By Keith Shields

I began my training with the Transitional Leadership Network (TLN) in 2018 when I was Interim Lead Pastor of a Calgary, Alberta church. I had been Executive Pastor beside a great Lead Pastor who shepherded for 41 years—21 as Lead Pastor and 20 as an Associate. After almost 50 years of continuity, this shift would be a shock to the congregation. The congregation was healthy but needed a transitional period to determine next steps. I was a leader and elder for about 20 years, so the congregation had comfort with me in an interim role. Wanting to serve them well, I sought additional training to strengthen my skills.

Transitional Leaders - More than a Place Holder

Through the TLN training, I realized transitional leaders are more than interim leaders holding a place until a new Lead Pastor is hired. Being a Transitional Pastor is challenging because you must do everything a Lead Pastor does (preaching, administration, pastoral care, evangelism, etc.) and guide the...

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...