The Transitional Leader (TL) Designation program equips and supports both transitional leaders and their sponsoring agencies. Transitional leaders receive training and support for ongoing development and ministry effectiveness. Denominational leaders and other sponsors receive support and resources to find, train and designate transitional leaders for the harvest field.  

When churches experience a change in pastors, they go on a journey of transition. The diagram in this video will walk you through the stages of that transitional journey.

What is the difference between intentional interim ministry and traditional interim ministry? When do you need to consider a more intentional approach during pastoral transition? This video outlines the two models and how they can be used in your church.

The kind of change most churches today need is "ADAPTIVE" change not just "TECHNICAL" change. An opportune time to begin to make those changes is during pastoral transition. This video makes the case for adaptive change as necessary for most churches during transition.

How do you know if you're a candidate for transitional ministry (also called intentional interim ministry)? Here are seven potential signs (feelings or thoughts) that indicate God might be trying to get your attention and calling you to be a transitional pastor.

These times are very challenging but what if we found a way to see opportunity in our uncertainty? In this video Cam shares three actions that can make make all the difference personally and as we lead congregations.

FULL TRANSCRIPT
[The following is the transcript of this week’s video. It’s not word for word but a close representation of what Cam said in his video. This transcript is provided for those of you who are unable to watch the video or would prefer to read the message instead of listen to it].

Is your congregational grief and loss model adequate? I asked you that question, not only for those of you dealing with congregations in transition as you come to the season of closure, but because we have a much broader reality going on in our congregations because of what's going on in our culture because of the pandemic. and COVID realities and restrictions. There's been a lot of loss.

There's been a lot of things to be grieved in order for congregations to be able to move forward. What I have to say today might be relevant for a lot of situations. Now, I'm speaking mostly to people who are involved with churches in transition but as you rub shoulders and come in touch with...

Listen to the audio version here. 

FULL TRANSCRIPT
[The following is the transcript of this week’s video. It’s not word for word but a close representation of what Cam said in his video. This transcript is provided for those of you who are unable to watch the video or would prefer to read the message instead of listen to it].

I have a question for you that I'd like you to think about for just for a few minutes.

Is your grief and loss model that you're working with adequate? There's been so many losses this last year. So many people that are dealing with transition, dealing with job loss, financial loss, loss of health. People have lost family members. There's been a great disturbance in the whole church community — going from the way things used to be to whatever the way things might look like in the future.

I want to suggest that your loss model and my loss model, if it looks like this (see image), might be inadequate. This model does have value and can help...

FULL TRANSCRIPT
[The following is the transcript of this week’s video. It’s not word for word but a close representation of what Cam said in his video. This transcript is provided for those of you who are unable to watch the video or would prefer to read the message instead of listen to it].

We are living in a time of transition. And I’m talking not only about the kind a congregation goes through during a pastoral change. As I've talked to people and looked around is that all of us are dealing with transition on multiple levels. We're dealing with it personally. We're dealing it with it in our families. We're dealing with it in our communities, in the congregations we work with with or without pastors.

And as I've wrestled with being a resilient leader — someone who can be there for people and provide guidance, insight, and wisdom, I've been looking for a way to stay strong on the inside so that my outside world can be effective and sustainable.

I have a...

“It isn't the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions.” — W. Bridges* 

Change is situational and transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation (according to W. Bridges). Unless transition occurs, change will not work. 

“There can be any number of changes, but unless there are transitions, nothing will be different when the dust clears.” — W. Bridges

We see this in our personal lives and in the congregations we serve. 

The three stages in transition

Transition begins with an ending, moves into the neutral zone, then enters into a new beginning phase.  

1. An ending 

Transition begins with an ending and a letting go. Israelite's were given the opportunity to let go of Egypt as the first step in their transitional journey to the Promised Land. Their ending involved a radical event and was the intervention strategy God used to launch them on their journey...