Passing the Leadership Baton- Biblical Principles and Practical Wisdom for a Season of Succession

3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

² a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
³ a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

⁹ What gain has the worker from his toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. ¹² I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; ¹³ also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

¹⁴ I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. ¹⁵ That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, ESV)

1. God is over all the seasons of our lives.

2. God has “dealt ” with us over the past 33+ years as pastor and people.

I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13:6, ESV)

3. God will be to our church family during this season of succession and beyond.

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9, ESV)

4. God will a new pastor to shepherd (to love, lead, feed, care for, and protect) his flock at Ingleside.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

Two Models of Pastoral Transition

Our Church Bylaws state: “In the selection of the Lead Pastor, a committee of seven, to be known as the Pastor Search Committee, shall be nominated by the Overseers and elected at a regular or called business conference of the church.  This committee shall be composed of three Overseers from the active Board and four members from the Church at large (two men and two women).” (Section III, C, 2)

April 23 – May 7  Recommendations received from Church: ingleside.org/pastorsearch 

Thursday, June 1 Overseer nominations for Pastor Search; Committee published in newsletter.

Wednesday, June 14  Called Church Conference to elect the Pastor Search Committee

Anticipated Questions

Q. Have we sought wise counsel about this process?
A. Yes, our Overseers have retained an experienced, large-church succession consultant to give us advice and counsel.

Q. How long do Lead Pastor searches typically take in larger churches like ours?
A. About a year. That’s why, Lord willing, I’m planning to continue to serve as Lead Pastor until June 2024.

Q. Will anyone on our pastoral staff be considered?
A. Yes, if they want to be considered. The Pastor Search Committee will consider internal candidates and external candidates at the same time in the search process.

Q. At the end of the search process, what happens?
A. The Pastor Search Committee recommends, the Overseers approve, and the Church elects the new Lead Pastor (by secret ballot requiring a three-fourths vote).

In this season of succession, . . .

• Pray earnestly.
• Serve joyfully.
• Give generously.
• Prize and protect our unity diligently.
• Anticipate the next chapter optimistically.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.
“They are plans for good and not for disaster,
to give you a future and a hope.”
(Jeremiah 29:11, NLT)

The best is yet to come!