Churches that are experiencing internal issues often don’t know where to turn. This is especially true for independent churches that are not connected to a denomination or church network. Church leaders can feel very alone and helpless to address the problems they are facing.
Fortunately, there are resources out there for struggling churches, but it’s important to know which type of resource is best for your church and its specific circumstances. Two of those options are church consultants and interim pastors. The following is a breakdown of these two options and the pros and cons of both.
When Bringing in a Church Consultant Is the Best Choice
A church consultant can be a great option for a church with strong leadership in place, but that is in need of an outside perspective to help them see beyond their own noses. Sometimes, churches have been doing the same things for so long that they can’t fathom that there could be another way. Or, they have been doing things that they thought were beneficial to their church, but were actually having the opposite effect.
Experienced church consultants can often quickly assess a situation and point out areas in which the church can improve. They can also offer suggestions on how to do it.
What a church consultant likely won’t do, however, is work with your church as you go through the process of fixing its issues. Their help typically ends after they have offered their assessment and their suggestions for your church moving forward.
The advantage of a church consultant over an interim pastor is that a consultant is typically a more affordable option, since they work with your church for a fairly limited amount of time.
When to Bring in an Interim Pastor
An interim pastor is most often used in churches that are experiencing a gap in their leadership structure—typically when the role of lead pastor is vacant. The lead pastor may have resigned unexpectedly, been let go, passed away, or be too ill to continue in their role. Whatever the circumstances surrounding the loss of the lead pastor, bringing in an intentional interim pastor to fill the role can be a good option for a church. However, an interim pastor can also be brought in when extensive, long-term help is needed to walk church leaders through change.
Church leaders need to be aware that there are different types of interim pastors before agreeing to bring someone in. Some interim pastors come in just to preach on Sundays, while others will take on the full job description of a lead pastor. In addition, certain interim pastors know how to usher in much-needed change in a church, and others only seek to maintain the status quo until a new, permanent lead pastor can be called. It’s important to know what type of interim pastor you will be working with prior to signing a contract.
While there are many advantages of bringing in an interim pastor, the downside is that they can be expensive. Interim pastors can stay at a church for up to a year or two, and may require that your church pay for their housing and living expenses. But if your church isn’t currently paying a lead pastor’s salary, much of the cost of the interim pastor may be offset by those savings.
