Pastor Leaves Leading a church from Anxiety to Anticipation Interim Decision Know Your Church Know Your Community Know the Plan Know God Know the Path New Pastor Assessment Renewal Planning Anxiety Anticipation Transitional Interim Pastor Implementation

Actual Newspaper Headlines “Something went wrong in Jet Crash” “Police begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers” “Miners Refuse to Work after Death” “War Dims Hope for Peace”

Actual Newspaper Headlines “If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile” “Man Struck by Lightning Faces Battery Charge” “Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery, Hundreds Dead”

Transitional Interim Pastor’s Divine Call & Passion

Four Issues In This Session Confirming the call of God Doing a personal assessment Personal renewal processes The importance of passion

“No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a person. But it is God...He brings one down, He exalts another.” Psalm 75:6-7

Confirming the Call of God 1.God’s call comes to Transitional Interim pastors in various ways a. Relationships b. Appointment c. Combination

Scriptural Confirmation of the Call “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen…” (Acts 1:24) “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” (Acts 15:28)

Confirming the Call of God 2. As we have observed it, there is many times a struggle in knowing God’s call and being able to separate the call of God from the call of the church. Some people think those calls are the same, there are others who do not.

Confirming the Call of God 3. There is a huge difference in impact on the TIP’s climate between a human call and a divine call to do judicatory work. 4. When the church does call a person, there is a great need for GOD to confirm the call to the transitional pastor.

The Call Affects the Climate There is a direct relationship between the climate of a church in transition and the sense of God’s divine call that is felt both by the church and the Transitional pastor.

A Divine Call from God We believe that changing the climate of a church from anxiety to anticipation will only happen long-term, under the leadership of people who sense a divine call from God to do so!

Not “Losing Heart” in Doing Gut-Wrenching Work Changing the climate of a church in transition is hard, difficult, and sometimes gut- wrenching work. The reality of a divine call is what feeds the spirit and keeps us from “losing heart.”

We Have This Ministry… “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart…Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:1,16)

Personal Assessment is Healthy When we sense a divine call of God and we have a confirmation from the church…we should welcome an honest, personal assessment of ourselves. Personal assessment is a very healthy thing, building better self- awareness…

Personal Assessment Key Questions To Ask 1. Am I in the right place? Can I accept this as a clear call from God? 2. Is this a good fit for me? 3. Is this the best use of my gifts?

4. Am I willing to admit the areas where I need to keep learning? 5. Am I willing to make a commitment to keep growing and developing my skills as a Transitional Interim Pastor Personal Assessment Key Questions To Ask

Personal Renewal Processes Changing the climate of a church in transition requires regular spiritual renewal in the heart of the Transitional Interim Pastor and the leadership team…seeking divine moments from God.

Personal Renewal -- Reflection 1. How can I keep renewing my passion for spiritual growth? For reaching lost people? 2. What process of self renewal do I have in place? How do I renew? 3. What am I reading and/or attending that keeps me growing?

Two Things We Know… In Transitional Interim Pastoring, a divine call makes a HUGE difference! Continued personal renewal within the Transitional Pastor and the leadership team always precedes moving a church to anticipation.

Passion…what is it exactly? “Extreme compelling emotion, an intense emotional drive, or excitement.”

PASSION is what drives us, it’s what fuels us. It’s at the core of every ambition. Having been affected by something, I now pursue that with passion.

My Personal Passion Level… A key issue that needs to be addressed regularly in my personal life is, “How do I keep renewing my passion for God and the work to which I am called?” There are 3 principles I regularly remind myself of:

Renewing Our Passion 1.Biblical passion recognizes that its source is…God. Paul says, “I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” (Colossians 1:29)

Renewing Our Passion 2. Biblical passion is created within us by...God’s Word. “…my heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue…” -- David (Psalm 39:3-4)

Renewing Our Passion 3. Biblical passion must be regularly rekindled. “The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously, it must not go out.” (Leviticus 6:13) “…I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you...” -- the Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 1:6)

A. Biblical passion must focus on God’s approval alone. “Why do you seek praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise of the one and only God?” -- Jesus (John 5:44) What are the biblical requirements for developing a God-pleasing passion?

B. Biblical passion requires focus. “…but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward…” -- Paul (Philippians 3:14)

C. Biblical passion requires developing personal discipline. “…Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” -- Paul (1 Corinthians 9:25)

A. Biblical passion results in a promised blessing from God. “Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.” -- David (Psalm 119:2) What are the tangible benefits of having biblical passion?

B. Biblical passion makes us achievement conscious. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. (YOU) Run in such a way as to get the prize.” -- Paul (1 Corinthians 9:24)

C. Biblical passion creates within us a sense of urgency. “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” -- Jesus (John 9:4)

D. Biblical passion will nourish and strengthen us. “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34)

E. Biblical passion will cause us to have spiritual vision. “Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest?’ I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” -- Jesus (John 4:35)

F. Biblical passion will develop within us people passion. “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” -- Paul (Romans 10:1)

G. Biblical passion keeps our priorities straight. “Whom have I in heaven but you? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth.” -- David (Psalm 73:25)

Desire -- One Basic Issue The desire issue finally reduces itself to one basic issue. Desire is measured by…how much you are willing to pay in terms of hard work, patience, faith and endurance to obtain it.

“…whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, working for the Lord and not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord you are serving!” Colossians 3:23-24

1. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being human call and 10 being divine call), how would you rate your current call into the ministry of TIPs? 2. God’s call sometimes comes to us in very unique ways. It is ok to be where you are, as the call of God grows within you. Reflect on your level of certainty of God’s call. Application Exercises:

3.How are you staying fresh in ministry? 4.What one or two action steps can you take to help rekindle your divine call and passion for this ministry? Application Exercises:

“God is at work in you, to will and to do, according to His good purpose.” Centered in God’s will, your burning desire to make an eternal difference as a TIP, CAN and SHOULD become reality! Philippians 2:13

“The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it!” -- The Apostle Paul 1 Thessalonians 5:24

“Through the power of a God-given vision and the SPIRITUAL DESIRE that God grants to those who long for it, God can and does give to people who seek it, that "something" within them which recognizes no such word as impossible and that inner power that accepts no such reality as failure!” c

Clip from “Facing the Giants”