by Nancy Moore

Change is never easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. For the last decade, I have worked with long-tenured pastors in the planning and implementation of their succession plan. While there are similarities in the process, the individual journey is never the same. Here are three ways I encourage pastors to prepare themselves for succession.

Prepare Personally. Pastors are often the worst at their own spiritual formation. They are so focused on meeting the needs of others they fail to give themselves time and space to focus in on what the Lord is doing in their own heart and soul. As the season of succession draws near, here are some practical ways a pastor can prepare personally.

  • Begin to frame a vision for your future. It’s so much easier to release your current ministry if you have a sense of what God may be calling you to in the next. Shift your weekly schedule to allow some personal and devotional time to think and dream about what’s next. Talk with your spouse about their hopes and dreams. At every season of our life, we have purpose. Moving toward a future that has some definition and meaningful purpose is one of the keys to releasing well.
  • Develop a small group of trusted friends to support and walk with you through the coming season of change. Many pastors don’t have a support system outside of their congregation or family. In the three to five years leading up to succession, it is an excellent time to engage personal relationships more intentionally and shore up the support team around you. Take up a hobby or create space for personal relationships that are centered on something outside of ministry. Volunteer with a community organization or serve alongside others as a way to intentionally make some new friends.
  • Invite a truth-teller into your life. We all need someone who will tell us when we have broccoli in our teeth. No one wants to be the one who stays too long or seems to be the only one in the room who is clueless to the signs their season of leadership is coming to a close. Choose to be humble and teachable. Invite a trusted friend to speak truth to you, even if it is hard, and be willing to listen to them. This kind of friend is invaluable to pastors as they walk the journey of succession.

Prepare Spiritually. Identity is often tied, particularly for men, to a job or title. They are what they do. For pastors, the rhythms of influencing others and having a front-row seat to see how they respond is a powerful combination. Questions like, “Who am I if I am not their pastor” is a very real question for many. As the season of succession draws near, here are some practical ways a pastor can prepare spiritually.

  • Affirm your identity in Christ. It doesn’t feel like it some days, but you are so much more than your job. We often remind pastors God cares more about who they are than what they do for him. If your job were to fall away tomorrow, God would see you no differently. During the season leading up to succession, it is so important for pastors to reconnect to their identity in Christ and affirm their personal value and worth outside of their position.
  • Personal assessments and coaching. Many long-tenured pastors have lost touch with their God-given gifts and strengths. They are so accustomed to “doing what they do,” they aren’t sure how to articulate their strengths to others or how those strengths might be applied in other contexts. Now is the time to refresh your understanding of how you have been made and, through coaching, think about the fresh, new ways your unique gifts and strengths might contribute to God’s purposes outside of your current role.
  • Prepare to accept the imperfection of the process. Most pastors have idealistic ideas about what their succession should look like. But the reality is succession is a two-way street. It can feel incredibly disappointing when church leaders don’t agree with your proposals or when things don’t go according to the plan you had laid out in your mind. This is when the shadow side of gifts can emerge and lead to brokenness, hurt and resentment. It is vitally important to allow the Holy Spirit to help you release your expectations to Him. It has always been God’s church, and you are His steward. He will meet all your needs, and you can trust Him. Expect that you will feel disappointed by some things, but it doesn’t mean God isn’t in it or it isn’t right and good.

Prepare Financially. One of the most common hurdles for pastors to overcome as they plan for succession is their lack of financial preparedness. God bundles gifting in people, but the pastoral shepherding strengths are not always bundled with the more analytical/financial planning strengths. Many pastors are embarrassed by their lack of planning which holds them back from asking for advice or help. If you are three, five, or seven years from succession, there is still time to act.

  • Get advice on your long-term financial outlook. If you don’t know your starting point, it is nearly impossible to navigate to your desired destination. Seeing a financial planning expert will cost less than you think and there may be people within your congregation who could help. The peace of mind for you and your spouse that comes from “knowing” is invaluable. It will also help you discern and frame your future vision, particularly if you discover you will benefit from some income streams post succession.
  • Create a financial punch list. What do you need to do in the next 1, 3, 5, and 7 years to prepare financially for your succession and change in income? What does your spouse feel needs to happen? We have things we must do, and things we would like to do if time and resources allow. What are those things for you?
  • Discern what you may need from the church to feel financially prepared. The church may look very different than it did when you arrived. Some churches have not readjusted their pastor’s salary or did not contribute much to the pastor’s retirement. In general, Pastors are not great financial negotiators and need help to open the conversation. How can pastor and board work together to position the church and pastor well for succession by talking through financial readiness together?