All churches tend to go through different “seasons.” Some churches may be in very fruitful seasons, where they’re seeing many people come to the Lord, great spiritual growth, and effective community and global outreach. At the same time, other churches are struggling. They may be experiencing a decline in attendance or stagnant spiritual growth among their congregation, or they could be in a full-blown crisis. Perhaps the lead pastor stepped down unexpectedly or became ill, and they now find themselves without a clear leader, or it could be that church conflict has reached a point that makes it impossible for effective ministry to take place.
If your Minnesota church is in the latter category, it may be time to seek some outside help. At VitalChurch Ministry, we work with Minnesota churches in transition or crisis to help bring about revitalization, hope, and healing. We’ve helped many churches through very challenging times, when there was no discernible path forward. We aren’t consultants—we are intentional interim pastors who are called to the this specific type of ministry.
A Biblically Based, Three-Phase Process
VitalChurch’s intentional interim pastors walk Minnesota churches through our proven process of church revitalization.
It starts with a thorough church assessment, also known as a diagnostic analysis. During this phase, we listen to church leaders, the congregation, and God to gain an accurate understanding of the church’s current reality. We determine what is working well and what areas need attention. We uncover what the church’s true issues are, and provide prayerfully considered recommendations for moving forward.
The second phase of our process is an intentional interim pastor period. In this phase, we send one of VitalChurch’s dedicated interim pastors to a church for an extended period of time (typically a year or more). During this time, the interim pastor will help the church work through their issues and help them discover where God is leading them as a congregation. Our intentional interim pastors can address areas such as conflict resolution, leadership development, and ministry team building. They will also provide gospel-centered preaching, and can help with a pastoral search process, if needed.
The third and final phase of our church revitalization process is follow-up coaching. Our pastors continue to provide support and guidance for church staff and leaders for three to six months following the interim pastor period. They will help facilitate the transition to the church’s next lead pastor and make sure the church stays on the right path.
Denominational Support and Interim Pastor Training
Our interim pastor ministry isn’t just for independent Minnesota churches. We also work with denominational churches, as well as the denominations themselves. Denominations often hire us to conduct church health assessments in their churches. They also use the expertise of our interim pastors to provide training for their own team of interim pastors within their denominations.
When we work with churches that are a part of a denomination, we carefully match the church with an interim pastor who will best fit with the church and its theology. In addition, our interim pastors will maintain communication with denominational leadership and work with them as needed.
What Makes VitalChurch Different?
There are many people and organizations working in Minnesota that can provide churches with consulting or with a pastor who can preach on Sundays. The intentional interim pastors at VitalChurch provide so much more.
No church is beyond help—however dire the current situation may seem.