It was a minister's nightmare. The search committee had said there weren't any serious problems, but before his boxes were unpacked, the interim pastor (my husband, Jerry) learned that thirty people had left the church when the last minister was pressured to leave after serving not quite three years.
Why wasn't the last minister acceptable? The secretary, the custodian, and many others complained to Jerry that Brian didn't leave his study doors open. He had even drawn curtains across the window. What's more, the secretary did not always know where he was. That's just not the way Timothy, their former beloved pastor of twenty-three years, had done things.
The more Jerry heard from the secretary and custodian, the more he realized any minister who was not a mirror reflection of Timothy would have a hard time. These two people slanted everything the new minister did differently as bad. They were disruptive and divisive. The negative climate they created had contributed to Brian's ineffectiveness.
Temporary troubleshooter
Though this scenario is difficult, it's just what a specialized interim minister is trained and called to confront. This in-between-ministers time is proving to be valuable for congregations, not just to give them continuity until a new pastor arrives, but to provide a designated period to resolve problems, evaluate themselves, overcome the grief or anger many feel from losing their last pastor, and to select priorities and goals for the future.
Frequently, in the rush to get a new minister on board, congregations don't take the time to resolve issues. Thus, the new pastor inherits the problems. The intentional interim ministry is changing that.
Just as we're more aware of dysfunctional families in today's world, so we are becoming more aware of the dysfunctional churches that need outside help. Too many churches have antagonists in their midst who grab at power and rule by intimidation. Christians often do not know how to handle such people graciously and are afraid it is unchristian to confront them. During the interim time, congregations can learn skills to confront disruptive people, thus refusing to let them destroy the ministry of the church any longer.
A minister trained for interim ministry can be especially helpful for a church coming off a long-term pastorate, or for a church that loses their minister every three or four years. Churches with power struggles or personality problems can also benefit from an intentional interim.
If a congregation calls a new minister before working through any of these problems, that minister will probably not last. Since the interim is temporary, these sticky problems can be tackled precisely because he or she will soon be leaving. Even though the board or church leadership makes the decisions, the people affected will nearly always blame the interim pastor, much as the child blames the nurse who gives the shot.
Confronting division and personnel problems
To get in touch with the pulse of the congregation, Jerry talked to dozens of people individually. Though it was clear the real problem was the congregation had not let go of their beloved pastor of twenty-three years, they nearly all verbalized the closed-door problem.
At the next board meeting, Jerry addressed the issue. Was always leaving the office door invitingly open so important to them that they wanted to make it a requirement for the next minister, or were they going to let the new minister choose his or her own style? He passed out a minutely detailed questionnaire of just how open the door of the next minister should be. The more it was discussed, the more the source of their friction began to look ridiculous. They ended up laughing about it, agreeing the minister should be allowed to follow personal style.
By then Jerry had further evaluated the staff problem. He presented the board with his observations: the church had (1) a secretary who was unpleasant to many people and who slanted the minister's activities to elicit a negative reaction, and (2) a lazy, gossiping custodian. If they remained, a new minister wouldn't have a chance.
"It has to be your decision," Jerry told them. "I'll leave in a few months, but you'll have to live with the problem. If you decide to confront it during the interim period so the new minister won't have to hurdle these obstacles, I'll help you." (This approach is necessary for a successful interim ministry. The congregation's leadership must own the process.)
They agreed, and the board made the decisions. All Jerry did was coach them. The board eliminated the jobs of full-time secretary and custodian. They created new, part-time jobs, then invited the present employees as well as any other interested persons to apply. The secretary of twenty years was hurt and wouldn't accept a retirement party. In fact, she quit the church, but returned after Jerry left. (That's one advantage of an interim ministry. The interim can take the heat.) The custodian's family switched to another church.
After putting up for years with a possessive, rude secretary, the church was delighted with the pleasant, cheerful new secretary selected from outside the fold. It changed the atmosphere completely. A janitorial service was contracted part-time to handle the former custodian's responsibilities.
Once the known problems had been faced and dealt with, the board appointed a pulpit committee to search for their new minister. In the meantime, Jerry led a well-attended mid-week Bible study of 1 Corinthians, which gave opportunities for discussion of conflicts. He also led a seminar on how to encourage and support a new minister and his or her unique ministry.
