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 ...