10 min 24 s
Rev. Dr. Jonathan New
- The five key features of church life I pay attention to
- Exploring the congregation’s core governing principles – its “DNA”
- Does it matter which kinds of assessments to use?
- Helping the congregation to increase its self-understanding
Listen or Read Now!
10 min 43 s
Rev. Dr. Jonathan New
- How I think about the church’s capacity to be and to do church
- The 5 things that bear directly on a congregation’s capacity to be/do church
- Helping the congregation to increase its self-understanding
- The pattern of who leaves a church and who stays
Listen or Read Now!
09 min 00 s
Rev. Dr. Jonathan New
- No cookie cutter way of doing interim ministry
- The true purpose of the interim time as I see it
- How I know that my time with the congregation is coming to an end
Listen or Read Now!
09 min 54 s
Rev. Dr. Jonathan New
- What is “faithfulness” for a church?
- How a congregation’s notion of faithfulness affects the interim experience
- Telltale signs that a church is coming to its end (It’s not always obvious)
- Helping a congregation to faithfully think through a “threshold” point where closure is a real possibility
Listen or Read Now!
08 min 43 s
Rev. Dr. Jonathan New
- How to know if / when it’s appropriate to take on a significant project during the interim time
- The layers to think about when considering a major project during the interim time such as a capital campaign or an Open & Affirming process
Listen or Read Now!
08 min 45 s
Rev. Dr. Jonathan New
- My take on the role of the interim minister in assessing, firing and hiring staff
- Asking the question: Does this staff member continue to be a fit?
- Even if you have the authority, don’t make the decision to terminate by yourself
Listen or Read Now!
12 min 33 s
Rev. Cindy Mueller
- Helping a congregation understand the value of having a trained intentional interim minister
- Difference between an “interim minister” and an “intentional (trained) interim minister”
- Guidance for lay leaders as they approach the interim time
- How to lower the anxiety during the interim time
Listen or Read Now!
13 min 29 s
Rev. Cindy Mueller
- Definition of a “Threshold” moment
- Letting go of the notion of having “failed” & navigating with authentic hope
- Guiding question: “What do you see as your future?”
- The role of the congregation’s values guiding your decision of what to do next
- Why navigating the threshold moment takes time – don’t rush it
- Where to look for help: resource recommendations for navigating the threshold/legacy time
Listen or Read Now!
14 min 06 s
Rev. Gail Irwin
- A case study in pastor sharing that began with sharing an interim pastor as a feasibility experiment for sharing a settled pastor;
- Helping a cong. accept the reality that they can no longer afford a full-time pastor, and leading them into new territory in creative and hopeful ways;
- Leading the creation of a shared culture when two congregations decide to share a pastor.
- Good questions to ask when considering a shared pastor ministry model (two congregations sharing a pastor);
- Helping a cong. understand the details of moving from a full-time to a half-time pastor;
- Key things that made the half-time pastor sharing model work successfully;
- My 3 key training areas to equip the lay leaders for success in a half-time pastor-sharing ministry model;
- How the interim minister can be a catalyst for helping a congregation move into a pastor-sharing model.
Listen or Read Now!
13 min 28 s
Rev. Gail Irwin
- Non-threatening ways to help a congregation declining in numbers begin to think about sharing a pastor (or their building) with another congregation;
- Using your position as the interim minister to investigate the wider community on behalf of the cong.
- Good questions an entering interim minister can ask to help a congregation declining in numbers gain a positive mindset;
Listen or Read Now!
