The Elephant in the Boardroom: Speaking the Unspoken about Pastoral Transitions - How to Handle Pastoral Transition with Sensitivity, Creativity, and Excellence

by Carolyn Weese, J. Russell Crabtree

One way or another, every church will eventually lose its pastor or minister, yet few congregations prepare for this dramatic event. The pastor's departure evokes a range of reactions and problems--sorrow and grief, uncertainty, loss of mission and momentum, power struggles--yet no one wants to talk about this elephant in the church boardroom. Carolyn Weese and J. Russell Crabtree--experts in the field of church leadership--have written a nuts-and-bolts guide to developing a succession plan for smooth pastoral transitions. Filled with strategies and solid advice, this handy resource is based in solid research and the authors' many years of experience working with churches in a wide variety of denominations. Weese and Crabtree clearly show that leadership succession should be part of every church's planning process. Using assessment tools and quizzes, the book walks church leaders through the process of identifying their particular church's culture type and creating a succession plan that will meet their congregation's needs.Firmly rooted in biblical principles and the best management thinking, The Elephant in the Boardroom puts the focus on health, asset building, and resiliency. Its many examples from real-life situations and solid explanations offer elders, deacons, board members, and other lay leaders a how-to manual for planning, preparing, and executing a leadership transition.

Genres: Nonfiction, Leadership

226 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2004

Reviews

[Doug Van Meter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best I've read so far on the subject. Some good biblical principles and related practical wisdom

[Michael Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors spend most of the book discussing positive leadership transition strategies for healthy churches, preferring to focus on strengthening healthy practices rather than on treating dysfunction. However, chapter 12 addresses steps that congregations that recognize their dysfunction can take for planning for an unexpected change in preachers or staff. I found their classification of churches helpful, as well as the types of preachers who would function best in each scenario. Their analysis caused me to reassess my own strengths and where I might fit best. I read this in an electronic format but want me now to purchase a print version. Although I did not always like what I read, and sometimes disagreed, I think that this book is a valuable asset for elders, deacons, preachers, and other church leaders.

[Sarah M. Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A valuable resource for thinking through a tough subject for any congregation. This gave me a lot to think about and some great tools for helping congregations navigate transition in the future.

[Nancy Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book from which every search committee addressing pastoral transition would benefit. Based on more than 20 years of documentation, this resource identifies elements of the "social contract" that exist in a congregation or faith community -- and how ignorance of those factors set up a next leader for failure. Weese and Crabtree invite a new paradigm in a postmodern culture -- one that acknowledges the need for thoughtful transition plans and removes the silent stigma of conversation so that organizations can continue to or begin to thrive under new leadership.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to read for congregations going through transition of pastors. It makes you think about the kind of church you have and the kind of church you want. It would be a good book for all church leaders to read. I got alot out of it.

[Joey Winafeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was impressed with the depth of the book. The book is broken down into specific sections to guide leadership through transitional period: before, during, and after. An elephant the book clearly dives into is the reality of culture within a pastoral transition.

[Bryan Neuschwander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful.