Vantage Point: Leadership Transition (forthcoming in Holiness Today)

Holiness Today, a publication of the Church of the Nazarene, recently asked me to write about "Leadership Transition" for a forthcoming Vantage Point column. Below is the result. Enjoy, and look for it in a forthcoming HT.... -- CWC
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Leading Through Transition

The only thing constant is change. All change is difficult and challenging. Leadership changes on every level are perhaps the most challenging. As a pastor, I am always seeking a balance between keeping some sort of momentum and stability, while at the same time inviting new voices and new eyes into the conversation of local church leadership. In my experience, if a church (or any organization) opts simply for stability, there is a danger of stagnation: “That’s not the way we do things around here.” On the other hand, simply flooding leadership positions with new voices can bring about tension and instability and can lack the influence upon the existing congregation that is necessary to implement real and lasting change.

In my current pastorate, in the last six years, there has been an almost complete turnover in congregational leadership on the church board, departments, and in key committees. Some of these occurred quickly, due either to the transitory nature of our location (people move in and out of our area a lot for various reasons), or to decisions to serve in other capacities – including in other congregations – when the new pastoral approach and vision were implemented. Some leadership transitions are painful due to tensions between tried and true traditions and fresh visions. These usually involve changing existing programs, or adding programs that are seen as “competing” with programs that are held dear by a vocal few. This tension is normal, and although extreme voices from all perspectives can elevate these tensions, there is room in God’s church for both voices, working in harmony toward God’s vision. I once heard a General Superintendent say that in order for the Church of the Nazarene to become what it needs to become in the new century, we must keep one hand firmly attached toward the great traditions God has laid down for us in the past, while keeping the other outstretched, reaching toward the magnificent hope for the future God has in store. This is the balance we seek in leadership transition.

A new leader needs time, patience, acceptance, and a willingness to earn trust. A new leader must expect caution, some impatience, some skepticism, and an initial lack of trust (since trust must be earned). All involved in leadership transition need a “fresh start” without being judged by the past too harshly. The need is for the community to remember who we are: flawed yet forgiven human beings needing the opportunity to share our gifts for the glory of God and for the betterment (health) of the church. If I view new leaders that way and they give me the same courtesy, we have already taken steps toward allowing God’s Spirit to create harmony amidst the normal feelings of anxiety and disharmony that transition creates for all involved. As a musician, I learned early on that the best music does not require all playing the same notes, but rather that all the different notes seek to play in the same key. Tuning (fine-tuning) is always required, which takes time, patience, and a strong desire to play in such a way that the Conductor (Jesus Christ) is pleased.

– Charles W. Christian, for Holiness Today

Dr. Charles W. Christian is senior pastor of North Seattle Church of the Nazarene (Seattle, WA).