Note: You may need to read my article on “Types of Interim Pastors” to understand the terminology I use below. BAT
"Who Stole My Church" by Gordon MacDonald, Thomas Nelson Publishers. MacDonald has given us a fictional account of a pastor working issues relatated to change with a group of Christians in their 50's and over, folks who feel that a younger generation or two has stolen their church. The book should be helpful for pastors as well as frustrated older saints. I hope to get the chance to use this book with a small group or two.
Alban Institute – Find them at www.alban.org. Mainline denomination based, but a source for some great books, etc. Most will take the transitional approach.
Interim Pastor Ministries (IPM) – Is offering periodic live training events. Previously a trictly “maintenance model,” non-denominational, evangelical, interim pastoring organization, IPM is now encouraging its men to engage churches in a redevelopment process. The best (and unique) aspect of their training sessions (from what I’ve experienced) are the IPM veterans who attend and share some of their best insights. www.interimpastors.org or 1-800-501-7117 or aconrad105@mchsi.com
Interim Ministry Network – Mainline denomination-based, IMN offers printed resources, training (expensive) and a network of interim pastors to belong to. www.interimministry.org or 1-800-235-8414 or jenny@interimministry.org
“The Ten Leading Indicators of a Healthy Church” workbook and implementation guide from the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA). Inspired by the work of Christian Schwarz, the “ten indicators” are the EFCA’s adaptation of this approach to their own denominational values. The implementation guide includes an inventory which the EFCA says should be done by 31 persons. The workbook is a comprehensive manual by EFCA Church Health Director, Jim Fann, which incorporates much of the work done by church health writers over the past decades. I have done my own Bible studies based on the ten indicators numerous times and even added “a few more indicators of a healthy church.” Find the EFCA booksource, NextStep Resources, online at www.EFCA.org.
Natural Church Development (NCD) materials from Christian Schwarz, available from ChurchSmart Resources (below). Schwarz’ well known claim is that a church will grow when all seven quality characteristics are brought up to a minimal level of effectiveness. Whether or not you totally buy into Schwarz’ theory, his materials and inventories have proved invaluable for bringing some objectivity to a leader’s perception of a church’s ill-health.
Titus Ministries – A non-denominational, evangelical interim organization which takes a no-holds-barred transformational approach. The basic training (excellent) is open to all. Titus interims work a seven-step process in every church. Churches “hand themselves over” to the Titus ministry as part of the contract. The Titus interim works as a near-dictator in the church, under the authority of the Titus leadership. The Titus approach is a hard-sell for many churches and denominational leaders but the success rate for those who will embrace their approach is impressive. www.titus-ministries.org or Renewal@titus-ministries.org or 928-710-4864
Church Resource Ministries is now the source for the “Refocusing Your Church” manual by Terry Walling. This is the best resource I know of for working through the strategic planning (I call it “getting focused”) process. Find them at www.crmresources.org or 1-800-777-6658.
On the overall work of redevelopment or strategic interim pastoring, no resource that I’ve seen compares with the “ReTURN, Restoring Churches To The Heart of God” manual by David Miles. Miles seems to have a better grasp on interim pastoring than anyone I’ve heard of. Miles’ manual is on my short list of resources to invest in. Find them at www.Churchsmart.com or 1-800-253-4276 or customerservice@churchsmart.com. (ChurchSmart also offers many other interesting looking resources!)
David Miles also supplies churches with interim pastors under the umbrella of Church Resource Ministries. You will find them at crmreturn.org or restoring churches.org.
Peacemaker Ministries – I bet you’ve heard of them. Their materials on conflict and peacemaking are the best. Buy their books and go to their “Conflict Coaching” and “Mediation” training sessions. They also have a training session called “Intervening in Church Conflict” which I haven’t been able to attend. Everything they have to teach is worth learning. Find them at www.peacemaker.net.
“Leading Turnaround Churches” by Gene Wood. Wood considers himself to be a “turnaround pastor” who takes about a decade to transform churches, but it’s a really helpful book for interim’s nevertheless.
Aubrey Malphurs. Malphurs has a wonderful grasp of the strategic planning process. I’ve read his “Advanced Strategic Planning” and his book on vision (packed up and I don’t remember the exact title) and have yet to read his “Values-Driven Leadership.” What I’ve read so far has been excellent. He is a Dallas Seminary professor and also has a consulting ministry you may reach at www.malphursgroup.com.
“Emotionally Healthy Churches” by Peter Scazzaro is worth the price of the volume for the story about bridge jumpers and rope holders in the chapter on “Accepting Your Limitations.”
“The Unity Factor” by Larry Osborne is a wonderful book on the power of truly united church boards. I have used this wonderful book for training and re-training church boards with great success. A natural follow-up study is “High Impact Church Boards” by Tim Addington. Addington’s book, for me, is a priceless tool; the kind I’d give my right arm for. Addington argues for streamlined, simple church structures where trust replaces the mistrust and “separation of powers” so common in older, congregational churches. He also makes a strong case for requiring that all church board members have, to some degree, the gift of leadership, so they dare to make bold decisions along with their fellow leaders.
The Center For Congregational Health is a ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention of North Carolina. They have a great web site at www.healthychurch.org. For training for interim pastoring - and I haven't attended but have been told that it's good - click on "Services," then "Interim Ministry," then on "Interim Ministry For Today's Church."
Comments