Paul J. Murphy has 39 years of ministry experience. He is currently serving his 19th intentional interim pastorate. He has served churches of all sizes, locations, and in a variety of denominations. We appreciate Paul sharing his wisdom with all of us.

Interim seasons are a rare opportunity that, ideally, do not come often into the life of the church. They are a change in the normal rhythm. For intentional interim pastors, these seasons are not a holding pattern – like a plane circling the airport just waiting for clearance to land. Rather, they are a strategic time to assess, clarify, affirm, correct, improve and turn the page in order to prepare the church to write the next chapter of its story. Intentional interim pastors function much like a doctor or a physical therapist – working with the patient to identify and diagnose their actual condition, and then work with them on a treatment plan to restore health and set the stage for a vibrant future.

John 5 opens with a short story about a man who has been lame for 38 years. Jesus asked him a pointed question: “Do you want to get well?” During an interim, this is a key question for the church (specifically church leaders) to ask. How do you know if a church truly wants to get well? Then, how do you move from the aspirational desire to get well to actually experiencing restored health?

Here is how your church can make the most of your interim season.

STORY

When I come into a church, I begin by asking the leadership to tell me the church’s story. As I listen, I make note of what happened to bring them to this point. I listen for the significant events in the life of the church, its strengths, patterns and problem areas, etc. I also listen for their attitude. Do they accept responsibility? Do they want to get well? Or, are they blaming, making excuses or minimizing their problems? In short – is there humility? One of the blessings of pain in our lives, and in the life of the church, is that it can produce humility if we let it. It also fosters an authentic attitude of “we want to get well.”

PRIORITIES

Jesus spoke of pruning in order that we might bear more and lasting fruit (John 15). When churches are being pruned, I ask them – what fruit do you think the Lord wants to bring in the life of this church during this interim period? What are the priorities we need to set during this interim in order to see the lasting fruit come to life? That discussion leads to the development of a “punch list” – a set of priorities we will work toward with intentionality.  When there is humility and agreement by the leadership on the priorities for the interim season, the chances are greatly increased this can be an effective intentional interim.

PRESENCE

The old adage “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” is true. People feel cared about when you are present with them. As an intentional interim, I enter and exit another church every 1-2 years. Over the years, I have learned some tangible ways to effectively connect and be present so people feel cared for. I use “we” language rather than “you” when speaking to the church body. I take time to intentionally establish relationship with the staff and congregants by lingering with people after services, visiting home groups, having coffee with individuals or sharing meals with staff. I once attended eleven “pie with the pastor” gatherings in a 12-day period. My waistband didn’t like it, but the people did.

ASSESS

Effectively assessing the state of the church includes asking questions, listening, learning the history as well as the current reality. Like a CSI agent, go where the evidence takes you. Don’t just rely on the opinions of a few. Listen across the landscape of the church. Watch for patterns of church strength and its unhealthy traits – spiritually, structurally and relationally. What needs to be addressed and resolved prior to the arrival of new pastor?

Assessing the church’s health and strength as well as its unhealth and shortcomings, allows us to consciously preserve the good while taking steps in a new direction; to break new ground, and to experience the fruit the Lord intends from the pruning. That is the gift of painful or challenging seasons. It can open us up to what the Lord wants to develop in our lives. As one of my colleagues says, “pain in churches is a grace-disguised opportunity”. James 1, Hebrews 12 and John 15 all bear that out.

Honest assessment will also inform what key skills and experience are most needed in the next pastor.

ACTION

Assessment needs to result in action. This means forming practical action plans to get the most of the interim season: what needs to happen, who will be responsible, what do we expect the outcomes to be, how will we monitor our progress, etc. It is important to focus on a few priorities and do them well. Do them diligently. Share progress and stories of positive change and impact with the church body. Implementation is repetitive. Stick with it. It takes time to groove new habits, create a new “normal” and alter the church’s health and DNA. It is not easy but it is worth it.

Paul J. Murphy is also author of the book LEADING WELL (available on Amazon and from Westbow Publishers). You can learn more about Paul at www.progressandjoy.net