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. As he reflects on his 39 years of experience, here are 12 observations that stand out to him.

  1. There are sincere Christ-loving people everywhere.
  2. Humanly, church does not work. Like a body, the church must cling to and follow Jesus its Head.
  3. Church is meant to be transformational (making disciples who make disciples) but most churches are merely transactional (providers of programs, services, and friendships).
  4. Developing current and potential leaders is an under-served or neglected part of most churches.
  5. Painful times in a church are a gift; a grace-disguised opportunity for the Lord to mature us.
  6. When church leaders kick the can down the road rather than address issues, the can becomes an oil drum.
  7. Whatever the church has defined as the issue is not the only issue. The issues that arise reveal teachable moments about how the church family deals with conflict and issues.
  8. Humility and transparent communication build trust in leadership; secrecy damages it.
  9. When the church (its survival, its reputation, its pride) becomes the focus, then the church itself has become an idol.
  10. While it is a nice intention, allowing existing pastoral staff to be in charge during an interim will sow seeds of trouble for them and for the incoming new pastor.
  11. The incoming new lead pastor is the greatest factor effecting the church’s future.
  12. Renewal in churches is cyclical, it needs to be revisited and repeated regularly. The process of renewal, growth and further development is never done.

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

Learn more about how NL Moore & Associates can assist churches in transition at nlmoore.com.