“Every pastor is an interim pastor.” That bold statement is the opening sentence of Next: Pastoral Succession That Works.
It is true for public, private, and non-profit leaders. I think it is also true for parents. Your and my leadership and influence will not last forever. Our churches, organizations, and families will outlive us. The question is, once you and I are gone, how healthy will they be?
At the end of the book, Vanderbloemen and Bird state that “there is no success without succession.” While there may be short-term success, long-term health and vitality will not be realized without effective succession planning and implementation.
Next: Pastoral Succession That Works is both philosophical (why every leader must think about succession, regardless of their age or leadership experience) and practical (how a leader and/or board can create an effective succession strategy), and it contains many case studies and specific lessons learned.
This book is a definite “must read” for anyone in a senior leadership position. Highly recommended.
Mark
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