Transition Story Part 2: The New Guys

By Shawn Michael Shoup on August 31 2010

My family has been transitioning out of a church family and youth ministry position where we had served for nine-plus years.  Saying good-bye was nothing short of hard, as you can imagine.  I learned a lot through the process and I wanted to share some of my story over a series of three posts.  Read part one here.

PART TWO: What I Learned While Working With the New Guys

It’s already uncomfortable, don’t make it more so. No matter how excited you and the new guys are about the transition, it can always be a little awkward meeting for the first time.  I met Derick and Pam on a Sunday morning, their first time visiting their potential new church home – they were still being considered for the position at the time.  I recognized him from his online profiles and greeted him at the door. 

Here’s what Derick had to say of the experience on his blog: “He introduced himself and helped me get set up for music. Meeting with him that day was not an uncomfortable experience. He was not aggressive towards me. He was not hostile as some men would be when faced with the person who could possibly be the one to carry on the work that he had spent over nine years building.”

Do what you can to make those coming in feel welcome.

Why can’t we be friends?  Allowing time for the transition.  If the transition is a healthy one in your church, I highly recommend a period of time where the new leaders can spend some time in the office at the new church with the old guard.  In my particular situation, the church leaders gave us a month to work together.  We planned it so that Derick and Pam could watch us do ministry for a couple of weeks, then doing it together with them, and finally being present in the background as they led and planned their first services. 

I understand that an overlapping period like this isn’t possible for all churches and or transitions, but it goes so far in helping the new leaders and students in the transition process.  If it is at all feasible, try to make it happen.  This time period gave my wife and I the opportunity to repeatedly champion the student ministry’s new leaders and encourage the students that God was going to take the student ministry into the next season. 

Let them be themselves.  Let it go.  The student ministry is not yours to shape anymore.  We tried to communicate to the students that while things might look and/or feel different for a while, that Derick and Pam were the ones who were entrusted to lead.  It might be hard to see colors on the web site change, song choices morph, and the format sway from your preferred style to another, but it’s important to remember that God didn’t make the news guys to be a “new you”.  He’s given them their own personality, styles, and giftings.  Encourage them to be who God created them to be. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Derick and Pam verbally communicated that – for the next year – they planned on keeping the format pretty similar to the way we ran things during our tenure.  I think that’s wisdom, too.  It takes time for groups to adopt to change.

Share your ideas, learnings and resources.  You may not feel like an expert on the matter, but you know more about your students than the news guys coming in.  Share with them what’s worked, what hasn’t, the student ministry climate in your area, cultural leanings and tendencies, and everything else that you can think of that would be helpful.  Even things like web sites and services you’ve used can be very helpful.  If you want them to succeed, give them to tools and resources to help them do so. 

Let them know your routine.  Fill them in on how you’ve done things.  Give them a general outline of what your normal week looks like: how you plan for your weekly rally services and small groups, what kinds of communication you send out and when, regular or annual events that students will be looking for, etc.  Don’t let them come into the office their first week clueless.  Help them succeed!

Stay in communication.  There will be questions that come up after you leave.  If you are willing, leave them your number so that you can be available after you are gone.  I understand that this is above and beyond the call of duty, but it’s all about helping sustain lasting ministry.  After a while, I think you’ll want to cut contact down to a minimum, but do make yourself available short term if you can.

Thanks for reading.  I’m praying for all of you that are in transition this week.  My last post will hit briefly on the part of transition that may be the hardest, “saying good-bye”. 

Comments

From Tani Parker on August 31, 2010

As Sr. pastor of the church you transitioned out of I want to say, “not everyone finishes well but you did, my friend.  Thank you!  Keep growing in His love and grace as you contine your life journey…there is so much more ahead for you.”  P.S. we all miss you big time.

From Shawn Michael Shoup on August 31, 2010

Awwww, shucks, Tani! Stop making me look so good!  :)

We miss all of you, too—tell them all that we send our love from Minnesota.