A Change of Pastors ... and How it Affects Change in the Congregation by Mead, Loren B.

by Loren B. Mead

A revised edition of Critical Moment of Change of Pastors. Twenty years after Critical Moment of Ministry was first published, Loren Mead returns to his groundbreaking work on one of the most important times in a congregation's life—the time between one pastor's leaving and another's arrival. In this revised edition, A Change of Pastors, Mead shares the wisdom he gained from 35 years of studying congregations, wisdom that he hopes will allow congregations to take full advantage of this "extraordinarily pregnant moment" during which incredible congregational change can happen.With the voice of an old friend and trusted counselor, Mead leads his readers through the challenges of forming committees, negotiating denominational relations, and managing the search process. He describes in detail the seven sequential steps congregations ought to take to ensure a smooth termination, direction finding, self-study, search, decision/negotiation, installation, and start-up. Additionally, Mead devotes a chapter to nonsequential developmental tasks, tasks that should take place throughout the transition and into the congregation's coming to terms with the past, discovering a new identity, allowing for needed leadership changes, rediscovering the denomination, and commitment to new directions in ministry. Performing these developmental tasks in concert with the seven sequential steps allows congregations to take full advantage of this fertile time for change in the congregation, this "critical moment of ministry."A revised text and introduction, an updated bibliography, and a new preface and afterword make A Change of Pastors crucial for any congregation undergoing or about to undergo a change of pastors. In the midst of this transition, there is no doubt that your congregation will find a new pastor. But this book will help you to do more than merely find a hired hand to manage the preaching and the worship. You will discover what God wants you to be and do. You will find a new commitment to ministry. And you will find the pastor who will help make that ministry happen.

Genres: Christianity

Paperback

First published April 30, 2005

Reviews

[Kent Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The time for changing ministers or pastors is always going to bring change. Loren Mead argues that it might as well be positive change in the direction the church wants to go. The book includes a lot of analysis which will help churches to figure out where they are and their community, and where they want to go.
I have rarely seen this kind of intentional thinking in the church and thought it brilliant. I read the book as a requirement for a introductory course in interim pastorship but believe it would help many church leaders to do a better job of actually leading their congregations, whether or not they are going through a change in leadership. I had some interest in being an interim minister before but now I definitely want to take the full course teaching how to be an Intentional Interim Pastor and look forward to helping a congregation move forward in positive change, whether or not it is in an interim position.

[Kirk Weikart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A worthwhile resource for churches going through a pastoral change. I read the 2005 version, and would be interested to know what updates were added in 2012.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has great advice but is hard for me to relate to as someone who isn't under a call system