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A Bridge to an Interim
“Four Weeks Devoted to becoming a Healthier Congregation”

A Service of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Missouri

After a pastor leaves a congregation, the next few weeks can be a time of:

  • Anxiety

  • Confusion/Disorientation

  • Grief

Those emotions are felt by some members even when the separation was a good and happy one!  Sometimes there are even emotions of:

  • Panic

  • Pain  

  • Powerlessness

Baptist churches are sometimes vulnerable during this time of transition.  This is an occasion for important choices.  Yet, there is often confusion about who should lead in making these choices.  Constitutions and by-laws are often unclear about precisely how a congregation should function during the interim.  The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Missouri offers a service to churches to facilitate good decision-making during this period.

The interim ministry can be a time of:                     

  • Reviewing, Renewing and Transforming the church’s mission

  • Healing

  • Anxiety reduction

  • Clarifying the direction for both the interim committee and the search committee. 

The Bridge ministry would usually be limited to about four weeks and the Bridge minister would not be eligible to become the interim or the pastor.  The purpose of the “Bridge” will be to assist the church:

1. Provide consistent leadership (Sunday worship and Wednesday nights) during the initial time of transition

2.  Provide the congregation some “breathing room” before irreversible decisions are made

3.  Help the congregation clarify their needs

4.  Help the congregation identify the type of interim ministry that is most appropriate

5.  Provide contact information regarding interim candidates and congregational options.

The benefit to the church is that a qualified minister will come to the church for about a month, provide for worship, and counsel the church and its leaders as it prepares for an interim minister.

For information contact:
Harold A. Phillips, Coordinator
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Missouri  
5 East Kansas Street, Ste 200
Liberty, Missouri 64068
816.415.0009
hap@cbfmo.org

 

 

Giving to CBF of Missouri:
Information on personal giving options
Cooperative giving options for churches

 


Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Missouri
5 East Kansas Street     Liberty, Missouri 64068
Phone: 816.415.0009     Fax: 816.736.0122     Email:info@cbfmo.org

Copyright 2005-2008 CBF of Missouri