Date of Award
Spring 2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
College
Barnett College of Ministry & Theology
Department
Department of Christian Ministries and Religion
Primary Advisor
Dr. Kenneth Archer
Second Advisor
Dr. Jamie Stewart
Third Advisor
Dr. Jim Vigil
Abstract
Within the next decade, thousands of churches in America will be transitioning the lead pastoral position from one generation to the next. Most lead pastors are not prepared for this succession. The primary research question driving this project is: Can a strategic plan be developed that will assist pastors in the succession between a mentoring lead pastor and his or her mentee? This question is worth researching for the following reasons: 1) most literature written on the subject focuses on principles and/or practices; 2) most literature written on the subject looks at succession as a whole (congregation, board, et cetera), but does not address how to specifically assist the outgoing and incoming pastors; and 3) most literature that do address a plan are not from a qualitative case study, but rather from personal experience. The research question led to the synthesizing of eight qualitative interviews of incoming and outgoing pastors who walked through a mentor to mentee lead pastor succession, an examination of primary sources on the topic of pastoral succession, and a theological review of pastoral succession and leadership transition within the narrative of scripture. The findings from the research produced a seven-step strategic plan to assist the outgoing pastor and incoming pastor in the succession between a mentoring lead pastor and his or her mentee.
Recommended Citation
Wolf, Glen, "A STRATEGIC PLAN TO ASSIST PASTORS IN THE SUCCESSION BETWEEN A MENTORING LEAD PASTOR AND HIS OR HER MENTEE" (2020). Doctor of Ministry (DMin). 11.
https://firescholars.seu.edu/dmin/11