The Elephant in the Boardroom E-Book

Carolyn Weese

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: J-B Leadership Network Series
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 305

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2004

Beschreibung

Carolyn Weese and J. Russell Crabtree--experts in the field of church leadership--have written a nuts-and-bolts guide to developing a succession plan for smoothing pastoral transitions. Filled with strategies and solid advice, this handy resource is based in solid research and the authors' many years of experience working with churches in a wide variety of denominations. Weese and Crabtree clearly show that leadership succession should be part of every church's planning process.

Leseprobe

Contents

List of Exhibits

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part One: The Principles, Cost, and Players in Health-Based Transition

Chapter 1: Principles of Transition, Jesus Style

Jesus Did It Differently

Chapter 2: Counting the Cost

Review the Invoice

Beyond the Dollar Cost

Good Intentions, Costly Results

Staff Retention Plan

The Big Picture of Long-Term Cost to the Church

Chapter 3: The Five Key Players in a Healthy Transition

Healthy Transition Defined

Illness-Based Transition

Health-Based Transition

Shaping the Team

Part Two: The Four Church Cultures: Family, Icon, Archival, and Replication

Chapter 4: One Church, Four Variations

Understanding Church Cultures

What Drives a Church?

The Four Cultures

Chapter 5: Transition Strategies for Leaders in a Family Culture

Leadership Transition Advantages

Risks in Choosing a Candidate

Critical Transition Tasks

Threats to Success of the New Pastor

Transition Strategies

Advance Planning

How It Could Be

Chapter 6: Transition Strategies for Leaders in an Icon Culture

Leadership Transition Advantages

Risks in Choosing a Candidate

Critical Transition Tasks

Threats to the Success of the New Pastor

Transition Strategies

Advance Planning

How It Could Be

Chapter 7: Transition Strategies for Leaders in an Archival Culture

Leadership Transition Advantages

Risks in the Appointment Process

Critical Transition Tasks

Threats to Success

Transition Strategies

Advance Planning

How It Could Be

Chapter 8: Transition Strategies for Leaders in a Replication Culture

Leadership Transition Advantages

Leadership Transition Risks

Critical Transition Tasks

Threats to the Success of a New Leader

Transition Strategies

Advance Planning

How It Could Be

Part Three: Components of a Transition Plan

Chapter 9: Strategic Planning and the Search Process

Resistance to Planning Strategically

Maintaining What is

Charting the Right Course

Can a Culture Change?

Elements of a Strategic Planning Process

Illness-Based Transitions and Bridging Resources

Transitional Schematic

Chapter 10: The Asset-Preserving Ministry

Unique Mission Components

Identifying Unique Mission Components

Transfer of Assets

Transferring the Assets

Chapter 11: A Capability-and-Maturity Model for Churches

The Stewardship of Leadership

Capability at the Time of Transition

The Story of Glendon Community Church

Distinct Needs at Every Level

Chapter 12: Pastoral Transitions in Low-Performing Churches

Focus on Best Practices

Develop Patching Strategies

Emphasize Organizational Learning and Development

Leaders and Creating Change in Culture

Chapter 13: A Plan for Responding to the Crisis of Sudden Transitions

Elements of a Crisis Plan

Chapter 14: Getting Started on a Plan for Your Church

Appendix: The Church Planning Questionnaire

The Authors

About Leadership Network

Index

Praise for The Elephant in the Boardroom

“This practical book should be in the hands of every pastor and board chair. It provides the right answer to one of the most neglected areas of church life today—effective leadership transition in the local church.”

—Dr. William O. (Bill) Crews, chancellor, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Mill Valley, California

“Choosing a CEO is probably the most important thing a corporate board does. The church is no different. This book helps elevate the priority and process of properly choosing a new senior pastor. All congregations would benefit from this book.”

—Terry Looper, chairman and CEO, Texon Holding, Houston, Texas

“Practical advice for a critical problem. The authors’ explanation of strategic planning and organizational culture is worth the price of the book.”

—Rev. Gary DeLashmutt, lead pastor, Xenos Christian Fellowship, Columbus, Ohio

“Crabtree and Weese expose the huge costs and avoidable causes of poor pastoral transitions. They offer a wise strategy to prepare for the inevitable leadership changes every church will face.”

—Dr. George K. Brushaber, president, Bethel College and Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

Copyright © 2004 by Carolyn Weese and J. Russell Crabtree. All rights reserved.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Weese, Carolyn, date.

The elephant in the boardroom : speaking the unspoken about pastoral transitions / Carolyn Weese, J. Russell Crabtree.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 0-7879-7257-6 (alk. paper)

1. Pastoral theology. 2. Clergy—Office. I. Crabtree, J. Russell, date. II. Title.

BV4011.3.W44 2004

253—dc22

2004002664

A Leadership Network Publication

Other Leadership Network Titles

The Ascent of a Leader: How Ordinary Relationships Develop Extraordinary Character and Influence, by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and Ken McElrath

The Leader’s Journey: Accepting the Call to Personal and Congregational Transformation, by Jim Herrington, Robert Creech, and Trisha Taylor

Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for the Transformational Journey, by Jim Herrington, Mike Bonem, and James H. Furr

Leading Congregational Change Workbook, by James H. Furr, Mike Bonem, and Jim Herrington

Leading the Team-Based Church: How Pastors and Church Staffs Can Grow Together into a Powerful Fellowship of Leaders, by George Cladis

The Millennium Matrix: Reclaiming the Past, Reframing the Future of the Church, by M. Rex Miller

A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey, by Brian McLaren

The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church, by Reggie McNeal

Shaped by God’s Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches, by Milfred Minatrea

The Story We Find Ourselves in: Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian, by Brian McLaren

A Work of Heart, by Reggie McNeal

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1.1 Pastoral Transition Principles

Exhibit 2.1 If Your Pastor Were to Leave in Six Weeks and It Would Take Eighteen Months to Find a New One

Exhibit 3.1 Indicators of Congregational Health

Exhibit 3.2 Can You Mentor Your Successor?

