Succession planning for local churches and ministries Preparing for the next generation

Why plan for succession? Visionary leaders sometimes don’t want to retire Younger leaders sometimes need to be pushed forward The church/ ministry is comfortable with the status quo Good succession takes time The baton can be dropped

Key barriers to succession 1 Anxiety of the older leader 2 Impatient younger leader 3 Rumors and a lack of clarity 4 The challenge of embracing change

Counting the cost The ministry/church will not go beyond a single generation There will be stagnation and inertia New talent will not be attracted There will be no space for new ideas or a fresh start

Stages in the succession process The leader recognizes the need for succession The successor is identified The date is set Training/ preparation takes place A new vision/ strategy is devised Replacement Time given to settling in

Questions Describe some of the experiences you have had with succession and comment on what were the biggest challenges? 1 If you had the opportunity to do it again, what would you do differently the second time? 2 Looking ahead, what succession situations need to be planned for and how will you organize it? 3

Something to Ponder… How do we develop a culture in church/ministry life that is open and willing to change? How do we help senior leaders to hand over their ministries with dignity? How do we train young leaders to assume responsibility and develop strategy without ignoring the past? How can we support young and senior leaders to work together for the good of the kingdom?