Interims as consultants
Interim ministers are like business consultants. They come in to solve a specific problem, then leave. It's customary for the contract to give an interim sixty days following the signing of the contract with a new minister. It usually takes a new minister that long to arrive, anyway. During this time the interim minister contacts the denomination's leadership seeking leads to other congregations. Interims sometimes cross denominational lines for this specialized ministry.
Confronting personal conflicts
Another church was building an addition when we arrived. The building committee was disintegrating over whether a certain space should be open space or have built-in closets. The more Jerry listened, the more sure he was that a certain retired professional was the primary cause of this conflict.
Dick (not his real name) was secretary of the building committee. If the group made a decision he didn't agree with, he'd write it up the way he wanted. If his idea was voted down, he'd bring it up over and over. He and his wife would then start a letter-writing and phone-calling campaign in the church. He frustrated the architect and contractor with his demands.
The building committee asked for Jerry's help. He showed them a contract for committee members that affirmed basic issues like working in Christian love and respect, and supporting group decisions. All verbally agreed to the contract, including Dick, but another of Dick's letter-writing campaigns followed.
Jerry then talked with the couple and tried to explain it wasn't that his ideas were bad, but that he had to go along with the consensus of the committee. When that didn't work, Jerry talked individually with the committee members and the general board. (A long history of Dick's rendering committees dysfunctional came to light.) He suggested they remove Dick from the committee.
The board, at its next meeting, voted to remove Dick from the building committee. Dick had shown up unexpectedly at that meeting, but Jerry went ahead with his suggestion, trying to affirm Dick's sincerity and contributions in other areas, while emphasizing he did not work well with people. Afterward Dick and his wife sent another letter to church members explaining why they weren't going to worship there anymore.
The building project was finished before we left. Dick and his wife began attending again and even hugged Jerry when we left, though Dick was adamant that he had no problem working with others. The board had learned how to deal with a difficult personality and prevent problems in the future.
In June, this church called a minister, who agreed to come as full-time pastor. So Jerry accepted the call to another interim opportunity. Unfortunately, the prospective minister changed his mind before signing the contract. (After that experience, Jerry made sure he never accepted another church until the prospective minister had signed a contract.) The church had to call another interim minister who continued almost a year before they found a pastor.
What an interim minister avoids
Congregations go through so many changes during the interim time that it is unwise to make major changes in matters such as the order of service, function of committees, and format of the newsletter, unless these are part of a major conflict. Neither is it the time for a minister to install his pet projects.
Wise interims never force any change or program on the congregation. Changes must come from the congregation with the coaching of the interim. Forced change will not only cause unnecessary turmoil, it won't last once the interim leaves.
Because two churches Jerry served were in desperate financial straits, Jerry did help them put into place a stewardship program. Because the people themselves carried it out, they were able to continue the program after their new pastor arrived.
A good interim pastor doesn't make changes that will create a problem for his successor. If you do things it would be impossible for a permanent pastor to do, you have set him or her up to fail-for example, if you try to save the church money by coming for a lot less than a pastor would need or by doing the janitorial work or typing the bulletin.
The congregation must know from the beginning that the interim will not be available as their permanent pastor. That is an important ethic of the interim ministry, necessary for it to fulfill its purpose.
The interim minister should never help select the new minister. The selection should be left completely in the hands of the pulpit committee and congregation.
The interim pastor should, however, offer guidance in the process and procedures. He or she can guide them along the way by explaining denominational procedures, offering insights into what questions to ask prospective candidates, and salary considerations. The interim pastor has a unique understanding of the needs of the congregation and the needs of a professional minister.
Considering interim ministry
Those interested in such a ministry may find helpful the comprehensive training program in intentional interim ministry offered by:
Interim Ministry Network
916 S. Rolling Road
P.O. Box 21251
Baltimore, MD 21128
Interim ministers perform a crucial, John-the-Baptist role for many churches, making rough places smooth and preparing for the one to come.
-Nola Deffenbaugh
Copyright © 1993 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