Exhibit 4.1 Four Church Cultures

Exhibit 4.2 Four Church Cultures, with Examples

Exhibit 4.3 Personality-Driven Style Churches: Family Culture

Exhibit 4.4 Personality-Driven Effectiveness Churches: Icon Culture

Exhibit 4.5 Knowledge-Driven Style Churches: Archival Culture

Exhibit 4.6 Knowledge-Driven Effectiveness Churches: Replication Culture

Exhibit 5.1 Transition at a Glance: Family Culture

Exhibit 6.1 Transition at a Glance: Icon Culture

Exhibit 7.1 Transition at a Glance: Archival Culture

Exhibit 8.1 Transition at a Glance: Replication Culture

Exhibit 10.1 Pastor-to-Pastor Debrief Checklist

Exhibit 11.1 Capacity-and-Maturity Tool

Exhibit 11.2 Composite Analysis: Capability and Maturity

Exhibit 11.3 Transitional Needs by Capability-and-Maturity Level

Exhibit 11.4 Comprehensive Transition Plan Components

Exhibit 12.1 Transition Strategies for Low-Performance Churches

Preface

For more than twenty years, we have been consulting with, researching, and surveying hundreds of churches of all denominations, sizes, locations, and theological persuasions. During that time, we have seen many changes, some of them heartening and others not so encouraging. One aspect has been consistent across all these churches: they do not plan for the inevitable moment when their current pastor leaves. Given the intimate connection between a congregation’s morale and its pastor’s worship leadership, we were troubled when we saw that most churches do not have a plan in place to sustain excellence and continuity in succession planning. Writers in the business and leadership world have dealt extensively with the subject, but there are no foundational concepts for handling it successfully in the church world.

With this book, we offer a resource that is both practical and inspirational. It is born of the hope that by helping people face their fears and at the same time provide them with a quality resource, churches will be better able to make a successful transition from one leader to another. We are challenging the reader to think outside the box and grasp new concepts for healthy pastoral transitions. It is our prayer that this book will break the silence about the elephant in the church boardroom and guide clergy and lay leaders, drawing them together to pray, discuss, and plan for pastoral changes that sustain excellence of ministry at the time of a leadership transition.

June 2004

Carolyn Weese

Russ Crabtree

To the Crabtree Family Emily, Mark, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Michael

And to the Weese Family Harvey, Karen, Jim, Austin, and Taylor

Acknowledgments

Though a book may be penned by one or two hands, there lies behind the writing a company of people who have provided insight, guidance, support, wisdom, life experience, encouragement, and much more. As two explorers on a journey into the wilderness of succession planning in the church, we found we were charting a course rather than following an already prescribed direction. Our experiences in the church over the past twenty years have shaped much of who we are and what we have written. Acknowledging all of the churches, pastors, and people who contributed to our thinking is impossible. However, it is important to mention a few names. Linda Karlovec was a constant source of insight. Leta Cook and Vicki Rush, as friends and church workers, offered continual encouragement. Harvey Weese would not allow us to lose the dream for this book and patiently endured the long days of collaboration.

We also express a special word of appreciation to David G. McKechnie (pastor) and Terry Looper (elder) of Grace Presbyterian Church, Houston, Texas, for catching the vision with us while it was in its infant stage and encouraging us to move forward with the project. We deeply appreciate the very special part they played in making this book possible. Dan Klein, of Texas Presbyterian Foundation, caught the vision for the book as well and spread it among his colleagues.

When we first discussed the possibility of such a book with Carol Childress, of Leadership Network, she responded enthusiastically. Her constant support for the project confirmed that we did have a story that needed to be told.

Last, but certainly not least, without God’s help it would not have been written. According to His plan, calendars were opened to make time available, funding was furnished, and two colleagues successfully narrowed the space between Ohio and Arizona in order to collaborate on the work. To God be the glory!

Introduction

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

—3 John 1:4 (NIV)

The fact that you have picked up this book and begun to read it says something about you. You are probably a leader in the church, lay or pastor, and are likely a think-outside-the-box leader. What you may be thinking about in this season of your life is one of the most important questions you will have to tackle as a leader: pastoral transition. How you handle this question determines whether or not you will have the greatest joy of which John speaks, a strong legacy of faith in the lives of those you have led. Whether pastor or lay leader, think for a moment about these questions:

Do you have a strategic plan that defines where your church is going and how you are going to get there?

Do you have a clear understanding of your particular church culture and the specific advantages and risks posed to that culture by a pastoral transition?