I have just begun to pastor my fourth church which means I have been through the pastoral transition process for the third time.
The first thing I can tell you is that it is different every time.
There is always a mix of emotions. For instance, as we left Winston-Salem they did not want to see us go and we left many good friends behind. As we come to New Life we and the church are excited about this new phase of ministry and we are quickly building new relationships.
However, along with the mix of emotions there is likewise a mix of expectations—and these expectations flow in both directions. As a new pastor I have certain expectations of the church and the church has certain expectations of me. And as you may or may not be aware there is a truism often used in marriage counseling, “Unmet expectations become demands.” Therefore, as pastor and congregation it is paramount that we are conscious of our expectations of one another and then come to grips with the reality that we are most likely not going to meet all of those expectations.
Not only are there a mix of expectations but a mix of assumptions also. I have come from a church that is over 100 years old and have been in ministry with the C & MA for almost 28 years. That was a church with its own personality, desires, goals, etc. New Life Alliance Church has been in existence for around 56 years and it likewise is an entity all its own. Not only that but has been pastored for a number of years by men who have been very faithful and very much loved. In other words, as a pastor I do not come with a blank slate and as a church New Life is not a blank slate.
In that respect, pastoral transition is a bit of a dance. We are learning new steps and doing our best not to step on each other’s toes. That means there can be some awkward moments because the truth of the matter is that neither of us “dances” like our last partner did. This situation calls for some excitement, some forbearance, and a whole lot of working together because our real desire is that we might be able to move together in a way that makes a significance difference for the kingdom of God here in Newark.