If you’ve
talked to anyone at VitalChurch
Ministry, an organization that helps churches in transition or crisis, or
perused their website for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed that they regularly
use the phrase “intentional interim pastor.” It’s a mouthful, and they could just as easily use the far more common
term “interim pastor,” but there’s
an important distinction between the two titles. Here’s why they’ve chosen to use the longer phrase:
It Allows the Pastor to Make Changes
Whenever you hear the word “interim,” whether it’s paired with the word “pastor,”
“principal,” “manager,” or anything else, most people tend to think that the
person in the interim position is just a placeholder until the position is
permanently filled. They aren’t
typically given authority to make any major changes to the organization—they
are just holding down the fort until the “real” leader arrives.
By using the word “intentional” along with an interim pastor
title, it says that this person is more than just a placeholder. They are there
for a purpose. They weren’t
just chosen to fill a vacant role out of desperation, but were put there
intentionally because they were the right person to fill that role at that
specific period of time.
Many times, VitalChurch’s pastors go into churches that are experiencing some sort of
crisis—often it has to do with the last lead pastor leaving, but there are
usually underlying issues as well. They need more than just a person who can
fill the pulpit on Sundays. There is typically some healing or conflict
resolution that needs to take place and spiritual issues that need to be
addressed. Organizational and staffing issues are also rectified.
VitalChurch’s
intentional interim pastors only go into churches where it is understood that
they will be making some changes. They don’t go to churches where they are expected to maintain the status
quo. They are agents of change and are very intentional in everything they do.
It Lets the Church Know that the Pastor Will Not Be Staying on
Permanently
In some cases, when someone is appointed to an interim position,
there is an assumption that he or she will eventually be appointed to the
permanent position. This is especially true when someone is promoted from
within to an interim role. But with VitalChurch’s interim pastors, they are making it clear by using the word
“intentional” that their position is meant to be temporary.
As they talked about in this blog post, their intentional interim pastors are
not to be considered for the permanent lead pastor position. It’s in their contract. They are there for a
defined period of time to do a specific job. By using the word “intentional.” it
keeps the congregation looking forward to their next season of ministry.
If you’d like
to learn more about VitalChurch and their intentional interim pastors, visit
their website: https://vitalchurchministry.org/
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