Pastor Transitions, Search Teams, etc.

A bibliography for churches and pastors during seasons of pastor transitions, searching, calling, and maximizing the unique opportunities of change

Ideas for how to walk through a pastoral transition

Resources from around the EFCA


Search teams

Job sites, recruiters

  • PastorSearch, the EFCA placement tool for churches and candidates
  • Chemistry Staffing
  • Church Staffing
  • Handshake - platform for recruiting students
  • Lancaster Search - a no-fee pastor search firm (recommended by at least one MWD church)
  • Jobs for Pastors
  • Ministry Search
  • FaithSearch Partners
  • Fruit Group - they help small, midsize, and megachurches find the right candidates to make their best hire
  • Gospel Coalition job site
  • Slingshot (especially for NextGen)
  • The Shepherd Staff (especially good for small- to medium-sized churches; recommended by at least one MWD church)
  • Vanderbloemen Church Staffing
  • ZipRecruiter - not church-specific, but used by some candidates
  • Deploy your congregation - give them a very short list of characteristics and a link to the role description and ask them to talk with people in their networks for leads
  • Consider other Free churches for suggestions - perhaps your next staff member is a current member of another church; leaders often know who God might be setting apart for ministry
  • Contact parachurch ministries on college campuses - perhaps some of their leaders are ready to step into church leadership
  • Don't forget MAP - the MWD's MAP program (http://efcamidwest.org/map) can help someone grow into their church role "on-the-job"

Church Boards while in Pastoral Transition

See IPMs 3 helpful manuals specifically about church boards while the church is in transition:

Manual #1: Church Board Training Manual covers the Ten Core Essentials needed in a board member, among them: Christlikeness, Honesty and Integrity, Humility, Unity of the Spirit, Self-Awareness, Kingdom Vision People, Shepherd Leaders, and Communication/Communication/Communication. 

Manual #2: Unhealthy Church Boards addresses how to deal with Twelve Types of Unhealthy Boards, including: The Board without Biblical Standards, The Dominating Pastor Board, the No Term Limits Board, The passive and Ineffective Board, The Dominant Voice(s) Board and The Post Conflict Board. 

Manual #3: Transforming Church Boards provides strategies for Transforming a Church Board including: Learning the Value of Listening, Evaluating Pastor Board Training, A Biblical Model of Church Leadership, Moving Boards Toward Missional Thinking, Developing Board Recruitment, and Training to Show the Difference in the Size of Congregations. 

These Board Manuals are one example of how IPM provides its interim pastors with practical resources for helping the churches they serve get healthier and stronger during their pastoral transition.  

These manuals are available from IPM at: https://interimpastors.com/training-materials/. If you would like a free sample copy of one of the volumes, let the church office know and they might be able to acquire one for you.