seamless pastoral transition: 3 imperatives - 6 pitfalls

Pastoral transitions are inevitable for every church. Unfortunately, pastoral transitions often result in a major setback for the church-and it is becoming more and more difficult for churches to bounce back. In order to mitigate such setbacks, churches across traditions are choosing Seamless Pastoral Transition with increased frequency. A Seamless Pastoral Transition is a leadership transition in which a pastoral vacancy is avoided by a planned overlap in service of the Outgoing Pastor and the Incoming Pastor. When implemented with sound leadership transition principles, a Seamless Pastoral Transition can ensure the continuity of a church’s mission and maintain a church’s positive momentum. In addition to a number of case studies, this book focuses on three Leadership Transition Imperatives to embrace and covers six Leadership Transition Pitfalls to avoid. If you are a Pastor, a Denominational Executive, or a Church Board Member, one of your highest priorities must be planning for pastoral transitions with great diligence. If you agree, then this book is written for you. Lee Kricher is the Founder of Future Forward Churches, an organization that provides resources for leaders navigating pastoral transition. Lee is the author of For a New Generation: A Practical Guide for Revitalizing Your Church, a book that chronicles the transformation of Amplify Church from an aging, dying church into a growing, multi-generational church. After leading that transformation, Lee led a Seamless Pastoral Transition to a next generation leader. Lee Kricher earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources from Geneva College, a Master’s degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and a Doctor of Ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.