Is a career as an interim pastor intriguing to you? Maybe you’re a recent graduate with a degree in ministry, theology, or pastoral studies, or a retired pastor looking for temporary work in ministry.
The idea of serving in a variety of churches for a short amount of time, rather than in one church for many years, can be appealing. That way, if the church isn’t a good fit, you can amicably part ways once your contract with them is up. You could also potentially get to live in another part of the country for a period of time—most likely paid for by the church you are serving.
But serving as an interim pastor isn’t all fun and games—and it isn’t for everyone. Even seasoned pastors can struggle in an interim pastor role.
According to VitalChurch Ministry, one of the leading organizations in the United States for placing interim pastors in churches, an interim pastor should be called to and equipped for this very specialized role. In a recent blog post, they say, “Serving as an interim pastor can be very rewarding, but also very challenging, because churches in seasons of transition come with many unique challenges.”
They go on to say, “Intentional interim pastors need to be ready for the pushback they will likely experience when they discern that the Holy Spirit is guiding the church in a different direction or is asking the congregation or leadership to change the way they’ve been doing things for many years.”
In addition, an interim pastor needs to be adaptable—especially if he will be serving in a church that different from the church culture he is used to. Churches in different parts of the country or that are members of different denominations can have vastly different ideas about how church should be done. VitalChurch Ministry says, “Those best suited for interim ministry are pastors who can adapt to different churches—whether those churches are traditional or contemporary, small or large, rural or urban. God works in many different types of churches, and our interim pastors are there to support any church that is seeking to honor Him in their ministry.”
According to VitalChurch Ministry, training is key. It would be in a prospective interim pastor’s best interest to receive extensive training specifically in interim ministry, and be mentored by a seasoned interim pastor, prior to taking on an interim pastoring assignment. VitalChurch Ministry offers an annual training event for those interested in interim pastor ministry, which provides attendees with a lot of the information they’ll need to approach an interim pastor role. It can also give attendees a good idea of whether or not they are cut out for this type of ministry.
Serving as an interim pastor can certainly be rewarding, but pastors must go into an assignment with their eyes wide open and be ready for the challenges that often come along with this type of work.
