Before You Move A Guide to Making Transitions in Ministry Paperback - 2004

From the publisher

The average tenure for senior pastors is five years, while most youth pastors remain at their jobs less than two years. Why do pastors change churches so frequently when church analysts agree that longer tenures enhance ministry effectiveness? What prompts them to move and is every move a right one? How can pastors adequately assess their situation in order to make wiser choices when considering a change? How can they make necessary transitions as smoothly as possible?

These and other practical questions are addressed in this valuable guidebook for ministry leaders. Based on surveys and interviews with hundreds of pastors, as well as ten years of experience counseling leaders in transition, Dr. Cionca provides a compendium of wisdom for those considering or entering a ministry transition. Topics include: the myth of the greener grass, lack of clarity regarding the will of God and call to ministry, unrealistic expectations on the part of the pastor and/or the people, and a lack of self-awareness and healthy evaluative feedback.Practical advice that applies to every vocational ministry leaderSpans transitions from those considering ministry to those preparing for retiremenAuthor has both personal experience with ministry transitions and ten years of counseling others in the midst of similar situationsFeatures real life stories, charts, worksheets, and evaluative checklists