In Preaching Articles: "Pastoral Transition"

Pastoral Transition: Setting Your Church Up For Ministry Success After You're Gone

By Karl Vaters on Oct 20, 2023

Following a long-term, successful pastorate is one of the hardest callings in ministry. Every pastor should do everything we can to make it as easy as possible for the next pastor and the church to do great ministry after we leave.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Tags: Pastoral Transition, Decentralize, Leadership, leadership, servant leadership  (view more)  (view less)

7 Ways To Make A Graceful Exit And Leave Your Church Well

By Charles Stone on May 28, 2024

"Unless you stay at the same church your entire life, you will leave one ministry or church and go to another, perhaps several times. I’ve learned that leaving is more of an art and is often difficult. Here are 7 insights I’ve learned that have helped me make a graceful exit."

Scripture: Acts 24:16, Romans 12:18, Hebrews 12:15, Colossians 3:23, Proverbs 22:1, 1 Kings 1:27, Acts 20:35-38  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Moving Forward, Pastoral Transition, Integrity, pastoral leadership, let go, overcome bitterness, Transitions, church leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Why (And How) Transitions Can Make Or Break Your Sermon

By Peter Mead on Dec 2, 2020

Your sermon outline looks so good on paper, but how you transition from one point to another is just as important.

Scripture: Proverbs 11:24

Tags: Preaching, transition, effective, conclusion, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

8 Ways To Make Church Change Run Smoother

By Charles Stone on May 30, 2022

In your church you’re probably trying to bring change in some way or are contemplating it.

Tags: Healthy Relationship, Transitions, church, Church, Change  (view more)  (view less)

5 Top Priorities For Increasing Your Church

By Charles Arn on Jan 11, 2025

Decades of research reveal five church-growth principles—disciple-making, relationships, felt-needs, transitions, and social networks—that help any church engage its community.

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Tags: Growth, Discipleship, leadership, pastor, Church Growth, Ministry Leadership, Pastor, Leadership, Congregational Health  (view more)  (view less)

How Do You Lead Without Being Toxic?

By Rev Mac Mccarthy on Dec 21, 2021

When leadership does not transition to development in a timely way, it becomes toxic.

Tags: leadership, Healthy Church, Leadership General, church leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Brokenness In A Pastor’s Life

By Charles Stone on Jun 29, 2023

As I enter the sixth decade of my life and reflect over the brokenness I’ve faced as a pastor, I’m beginning to see its great value. It still hurts and I’d prefer not to face it. Yet, I’m experiencing the fruit of brokenness: inner peace, joy, and a purpose that supersedes ‘ministry success.’

Scripture: John 12:24

Tags: Healing, Rejection, brokenness, success in ministry

The Pastor’s Wife’s Greatest Ministry

By Joe Mckeever on Nov 9, 2022

"A pastor’s wife’s greatest ministry is to her husband first, and her children second."

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:5, Luke 14:14

Tags: Support, Godly Women, Godly Wife, admonish one another, Wife's Role, pastor's wife, Encouraging Wife, Speak the Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Pastor? Or Christian?

By Lance Witt on Jan 8, 2022

If you have been in ministry very long, you know how easy it is to get the two intertwined. When you feel called and when you have great passion for ministry, the lines between person and position can get fuzzy. You move from simply being a Christian to now being a professional Christian.

Tags:

Pastor And Prophet

By Lance Witt on May 11, 2024

"When it comes to our preaching, we live in the constant tension between pastor and prophet. On one hand, as pastors we want to encourage and care for the sheep. So, in our preaching we want to be uplifting and hopeful. On the other hand, as prophets we must sometimes say the hard things that the sheep don’t want to hear."

Scripture: Jeremiah 5:30-31, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Galatians 1:10

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Pride, People pleasing, pastoral leadership, selfish ambition, Pastoral Ministry, Pulpit Ministry, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Pastor Grinch

By Lance Witt on Jun 20, 2024

As pastors, how do we celebrate Christmas without getting lost in the shuffle of busy church activities?

Scripture: Luke 2:17-19

Tags: pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, Serving Others, church ministry, Christmas, Advent, Holidays, Christmas Advent  (view more)  (view less)

5 Ministry Killers Every Pastor’s Wife Faces

By Charles Stone on Aug 21, 2025

Eight in ten pastors’ wives say they feel unappreciated or unaccepted by their husband’s congregations. Charles Stone and his wife give insight into how to protect your spouse and your marriage during the sometimes difficult calling of pastoral ministry.

Tags: Ministry, stress, Marriage, wife, family, Stress, Pastoral Care, Ministry Health, Pastors Wife, Marriage Support, Church Body of Christ, Marriage General, church leadership, ministry, marriage support, Church Leadership, relationships, priorities, home, Difficulties, pastoral care, Spouse  (view more)  (view less)

6 Ways The Gospel Should Shape A Pastor’s Leadership

By Brandon Kelley on Nov 17, 2022

A Pastor’s leadership must first and foremost be a response to Christ’s gospel.

Scripture: Acts 4:19, 1 Peter 3:12

Tags: Godly Leaders, Bible Truth, pastoral leadership, Praying, Gospel centered, church leadership, Character, bible truth, Church leaders  (view more)  (view less)

Are You An Itinerant Pastor?

By Nathan Rouse on Sep 26, 2020

This addiction to "new" is breaking churches and ruining the credibility of those that minister in the pulpit. We need pastors that won't leave; we need pastors that will cleave.

Tags: pulpit, Itinerant, Attrition, Preaching

The Pastor's Constant Temptation

By Joe Mckeever on Jun 7, 2021

Are you prone to buy into your own act?

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-8

Tags: Preaching, temptation, pastor, humor, Arrogance, Pastor  (view more)  (view less)