This is the final post in a series of four posts where I’ve been unpacking comments I find myself verbalizing to those who are looking to make a ministry transition:
1. Don’t make a 5 to 10-year decision based on a 5-month need.
2. You gotta finish well.
3. Stay connected to the connectors around you.
And the fourth and final comment I tend to make is:
4. Don’t navigate this alone.
Have you ever checked into a hotel that has Direct TV or hundreds of cable channels? You scroll for several minutes wondering how there could be this many channels with nothing on? Reality is, there’s a lot on; there’s just nothing on that you are wanting to view right now, at this particular time, with your current mood.
Statistically, there are approximately 10,000 advancing churches in the U.S. Most of these churches that are of any size hire good people when they find them. Most ministry leaders I know have stacks of resumes on their desk if they have posted their position publicly. Over and over, ministry leaders tell me they refuse to post publicly because they don’t want another 80 resumes.
Churches and candidates use trusted, connected individuals to help them. (See previous post on comment #3).
If you are just beginning in ministry, or if you are looking for a next-level position, my advice is the same. Find the objective matchmaker in the middle to help you find the right role.
There’s an old saying preachers often say— “God is working upstream right now.” If you are going through transition please understand that He knows where you are, and He is already working through others to guide you forward.
Let’s all take the steps necessary to work these transitions better. There’s no reason to blow up a ministry or blow up your life while navigating these seasons of change. If you are in ministry in a local church, we NEED you to stay in ministry to continue to move forward and to grow in your leadership chops.