Embracing Succession

Pastoral succession has quickly become one of the biggest stewardship challenges facing the Church. As more and more Baby Boomers approach retirement age, what was once seen as a minor swell in the distant ocean has become a tsunami crashing the shores.

Pastors and church leaders are looking for resources to help address this critical conversation. But while most books focus on organizational concerns, they overlook one of the most foundational principles concerning pastoral transitions. Succession planning is personal long before it becomes tactical. Embracing Succession breaks this trend by focusing on principles that help ministry leaders confront the personal side of transition.

It is common, natural even, for pastors to experience deep levels of uncertainty as they approach what can feel like an end-of-career transition. Very few pastors want their transition to be disruptive for the ministries they serve. In fact, the opposite is true. Most pastors desire to see their successors lead the church to even greater levels of effectiveness.

The key to achieving this is to take a proactive stance and embrace the realities of transition. This is a time to cast faith forward and refuse to be driven by fear.

Embracing Succession is more than a title - it is the posture of humble and courageous leadership preparing for the inevitable.

Don't ignore it. Don't run from it. Embrace succession.