Every day ministry leaders of all denominations face transitions. A transition is a passage or movement from one state, stage or place to another. All transitions involve change. Change is not easy. Even change for the better can be uncomfortable and challenging. Transitions can be important for the overall health of ministry. Social, cultural, political, and spiritual climates change and ministries need to adapt. Ministries should never compromise with the word of God. Christian principles remain the same, but methods and approaches may need to be updated to coincide with changing times and needs. How ministry leaders deal with such transitions says a lot about their Christian maturity.
What Causes Ministry Transitions?
- The ministry wants to go in a different direction.
- Someone moves to another area.
- Someone takes on additional responsibilities.
- Someone retires.
- Someone steps down from a leadership role to a support role.
- Someone would rather be involved in a different ministry.
- Someone is promoted.
- Someone is forced out.
- Someone burns out.
- Approaches need to be updated to accommodate a changing society.
- The list is endless.
Transition Involves Discomfort
All transitions, for the good or for the bad, can involve a certain amount of discomfort and sometimes pain. For example, there is a learning curve of growth process for anything new we encounter. Growth can be uncomfortable. If a ministry goes in a different direction, the focus may change. The way we always did things before may have to be adapted and updated. Remember that different is not necessarily bad – it’s just different and not what we are used to. Sometimes a grieving process takes place. For example if we move to another area we might miss our friends and family. Our new church area may not readily accept us and we yearn for the “good old days.” We may even develop an unrealistic idea of how much better everything would be if the transition hadn’t taken place. Since the transition may be harder and more challenging than anticipated, we might feel discouraged.
How to Be Part of a Positive Transition
Before we facilitate a transition in the focus of a ministry, as ministry leaders we should pray about any changes we are thinking of making, get wise counsel, and be sure those over us are in favor of our plans. We should discuss everything thoroughly with our spouse and maybe our children to see how it will impact their lives. Perhaps even incorporate volunteers working in this area of ministry in the planning process. A transition is easier if everyone is on board. If possible institute changes gradually.
If we are moving, retiring, or changing responsibilities then we want to leave a ministry in good order. Try not to leave projects unfinished, bills unpaid, or loose ends dangling. If we have chosen to leave then ministry volunteers may feel abandoned or like it was their fault. Help them work through these issues. If this transition was not one of our choosing, we should not bad mouth those who made the decision. Unchristian like behavior is never appropriate. Always be supportive of predecessors and successors. After all, that’s what we would want if we were in these positions.
How to Cope
Prayer, Bible study, and meditation on God’s Word may sound like cliché advice but seeking God is still the key that aids in coping in any situation. The same God who beckoned us to be ministry leaders will guide us through these transitions even though we may need to broaden our ministry perspectives and develop our ministry gifts. Learning more about our ministry rather than thinking we know it all can be helpful. If a change is not a bad thing then embrace it, don’t fight it. Things don’t have to always be done the same way just because that’s the way they’ve always been done. Guard against getting offended if everyone doesn’t get on board immediately.
Sometimes it’s better to go slow. After all, it’s easier to increase activities than decrease them once everyone gets used to certain procedures. Realize that transitions take time. It takes time for people to get to know us. It takes time to build a support network. It takes time for people to catch a vision. It’s God’s will that needs to be done, not ours – and He has all the time in the world to accomplish it.
Conclusion
Transitions are always with us – in the workplace, at school, in our communities, in society, at home and in ministry. They are everywhere! Perhaps God in His infinite wisdom designed it that way. It creates an environment of learning how to respond, adapt, and change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), but how He manifests himself to people is constantly changing. Let’s not make the mistake of limiting what God can do or how He will choose to do it – in our lives and in our ministries.
