WELCOME TO THE CMR READING ROOM

This page has been established as a resource center for ministers who are working with their current churches or who may be seeking God's will to move to a new church field. Information is grouped by subject.

Current Church Field

Recommended Reading 

Smith, Norris. "How Do You Know When It Is Time To Go?" The Minister's Family, Fall 2000, 18.

An excellent article for the pastor or staff member who may be considering a move from his or her present church field. The article covers such issues as re-examining one's calling, when circumstances sometimes make it necessary to leave, burnout, conflict, and conduct.

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How to Say "Good Bye" To Your Church: Seven Steps to Conclude Your Ministry

The Manner in Which You Leave Your Church Says a Lot About Who You Are.

Saying goodbye with grace brings the pastor to consider his relationships to God and others. Leaving a congregation is a grief process no matter the circumstances; therefore, use this time of departure as a time to grow.

1. Invest your remaining time wisely. Pastor, be intentional in using the time between announcing the resignation and the pastor's actual departure to bring closure to this ministry. Closure will be important for various individuals, shut ins, persons the pastor is counseling, groups in the congregation and other special relationships in the community. As pastor, decide who will need a visit, a letter, or a phone call, to enable the person to emotionally and spiritually enter into a new relationship.
2. Wrap up the pastor's responsibilities. This is the time to make good use of the deacons, giving them an orientation to the pastoral ministry so they can pick up and continue that ministry. Work in the interim time to turn over files, history, and assignments to appropriate persons in leadership roles. By the time the pastor is ready to leave, the pastor should no longer have any functions to perform. The pastor's desk will truly be empty.
3. It is time for reconciliation. Visit if possible, those people with whom the pastor has experienced difficulties. To the best of the pastor's ability, restore these relationships. The pastor's goal is to eliminate emotional baggage for the pastor, and congregation so each can enter into new relationships without fear.
4. Be graceful. Depending on the nature of the departure, the congregation may or may not be providing a formal time to honor the pastor. Nevertheless, grace requires the pastor to say thank you to the congregation. The pastor will especially want to thank those members who have loved and supported him and his family while serving the church. The pastor will decide how best to show appreciation by letter, card, visit or telephone call.
5. Be clear about the pastor's reasons for leaving. Many people in the congregation will not understand why the pastor is leaving at this time. Hearing the pastor affirm that God has called him to a new place of service will be helpful to the congregation. Pastor, tell the congregation that you and your family are grateful for the time God has allowed you to serve the congregation. Certainly there are times when the reason for leaving is obvious such as retirement, etc.
6. What about unpleasant departures? Unfortunately, there may be a time when the departure is not pleasant; those times will require grace, skill and tact to honestly bring closure to the ministry. Pastor, ask the church leaders if you could invite the Director of Missions or Church Minister's Relationship (CMR) Director from the SBC State Office to meet with the church leaders. The CMR director will ask the church leaders to gracefully offer the pastor an appropriate departure process, including severance and insurance. The CMR director will work with leaders to identify issues that need to be resolved before calling a new pastor. The CMR director will encourage the church to call a transitional interim pastor. Pastor, do not make major decisions under times of stress. Pastor, do not use this time to attack persons or groups in the church. The grace the pastor demonstrates now will pay rich dividends later. The pastor's goal is to bring closure to his ministry and help the church prepare for their future. Pastor, be clear that you inform the members that you will not accept invitations for weddings and funerals unless you have first discussed it with the church's new pastor.
7. The pulpit ministry at this time should focus on hope. The messages should encourage the congregation to unite, grow, heal, and begin the transition for a new pastor.

...Information provided courtesy of Sylvan Knobloch, Illinois Baptist State Association

Prospective Church Field

Recommended Reading

Tidwell, Kathy. "The Facts of (Parsonage) Life." The Minister's Family, Fall 2000, 28.

Tidwell takes a humorous, but true look at what it is like to live in a church parsonage. She drew from years of experience that spanned from childhood to adulthood. While parsonage life has its blessings, there can also be drawbacks as contained within the article.

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 Visual Observations

When you visit the field, like any other first-time visitor, you will begin to take a visual inventory of that unique setting. What to look for?

1. How visible is the church property? Would it be easy for a stranger to find?
2. Is it obvious which door is the correct one to enter? On Sunday morning? On a rainy day? On Wednesday night?
3. What is available for off-street parking?
4. What is the general condition of the real estate?
5. What is the appearance of the nursery? Is it near an exit on the first floor?
6. What is the appearance of the most frequently used women's restroom?
7. What is the condition of the worship center?
8. How attractive is the best large meeting room?
9. How much land is available for expansion?
10. Do the members of the staff enjoy a productive work environment?
11. How easy would it be for a first-time visitor to find he worship center? A restroom? The nursery? A Sunday School class?
12. How many off-street parking places are designated as reserved for (a) mothers of young children, (b) guests, handicapped?
13. What is the percentage of the average worship attendance to the seating capacity of the worship center?
14. What is the message the bulletin boards send to the first-time visitor?

...Information provided courtesy of Dr. Bill Northcott, Tennessee Baptist Convention

Working with Search Committees

Possible Questions for Meeting with Pastor Search Committee

1. What is your average Sunday School attendance? What was it a year ago? Five years ago?
2. What was the average worship attendance for each of the past five years?
3. How long did your previous pastor serve the church? The one before him?
4. How much land do you own?
5. What issues or questions are facing this congregation? Can I get a paragraph each from the chairman of deacons and members of the church council on the most urgent issues facing the congregation? (ASAP)
6. What do you, as a congregation, do best in ministry?
7. In two or three sentences, describe the most important &quo;good&quo; thing that has happened in or to this congregation since 1975. When did it happen?
8. How many members were added by baptism for each of the past five years?
9. What were the total receipts of this congregation for each of the past five years?
10. Names and dates of pastors and other staff who have served this congregation since 1975.
11. Does this congregation have (a) any indebtedness, (b) an endowment, (c) significant cash surplus? If yes, how much?

...Information provided courtesy of Dr. Bill Northcott, Tennessee Baptist Convention