The Calling of an Interim Pastor
Since many number of folks have asked me, it seemed sensible to explain the calling of an interim pastor. I have been a professor most of my life and pastored a church rather like Briarwood for eleven years, but I am happy to share what I have learned through several interim pastorates.
I believe there are three types of interim pastor. Type one preaches most weeks, helps lead worship, and maintains the status quo while the church searches and waits for their next pastor. This role can be light. I’ve held this role several times, preaching most weeks for a few months, and meeting with elders perhaps once a month.
Type two is weightier but probably still part-time. An interim pastor may step in for a larger church that faces difficult issues. The interim ministry might continue for 18-20 months and work extensively with church leaders. I’ve held this role several times too, part-time and near my home in St. Louis.
Type three is a transitional pastor or “intentional interim.” An intentional interim will have most of the same roles as a senior pastor, but he cannot become the lead pastor, and he has the duties for a short time. The title “interim pastor” never appears in the Bible, but Paul sent Titus to Crete to teach and solve problems there, so he had something like an interim role, as did Timothy. The chief idea is to help the church move well toward their next pastor. Let me sketch the call or duties of an interim pastor.
#1. Every interim pastor will preach most weeks, typically three out of four. A full-time interim is often from another town. When he visits his home, the church typically brings in an outside speaker who may not be a candidate but may roughly fit the profile of the next pastor.
#2. He fulfills several familiar pastoral roles. He helps plan and lead worship, leads session meetings, cares for pastors, staff, and other leaders, and steps in to help in emergencies.
#3. Intentional interims help with the search for the next lead pastor.
#4. They address a few key issues that cannot or should not wait until the arrival of the next pastor. They rarely tackle more than two major issues. There are other benefits in having an interim pastor. One is stability. It’s difficult to have a different preacher every week; that reminds people that they miss a chief shepherd. A trusted interim can help everyone relax and trust the Lord as He cares for His church.
Although interim pastors don’t do it deliberately, they remind the people that their next pastor will be different. Briarwood’s pastors were uniquely gifted men; we call them “unicorns” today. The senior pastor of a large church must be a good preacher and a good leader, but after that they can be quite different. For example, it’s unlikely that the next lead pastor will have Pastor Reeder’s memory or energy. An interim pastor does not try to be different; he is, and that prepares everyone for the next pastor, who will have distinct gifts and interests, too.
– Dr. Dan Doriani, Interim Pastor
I believe there are three types of interim pastor. Type one preaches most weeks, helps lead worship, and maintains the status quo while the church searches and waits for their next pastor. This role can be light. I’ve held this role several times, preaching most weeks for a few months, and meeting with elders perhaps once a month.
Type two is weightier but probably still part-time. An interim pastor may step in for a larger church that faces difficult issues. The interim ministry might continue for 18-20 months and work extensively with church leaders. I’ve held this role several times too, part-time and near my home in St. Louis.
Type three is a transitional pastor or “intentional interim.” An intentional interim will have most of the same roles as a senior pastor, but he cannot become the lead pastor, and he has the duties for a short time. The title “interim pastor” never appears in the Bible, but Paul sent Titus to Crete to teach and solve problems there, so he had something like an interim role, as did Timothy. The chief idea is to help the church move well toward their next pastor. Let me sketch the call or duties of an interim pastor.
#1. Every interim pastor will preach most weeks, typically three out of four. A full-time interim is often from another town. When he visits his home, the church typically brings in an outside speaker who may not be a candidate but may roughly fit the profile of the next pastor.
#2. He fulfills several familiar pastoral roles. He helps plan and lead worship, leads session meetings, cares for pastors, staff, and other leaders, and steps in to help in emergencies.
#3. Intentional interims help with the search for the next lead pastor.
#4. They address a few key issues that cannot or should not wait until the arrival of the next pastor. They rarely tackle more than two major issues. There are other benefits in having an interim pastor. One is stability. It’s difficult to have a different preacher every week; that reminds people that they miss a chief shepherd. A trusted interim can help everyone relax and trust the Lord as He cares for His church.
Although interim pastors don’t do it deliberately, they remind the people that their next pastor will be different. Briarwood’s pastors were uniquely gifted men; we call them “unicorns” today. The senior pastor of a large church must be a good preacher and a good leader, but after that they can be quite different. For example, it’s unlikely that the next lead pastor will have Pastor Reeder’s memory or energy. An interim pastor does not try to be different; he is, and that prepares everyone for the next pastor, who will have distinct gifts and interests, too.
– Dr. Dan Doriani, Interim Pastor