At one time or another, most churches find themselves without a senior pastor. Some studies report that as many as 1,500 pastors leave the ministry every month, while others claim the number is closer to 250 per month. Whichever statistic is more accurate (and it’s probably somewhere in the middle), it shows that at any given time, there is probably at least one church in or near Riverside without a senior pastor.
Many Riverside churches have benefitted from bringing in an interim pastor during these times of transition. Not only can an interim pastor fill the gap while the church searches for a new senior pastor, but an interim pastor with an emphasis on church revitalization, like those at VitalChurch Ministry, can also help the church address any areas that may need to change prior to hiring their next senior pastor.
A Proven Process for Church Revitalization in Riverside Churches
At VitalChurch, we’ve developed a proven three-phase process for churches finding themselves in a time of transition or crisis. Sometimes, the fact that a church is without a senior pastor is what brings about a crisis. Other times, it’s a crisis or conflict that causes the pastor to leave. Whatever the case may be, there is typically more than one issue in a church related to the absence of a senior pastor.
When you bring in an interim pastor from VitalChurch, he doesn’t just fill the pulpit on Sunday mornings. He will help your church do the hard work of getting to the root of your issues and resolving them in a Christ-centered, God-glorifying way.
The process starts with an in-depth church assessment we call our Diagnostic Analysis. We have a team of diagnostic experts that are skilled in church analysis. They will be able to pinpoint the areas in which your church is doing well, and what areas could use improvement.
Unlike many other church consultants, we don’t leave you there. After the church assessment is completed, an interim pastor from VitalChurch will walk your Riverside church through the process of addressing any issues of concern. He will also provide your church with structured leadership and sound, Bible-based teaching. If needed, your VitalChurch interim pastor will also help facilitate the pastoral search process.
Once a new senior pastor is hired, VitalChurch will continue to work with your church through follow-up coaching to ensure that the transition is a smooth one and that your church continues on the right path.
Support for Riverside Denominations and Denominational Churches
At VitalChurch, we don’t just work with independent or non-denominational churches in Riverside that need an interim pastor, we can also help denominations and denominational churches. We’ve worked with denominations who need assistance in training their own team of interim pastors, using resources our team has spent many years producing based on our experience, and we’ve also done church health assessments for denominational churches. In addition, we’ve provided interim pastors for denominational churches when their denomination doesn’t have their own team of interim pastors.
Pastors, With Pastors’ Hearts
Being an effective interim pastor is not something just anyone can do. It takes someone who is called to this unique role of ministering to churches in transition or crisis. The interim pastors at VitalChurch take seriously their call to shepherd churches through difficult times and help them become vibrant, healthy places, ready to call their next senior pastor. Our interim pastors are much more than just church consultants. They invest deeply in the Riverside churches in which they serve and walk alongside congregations as they seek the Lord for the next phase in their ministry.
If you’d like to know more about VitalChurch Ministry and the work we do in Riverside churches, we’d love to talk with you. Contact us today to have all of your questions answered.