The Similarities between a Pandemic and Abrupt Pastoral Transition

Our current COVID-19 pandemic and the transition a church experiences when they abruptly lose their senior pastor have uncanny similarities. The obvious issue is the ability to handle unwanted and unexpected change.

But what is not obvious is the nature of the change and the differing ways people respond to change.

A powerful analogy

One of the most powerful and helpful analogies about change which I give to churches going through sudden leadership transition is to realize they have entered a new season, and that season is much like a literal winter. This is a sobering reality, but it can also be very encouraging.
 
As winter arrives in our northern hemisphere the weather changes. In response, we make necessary adjustments. Snow tires are put on our vehicles, we wear warmer clothes, we turn up the thermostat.

Likewise, there are some behaviors we avoid: we don’t plan outdoor picnics, we don’t expect to work on our tan, we don’t plant tomatoes.
 
Similarly, when the senior pastor abruptly leaves (for whatever reason), the church typically abruptly enters into a new season. But is there an adaptive response to this new season?

The sudden leadership vacuum kills ministry momentum. Initiatives are put on hold, attendance and giving often plummet, the cold wind of grief chills the former climate of enthusiasm. A survival mentality takes precedence over thriving.
 
A literal winter is a good season for the earth. Powerful activities, which often go unnoticed, are working to prepare the ground and plants for a new season of growth and fruit bearing. In the same way, the unexpected and unwanted winter season in the life of a church can provide for a time of rest, revitalization, and review.
 
Andy Crouch and the team at Praxis Labs recently posted 2 journal articles (here and here), in response to the pandemic, where they used the same analogy, yet expanded it. They have identified that our perspective on change happening around us is similar to our perspective on a blizzard, winter, and an ice age.
 
Consider your own outlook on the change that has occurred in your church because of the quick exit of your lead pastor, and the way people responded to that change.

Blizzard

Sometimes change is like a literal blizzard, the climate has become difficult and threatening. In a blizzard people need emotional and practical support. Extraordinary measures, that would be unthinkable under normal conditions, are necessary -but these measures are not sustainable for long periods of time. The goal in a blizzard is to hunker down, “wait it out”, and survive. Everyone understands that eventually things will return to normal.

Winter

Then there are changes that resemble Winter. The change usually begins with a blizzard but it lasts much longer. The time frame can’t be measured in weeks, but months. This is a new season with bitter inhospitable conditions that demand adaptation. There will be regional variations, for some churches might experience a “mild” winter. But the season will reconfigure the culture of the church. There won’t be a return to normal, instead there will be a “new normal”.

Ice Age

Some of the changes churches experience are like a storm (blizzard), others like a season (winter), but there is always the possibility of it being a stage (ice age). The impact of this kind of change is not measured in weeks or months but years. The change is so pervasive and deep that a whole generation will be shaped by it. It will reshape the cultural landscape of a church for years. No one knows for sure what the new normal will be.

Key Observations

The power of this broader analogy from Praxis Labs can be of tremendous help to church leadership teams who are seeking to shepherd their flock through the change that occurs with the abrupt departure of their pastor. It will be important for everyone to see the story of your church, its narrative, from the same perspective.
 
Let me give you several important observations in line with this analogy that come from my nine years of coming alongside churches in transition as their interim pastor. When it comes to the abrupt departure of the lead or senior pastor….
 
1. Most everyone will want, or expect, the change to be like a blizzard.

The assumption, many will have, will be that things can and will quickly return to normal. Yet the reality is that there will be a new normal.

 
2. The leadership team is going to be evaluated by many in the church based on whether they can quickly return things to normal.

There will be pressure to “fix” things, move on, and get back to the way it was. Comments made in public and private will try to minimize the damage that has been done, and give vent to the frustration on why it’s taking so long to get back to normal.

 
3. The more abruptly the pastor leaves, the more disruptive will be the consequences in the church.

The church body should be prepared to expect to live through a winter season as a result. It will take months before people will be ready to receive a new pastor and move forward together.

 
4. If a church doesn’t respond well to the abrupt departure, it may move from winter into an ice age that could “chill” the climate of its ministry for a generation.

Inappropriate or ineffective responses involve a denial or hiding of what happened; not allowing or encouraging the church to grieve; the belief that simply hiring a new pastor will solve the problem; not addressing ministry or cultural dysfunction in the body.

When the lead pastor abruptly departs, the leadership team of the church needs to speak directly to the impact of the change. Their words can set a clear picture of the narrative and help the whole flock respond well to the changes everyone is experiencing -be it a blizzard, a winter, or an ice age.

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I’ve published a practical workbook for leadership teams that will help you navigate the first critical 90-days after your senior pastor has exited quickly. This workbook will walk you through the essential issues that need to be addressed if your church is going to recover well. 

Click here to get a digital or physical copy for each member of your team, or to consider the personal consulting options I can provide for your unique situation.