bob Buford. Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion (Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2010), 38.
6. Earl Creps and Dan Kimball. Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2006), xv–xvi.
7. Barton, Ford, and Haugen, 64.
8. Scazzero, 144.
9. Scazzero, 150.
10. Keith Meyer, “Stopping Lessons: Ministry from a Life of Sabbatical Rest,” Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care 1, no.2 (2008): 229.
11. Barna Group. Leadership Transitions: How Churches Navigate Pastoral Change, and Stay Healthy. Ventura, CA: Barna Group, 2019,