In United Methodists congregations, it's move time. We are appointed year to year and, with rare exceptions, we all move at the same time. Right now, around the country, pastors are saying goodbye to one congregation and saying hello to another.
The first few weeks and months in a new congregation are precious time to make a good match. If a pastor and congregation mishandle first impressions with each other, it can be difficult to recover. There are many books, videos, and other resources available to help pastors and congregations navigate transition time. Lovett Weems has fantastic material on this subject.
Out of the many things that might be said, one word of advice I would add is this one: Love your predecessor(s). Every pastor who has come before you has offered something to the people and their collective life and discipleship. Every one has connected with them in some way and helped people to experience grace and know Jesus better.
Pastors can be as egotistical as anyone. Inexplicably, many pastors feel that the congregation's love, fondness, and respect for former pastors is a hindrance to their own ability to be seen as the pastor now. They somehow feel that if the congregation talks all the time about what happened when a former pastor served there, that the congregation will be unable to move forward and embrace new leadership. Pastors should understand that when a congregation talks about a former pastor and what happened during a predecessors stay, they are offering the precious gift of the story of the congregation's faith journey. There is nothing to be lost and everything to be gained by embracing these conversations and encouraging and celebrating them, listening closely and affirming the good work of those who have come before us.
If a congregation loves a former pastor, isn't that a good indication that the congregation might love the current pastor? If a congregation embraced a former pastor's leadership, wouldn't the congregation be more likely to embrace the leadership of the current pastor?
The biggest threat to the love of respect of former pastors being shared with current pastors is the current pastor's jealousy of predecessors. When a congregation can sense that a current pastor wants the congregation to forget the former pastor, or that the current pastor resents the mention of a former pastor, they understandably question the maturity and spiritual health of the pastor. It creates a bad dynamic within the congregation too--one of comparison, self-interest, rather than servanthood and desire to honor one another above ourselves.
I believe one of the most practically helpful things a pastor can do is to invite back former pastors as often as possible. When I arrived at my current appointment, I made a list of all living, active and retired former senior and associate pastors and invited every one of them to return in the first year. I got them all back for one reason or another within two years.
Of course, people have different opinions about different former pastors. Some are beloved by certain congregants and less revered by others. Bringing them all back helps to bring some reconciliation and resolution over past hurts. Inviting them all back models grace and trains the congregation to be gracious with itself and each other and its history so that it will act more graciously in its present and future.
Many pastors feel that they must compete with the legend of the superstar former pastor or join in criticism of a former pastor whose legacy is mixed. I believe this is a huge mistake. When a pastor resists the praise of a former pastor, it sets the current pastor at odds with the congregation. If a pastor appreciates criticism because she or he interprets it as praise in comparison, the current pastor sets him or herself up to be the victim of similar criticism down the road. If the current pastor can join the fan club and celebrate the former pastor from the heart, then the current pastor becomes one with the congregation. I believe that when we ground our ministry in humility, grace, and preference for others, God blesses our work and the people recognize and appreciate our spirit.
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